Quick Daily Podcasting Tips by Alitu

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about partnering with an event. In recent episodes, you’ve heard how you might find various events and get-togethers that are relevant to your show. Attending them is a great idea - partnering with them is an even better one. Some podcasts become the official media partner of events in their niche. Here, you might record content in the lead-up, then on the day itself too. This can also give you access to some speakers or interviewees that would’ve been otherwise hard to reach. So again, this can be a win-win. You’re getting loads of great new content opportunities, reaching plenty new people in your target audience, and you’ll even save money on the price of a ticket, too. Thanks for listening to Pocket-Sized Podcasting. And remember, you can leave feedback for us quickly and easily over at [thepodcasthost.com/psp](http://thepodcasthost.com/psp)

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about local and ongoing events in your niche. Face-to-face interaction goes a long way toward promoting your podcast. Other people are more likely to remember you and your work if they have met you in person. There might be some groups or societies in your area that are relevant to your podcast topic. It’s much easier and cheaper to pop along to one of these, than it is to invest in the time and travel for a big national event. These groups tend to meet in pubs, libraries, community centres, churches, or coffee shops. They’re a chance to socialize, make friends, and learn from one another. Meetup.com is a great way to find clubs and societies, though you can also use platforms like Eventbrite, Facebook, Craigslist, or Gumtree. Thanks for listening to Pocket-Sized Podcasting. And remember, you can leave feedback for us quickly and easily over at [thepodcasthost.com/psp](http://thepodcasthost.com/psp)

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about finding conferences in your niche. No matter what topic you podcast about, there’s probably a decent-sized annual event that takes place around it. This could be anything from a Comicon or board game convention, to a conference of surgeons or physicists. It might seem like a hassle or expense to travel to something like this, but it can be well worth your while. There’s nothing more powerful than real-life in-person interactions. Obviously, you’ll want to behave like a human, rather than a walking billboard for your show. But do take things like business cards or any other appropriate merch to help make your podcast known. This is more about finding long-term friends and relationships rather than a sheer new listeners numbers game. But, you never know what opportunities can arise from these events, and they can lead to massive podcast growth further down the line. Thanks for listening to Pocket-Sized Podcasting. And remember, you can leave feedback for us quickly and easily over at [thepodcasthost.com/psp](http://thepodcasthost.com/psp)

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about running competitions to grow your show. This is a good way to reward your current listeners and spread the word about your show. Think about a big action that your podcast’s topic includes. Is there a skill your show teaches, that you could encourage listeners to show off on social, using a certain hashtag? Or maybe you’ll reward listeners for the most innovative use of your podcast merch out there in the wild. Like any competition, you could pick one single winner and send them a physical prize. Or, you might have some sort of digital prize you can offer to everyone who enters. Not only can this give you lots of extra marketing as well as a few new listeners, it’s also a great way to build a sense of community and collaboration around your show, too. Your listeners will really feel like an active part of the podcast, and that can be a powerful thing. Thanks for listening to Pocket-Sized Podcasting. And remember, you can leave feedback for us quickly and easily over at [thepodcasthost.com/psp](http://thepodcasthost.com/psp)

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about reaching out to a handful of your dedicated fans. If you can find 3-5 people who you know listen to every single word of every single episode you put out, then it’s well worth your time asking them to get on a call with you. You can almost use this as a sort of focus group for your content. The info you get from them can be gold when it comes to growing your podcast, too. You’ll want to ask them questions like how they discovered the show, why they initially hit play, why they subscribed, and what keeps them listening. Identifying what you’re doing well means you can really zone in on that, going forward. And, you can also get some critical feedback, too. Is there anything they’re not keen on, or would like to see added or removed from the show? This stuff can all be invaluable when it comes to planning the future direction of your show. Thanks for listening to Pocket-Sized Podcasting. And remember, you can leave feedback for us quickly and easily over at [thepodcasthost.com/psp](http://thepodcasthost.com/psp)

