Preparing to launch your podcast? You’re probably wondering what are the most effective social media platforms to promote it and the best way to do it.
However, to build a loyal community, you must learn each platform's unique traits. Why? Simple, social media content that sticks on Twitter or Facebook is different from content that succeeds on TikTok or Instagram.
Today, we'll cover one of the most popular platforms for podcast promotion: Instagram.
In this post, we’ll share:
- The benefits of promoting your podcast on Instagram
- How to share a podcast on Instagram like a pro (+5 tips)
Ready? Let’s go.
What Are the Benefits of Promoting Your Podcast on Instagram?
Nowadays, Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms. In fact, according to the latest statistics:
- Instagram has 2 billion monthly active users and 500 million daily active users (CNBC & Statista).
- An image posted on Instagram will have 23% more engagement than an image posted on Facebook (BusinessofApps).
- Instagram's videos perform even better, with a 38% higher engagement rate than Facebook's (Mention).
Based on these figures, it's clear that Instagram is a good place to promote your podcast. But, to be more specific, Instagram marketing matters for your podcast show because:
- It makes it easy to expand and nurture your podcast online community.
- It’s a great platform to show BTS content and humanize your brand.
- Its users are accustomed to paid advertising and respond to it positively.
With that in mind, let’s cover 5 key tips to boost your show on Instagram.
How to Share a Podcast on Instagram [+5 Key Tips]
There are many ways to promote your podcast on Instagram.
However, these are our top five:
- Creating appealing content for stories and Instagram feed posts
- Making eye-catching Instagram Reels
- Following a consistent publishing & engagement schedule
- Adapting your profile and content to your podcast's branding
- Running a paid podcast advertising campaign
Let’s see how to implement each one, shall we?
Create Appealing Content for Stories and Instagram Feed Posts
When it comes to promoting your podcast on Instagram, content creation is the most important factor. There’s no doubt about that.
But what content is better suited for your podcast? Regardless of your show’s topic, we suggest you:
- Partner with your podcast guests, and create content that both their audience and yours can enjoy
- Launch giveaways & promotions
- Provide interesting resources
Let’s take a closer look.
Partner with your podcast guests
If you have guests on your podcast, you can leverage their audience to obtain more listeners. How? By establishing a partnership. Both of you can share content related to their participation, on your accounts. A win-win scenario.
Here are three simple ideas that will make a difference:
- Create flyers to announce your guest's participation, and post them days before their appearance in the show.
- Write a brief intro of who your guest is and introduce them to your listeners. Your guest can do the same for your podcast.
- After the participation, highlight the key points in engaging carousels, audiograms, or short clips.
In turn, guests can share bonus, short-form content on their Instagram accounts before and after their appearance.
If you’re interested in learning how to grow your podcast by leveraging your guests’ audience, check out our 5 essential tips.
Giveaways & Promotions
Launching giveaways on Instagram is a great way to attract listeners and reward loyal followers.
The reason is very simple, giveaways capture the audience's attention and give them a time-sensitive reason to engage.
Common raffle conditions include:
- Sharing the post announcing the giveaway
- Following your Instagram account
- Tagging friends in the comments
A good giveaway will help you:
- Increase your following
- Boost your visibility
You can launch raffles regardless of the season. However, it’s more effective if you do it when people expect to give or receive special gifts.
For instance, raffles are great for promoting your podcast during the holiday season.
But, what should you give away?
Consider offering:
- Free subscriptions
- Merchandise
- Courses
- Products from your podcast’s sponsors
Provide Interesting Resources
Oftentimes, Instagram users follow accounts that offer relevant information about a topic of their interest. Here is where creating genuinely useful resources becomes key.
Create content that’s guided by:
- Your listeners’ goals
- Your listeners’ pain points
- Your first-hand experiences
For example, if you have a podcast for designers, you can create a post explaining how to create great font combinations.
Additionally, you can repurpose these content topics later. Whether on other social media platforms or on your show.
Create Appealing Instagram Reels
Over the past few years, short videos have become an essential marketing tool for reaching new audiences. And, on Instagram, users are absolutely captivated by Reels.
In fact…
- Instagram Reels receive an average of 300 to 800 likes. Conversely, videos posted to IGTV and profile feeds only receive 100 to 200 likes (Hootsuite).
- Short-form videos are one of the most successful social media content formats when it comes to lead generation and engagement (Hubspot).
But, what kind of content can you share through reels? Simple: you can edit your episodes’ highlights into short clips and audiograms.
Whatever format you choose, make sure you incorporate reels into your Instagram podcast promotion strategy.
If you’re interested in learning more, check out our post on what’s the best short video format to promote a show.
Following a Consistent Posting & Engagement Schedule
Along with creating content that captivates users, it’s important to manage and monitor your account. Why? Posting is just a part of the journey, you should also:
- Check the performance of each post (likes, shares, savings, etc.)
- Read and reply to the comments
- Reply to your DMs within a reasonable period of time
- Check your follower’s demographic
- Be consistent
However, carrying out these tasks doesn't have to be overwhelming, there are plenty of tools (such as Meta Business Suite) that can help you:
- Create and schedule posts, stories, and podcast ads
- Get a centralized view of your Instagram account activity
- Reply to your posts’ comments easily
- Identify the geographic location and age group of your account's visitors and followers
- Analyze statistics to tailor content to your target audience
Adapt Your Profile & Content to your Podcast Branding
Optimizing your account and content makes it easier for users to find you.
To do so, you should:
- Have your podcast's name as your Instagram username. For example: If your podcast is called “Love Design Podcast”, a good username would be @lovedesignpodcast.
- Include your logo in your profile picture
- Set an Instagram business profile
- Add a brief description of your podcast to your bio. Mention the host’s name and what the show offers. Try to keep your bio as short as possible
- Leverage on-brand story highlights to share key info and welcome new community members
- Link to your podcast's website
When it comes to your posts, make sure to include your podcast's geographic location and relevant hashtags in each of them. Last but not least, don't forget to use a consistent visual style.
Run a PPC Podcast Advertising Campaign
Instagram is a great place to advertise podcasts. From reels to stories, to posts, Instagram allows creators to engage audiences across a wide variety of formats. Nevertheless, promoting your podcast with paid ads requires a strategy.
Get started by:
- Defining your goals and budget
- Identifying your target audience, considering not only their demographics but also their motivations and concerns
- Establishing which content assets to create
- Deciding on a clear CTA
Discover how to build a successful paid ads campaign for your podcast in our guide to PPC podcast promotion.
Key Takeaways
In this post, we covered everything you need to know to promote your podcast on Instagram successfully. It goes without saying that creating engaging content is essential for growing your listenership. And audiograms may be one of the best formats out there.
At this point, you may be wondering: “Aren’t short videos expensive and hard to create?”
This is where Audiotease comes in handy.
With Audiotease, you can create audiograms in a simple and cost-effective way, straight from your browser. And you won’t need to compromise how your content looks. With Audiotease, you can fully customize your audiograms to match your podcast’s branding. And best of all: Audiotease was made for non-designers. So, no editing skills needed.
Start growing your podcast with short videos. Create your first audiogram today, for free.