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about helping to crowdfund another podcast. If there’s one thing 99% of podcasts have in common, it’s in asking their listeners for financial support. Commonly, this is done through crowdfunding platforms like Patreon. And in exchange for supporting them, many shows will offer reward tiers that can help promote the work of the patron. If you have some disposable cash to spare, there are worse ways to spend it. You’re helping to support a fellow creative, and have the opportunity to grow your own show in exchange. So what are your favourite podcasts in your niche? Do they ask for any kind of financial support? And if so, do they offer any rewards? This could be things like; 1. Putting a link to your website on their own site 2. Mentioning you on their show 3. Playing your trailer on their show This is yet another win-win situation for all involved. Thanks for listening to Pocket-Sized Podcasting. And remember, you can leave feedback for us quickly and easily over at [thepodcasthost.com/psp](http://thepodcasthost.com/psp)

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about writing a guest post. A popular way to promote your podcast is to do a guest post on a site with a similar target audience. With a guest post, you're creating insightful and helpful content for their readers, and in turn, are able to link back to your own content. So, have a think about some sites that create good content in your niche. What topics do they cover? And how might you be uniquely placed to write something useful and interesting for their readers? A lot of websites have guidelines around guest posts, but if not, they’ll at least have a contact page. Remember, make your pitch all about *them* and their audience. This is all about delivering value. You’ll get your link back, and you’ll get to mention your show, but that isn’t something you want to lead with. Thanks for listening to Pocket-Sized Podcasting. And remember, you can leave feedback for us quickly and easily over at [thepodcasthost.com/psp](http://thepodcasthost.com/psp)

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about supporting a charity. Getting behind a charity that’s close to your heart - as well as your podcast topic - can build a great win-win scenario for all involved. This support could be financial, but it may be more useful to both parties for you to promote and spotlight the work of the organisation. If you do an interview show, this might give you access to folks who’d love to do an episode with you. And if you’re creating good content around a charity, they’ll likely want to share and promote your podcast to their wider audience, as well. A couple of examples here could be; - A tabletop wargaming podcast supporting a veterans charity. - Or a writers' show supporting an organisation that helps fund books for kids in socially deprived neighbourhoods. Obviously, with charities, it'll be more of a long-term reciprocity thing, rather than a direct transaction. You'll need to be respectful here, and be aware that this is an ongoing relationship, rather than a service. Thanks for listening to Pocket-Sized Podcasting. And remember, you can leave feedback for us quickly and easily over at [thepodcasthost.com/psp](http://thepodcasthost.com/psp)

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about creating a sponsored resource. Podcast sponsorship doesn’t always involve money changing hands. Instead, you can have a “content partnership” with a company where visibility is more important than cash. A sponsored resource is basically something you can create for a business. It should be something that their customers will find useful, or enjoy. In exchange, the resource - and the business itself - will promote your podcast and send new listeners your way. A couple of examples might be; - An outdoors podcast who create a PDF resource for a popular walking boot company - “The Top 20 Walking Trails in Scotland” - Or, A ketogenic diet podcast that creates a PDF resource or infographic, for a cheese or butter company, with 20 exciting recipes to try. So can you think of any companies you’d love to partner with? If so, reach out to their marketing department with your proposal and media kit. It could be the start of a fruitful relationship for both. Thanks for listening to Pocket-Sized Podcasting. And remember, you can leave feedback for us quickly and easily over at [thepodcasthost.com/psp](http://thepodcasthost.com/psp)

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about creating a ‘best podcasts’ roundup. Lists, or ‘roundups’, are one of the most shareable (and searchable) forms of content on the planet. A great way to utilise them to grow your audience, is to create a ‘Best Podcasts’ roundup in your niche. This could either be done as a podcast episode, or blog post (or both!). For each show, answer questions like “what’s it about?”, “who’s it by?” why you like it, how it’s been useful to you, and why you recommend others go and check it out. Make sure you provide links to each show’s website too. When you’ve published your roundup, email and tag each of the podcasts mentioned. Tell them about their inclusion on the list, and ask them if they wouldn't mind sharing it with their audience too. This is a great win-win where you shine a light on other podcasts, but also end up with a lot of your target audience visiting your site. For an example, see our ‘Best Space Podcasts’ roundup at [thepodcasthost.com/spacepodcasts](http://thepodcasthost.com/spacepodcasts)

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about creating a montage episode. A montage episode is a piece of audio content, made up of clips from different contributors. A tried and tested way of creating one is to build the episode around a single topic or question. Here, each participant records their answer to the question, and sends over their audio to the creator. You can collect clips from anyone from the general public, to your podcast listeners. In this particular instance, we want to create one with fellow podcasters in our niche. Some examples of montage episodes could include An episode of a travel podcast, where contributors talk about their favourite holiday destination An episode of a sound design podcast, where contributors talk about their favourite audio production software Or, an episode of a health podcast, where contributors talk about their morning routines When you’ve published a montage episode, be sure to reach out to everyone involved and ask them to share it with their own listeners. Everyone’s podcast can grow with this strategy, on top of it being great content for the collective audience. Everyone wins! For a deeper dive on this topic, head on over to http://thepodcasthost.com/montage

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about running a co-hosted episode. Teaming up with another podcast in your niche to do a special co-hosted episode can be a great way to expand your reach and share your audiences. These “crossover” episodes can bring fresh and engaging content to the listeners of both shows. They can also help listeners find new, relevant, and enjoyable content that they might not have already been aware of. Can you think of a podcast that's at a similar level to your own show, in terms of influence and following. One with a similar topic, or some sort of overlap in subject matter. If so, reach out to them and propose a special co-hosted episode on a topic that’ll benefit both your audiences. Be sure to sell the benefits to them. You think your audience will love their content, and this is an opportunity to grow their reach. Publish this special episode on both your feeds, making it clear throughout that this is a co-hosted episode between podcast X and podcast Y. Thanks for listening to Pocket-Sized Podcasting. And remember, you can leave feedback for us quickly and easily over at http://thepodcasthost.com/psp

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about contributing constructively to an existing community. Whether or not you run your own community, there’s no harm in getting involved in others within your topic, too. This doesn’t mean going around spamming everywhere about your podcast. It’s about being a positive, pro-active, and helpful person. For example, you can offer answers to questions, or you could even ask some of your own. Kicking off an ongoing weekly conversation can be a great idea too. For example “hey fellow writers, what’s everyone been working on this week?”, or, “alright photographer pals, let’s see your best shot from the past seven days”. This positive community involvement means people get to know you - and, by default - your podcast. Some will become listeners, but even those who don’t will appreciate the positive contribution you’re making in your space. For a deeper dive on this topic, head on over to http://thepodcasthost.com/buildingcommunity

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about starting an online community around your podcast. This lets you engage in discussion with your podcast audience. It allows you to get feedback, and generate enthusiasm. It even allows listeners to meet and get to know one another, and this is a powerful thing. There are a few plugins that let you build your community on your own WordPress site. A couple of good options here are bbPress and CM Answers. If you and your listeners are on Facebook, then you can start a group there. Discord is also an increasingly popular option amongst podcasters, too. Regardless of where you create your community, be sure to mention it in your Calls to Action, and to link clearly to it in your shownotes and website. For a deeper dive on this topic, head on over to http://thepodcasthost.com/buildingcommunity

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about creating memorable and immortal links. As podcasters, we’ll usually try to send the listener to some link or resource at least once per episode. By the way, have you taken our feedback survey yet at [thepodcasthost.com/psp](http://thepodcasthost.com/psp) ? But see, that type of link’s exactly what I’m talking about. It’s short and memorable. And you can always change where it points to, further down the line. A classic example of this is a podcaster sending folks to their Patreon for 100 episodes, then, moving to a new funding platform. They now have this back catalogue full of out-of-date links. If they’d instead used a shortlink like their podcast dot com slash support, they could’ve just updated where that points to. If you use WordPress, then PrettyLinks is a great plugin for this. And Podpage has its own version too, if you’re using that. So, again, that link is http://thepodcasthost.com/psp - and, when you click on that, which of course you will, look at the URL it actually goes to, and imagine me trying to read that out. Maybe that could be a review prize incentive, actually…

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about tagging another podcast in a positive tweet. I know that “positive tweet” sounds like an oxymoron. But there apparently was a time when people acted reasonably to one another on that platform. So if you’re on twitter, and so is a podcast in your niche that you really like, why not post a nice tweet about them? Here, you might talk a wee bit about why you like it so much. Maybe the show was also a big inspiration behind starting your own, and that’s definitely worth mentioning too. If the podcast interacts with your tweet, it’s going to be seen by many of their followers, some of which are going to want to check out your own show. So make sure you get a clear link to it in your bio, too. By the way, you can always tweet this show @thepodcasthost. I mean, I won’t see it. But I’d like to think our admin would at least tell me about it. I’m sure they would.

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking, again, about podcast review incentives. This time around, though, you’re incentivising the content. So how does that look? Well, you might announce that when you hit a certain number of reviews - let’s say, 25 - you’ll do something a bit out of the ordinary. That could be a unique, highly-produced episode, an interview with a top-tier guest, or a live broadcast from somewhere that resonates. Depending on your niche or topic you could even vow to personally do something like run a marathon, do a parachute jump, or fast for a week. Your audience will also feel like they’re part of something, chipping in their own reviews to edge forwards towards a collective goal. This isn’t just a great way of getting more reviews, it’s also a way of building community and engagement too. For a deeper dive on this topic, head on over to http://thepodcasthost.com/morereviews

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about podcast review incentives. Another way to incentivise podcast reviews amongst your audience is to offer a prize for everyone, rather than one listener taking all in a prize draw. The same principles apply here. Listeners screenshot and email their reviews to you - that way, you know who they are, and how to get in touch with them. And they get something in return straight away. Obviously, it’s better if this is a digital incentive. An ebook, access to a course, or a private bonus episode. You don’t want to be posting bottles of wine all around the world, do you? Again, mention this on your episodes, but nowhere else. A bunch of low-value generic reviews will only make it look like you’ve used a click farm to get them. And that’s going to put more people off your content than attract them in. For a deeper dive on this topic, head on over to http://thepodcasthost.com/morereviews

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about podcast review competitions. Here, you’d ask each person who’s reviewed your podcast to email you a screenshot of that review, and enter them into a prize draw. It’s perfectly legit to incentivise reviews this way. The big caveat, though, is that this is open to your listening audience only. Not the general public. How do you ensure that? You only mention it on your episodes. That way, only your listeners will hear it. Yes you could potentially get more if you splashed it all over the internet - especially if you’re offering a lucrative prize. But any extra reviews you get here are going to be low value. Who wants a “great show, five stars” comment from someone who’s never even listened before? For a deeper dive on this topic, head on over to http://thepodcasthost.com/morereviews

Welcome to Pocket-Sized Podcasting, brought to you by Alitu: The Podcast Maker. And on this episode, we’re talking about asking individual listeners to review your podcast. Don’t panic. This isn’t a week-long task of sending out a personalised email to every single listener you have. Instead, it’s about approaching three to five people who you know listen to every single episode you put out. These could be folks you’ve heard from before via email or social media. Or, they might be active in the same online community as you. In any case, it’s worth reaching out to them personally to ask if they fancied writing a short and honest review for your show. Most people will be only too happy to help. You can even add these reviews to your own website, and, if your listener creates any content of their own, give a link back to them. For a deeper dive on this topic, head on over to http://thepodcasthost.com/morereviews