Today I managed to dig up some useful information for aspiring (and not only) podcasters. He really knows how to work with social media and is an authority in his field, so I recommend reading the article and taking it on board!

Are you a podcaster trying to make your show known? These steps will help you promote your show.

Use keywords

Using keywords on your page

Don’t just throw keywords on your page. Creating compelling content is about providing real value to real people, not just passing cues to our Google robot friends.

There are some basic rules for using keywords that you should follow for starters. Unique keywords should be used on every page of your site in the places that bots and people usually pay attention to, to convince them that you have what they’re looking for. This applies to both the title tag and the text of your content, which leads to an important point: clickbait pitfalls. You may think you’re attracting more clicks by offering tantalizingly vague titles for your content, but by hiding what the page is really about, you’re giving up some of the power of keywords.

You can also use your main keyword in the URL, the H1 tag on the page, the meta description, and the alt attributes of images on the page; all of these places will help search engines understand what your content is really about.

Using keywords in these areas is the easiest way to target your content to searchers. It won’t get you to the top of the results right away, but it’s very important for SEO; if you don’t take these basic steps, it may prevent you from ranking through other means.

Using keywords to formulate your content strategy

While you can often start with a keyword and create a piece of content around that term, sometimes your content already exists and you need to figure out how to relate it to your keywords. To do this, create what’s called a “keyword content relevance map.” Creating such a map will help you understand the impact of your existing content and identify weak links or gaps that need to be filled.

Since keywords define every page on your site, you can use them to organize your content and formulate your strategy. The easiest way to do this is to start a spreadsheet (“keyword content map”) and identify the main keyword for each article. Then you can build your spreadsheet according to your own requirements, adding keyword search volume, organic traffic, page authority, and any other metrics important to your business.

Ideally, you want every page on your site to target a unique main keyword. Generally speaking, your home page will target a very broad industry term, and as you create category pages, product pages and articles, they will go deeper into your niche and target more specific needs.

Get social: start networking

Make friends, not network connections

Would you want to work with someone who only sees you as a networker? Probably not. No one wants to be seen as just a stepping stone to getting what they want. And you probably don’t want to see yourself as a “networker” either.

As the old saying goes, “When it comes to money, everyone lies.” As a result, most people in business have developed a keen nose for those who talk nonsense. People want to build trustworthy relationships, not utilitarian connections. If you approach people with that attitude, you will often come across as insincere.

“You already know how to make connections.”

What’s my advice then? These are real people, just like us. Always think of them as multifaceted human beings with their own problems and motivations (and then try to help them solve their problems). Don’t forget – you already know how to network. You’ve been building relationships your whole life. Now use those same skills to purposefully build relationships with a group of very interesting, creative and successful people.

• Don’t lock yourself into just business. Strengthen meaningful relationships.
• Be different, upbeat, fun, yet professional. Have a good vibe about yourself.
• Have conversations about them, not about yourself.
• Know your boundaries. Never sell hard.
• Try to understand their problems first. You will learn something valuable, and it will pay off later.

Start with people you already know

You don’t need to meet new people to start networking effectively. In fact, you probably already know some people who can help you – even if they don’t work in your target industry.

If you just graduated, you can always reach out to your friends and family. Because they already know you and trust you, they are much more likely to help you than complete strangers.

“…They already know you and trust you.”

Find your university’s alumni database and look for people working in your field. Contact them and ask them for a short interview to get advice about your career. Since you went to the same university, you probably already have a lot in common. However, try to find those whose work experience is similar to yours. For example, maybe you are an expat from the United States who is looking for a job in marketing in France. Trust me – if you find someone with a similar story, there will be a special bond between you.

Also, don’t forget people who have already given you advice. You may have had university professors who took you under their wing. Or senior colleagues from your last job who taught you a lot. Tell them about what you’re doing in life at the moment, and invite them to meet and chat over a cup of coffee.

Once you’ve reached out to people you already know, you can move on to people you know and finally to strangers once the process becomes routine.

When you approach a new person, find a way to help them first

If someone is worth approaching, their time is probably more valuable than yours. Take Bill Gates, for example. He makes $114 per second of his life. It is literally not worth his time to pick up a fallen $100 from the ground. Imagine the chutzpah if you asked him for 5 minutes of his time.

Even if you don’t go to the richest man in the world, never assume that his time or advice will get you for free. That could easily close the door for you indefinitely. For this reason, above all else, you want to provide value to your network.

“Never assume that their time or advice will be free.”

It doesn’t matter if you’re a newly minted graduate or someone with years of experience under their belt. Research the company/person you are approaching and find something small to contribute. Don’t forget that it’s not just about being really helpful, but also about making a gesture.

Most importantly, do it without expecting anything in return. If you get turned down anyway, don’t show disappointment. The next time will be better.

In any case, once you’ve made new contact by providing something of value, don’t ask for a favor right away. It’s up to them at this point; you need to invest your time and effort first. Don’t worry, it will pay off in the end-sometimes in the most unexpected ways.

Follow-up. Don’t let your relationship gather dust

Most relationships have an expiration date. Some networkers reach out to someone and, once they get what they want, disappear until they need something again. Don’t be that kind of person and maintain your relationships by reaching out to your contacts regularly. Once you disappear from their radar, you will be easily forgotten, the trust you have built will diminish and you will have to start from scratch.

Also, you should always keep track of previous meetings and emails. Never forget to thank them for their help or advice. If you have discussed any next steps with your interlocutor, reiterate your intention to proceed and thank them for anything they have offered to do.

Never ask for a job directly. Instead, ask for advice and information

Why? After all, you may feel like you don’t need more information. It may even seem counterproductive. However, when you just ask for advice:

You’re not embarrassing them. After all, without knowing you, they would naturally hesitate to recommend you for a job. When you are too pushy, you ruin opportunities that may come later.

You don’t look like you want others to solve your problems for you. When you ask for advice, you give the impression of someone who wants to learn and improve. Most people are eager to help those who are already solving a problem on their own.

They get to know you better. If you show yourself to be a pleasant and reliable person, they may eventually even recommend you for a job.

This brings me to my last point. As you’ve probably figured out by now, networking is not about getting what you want. It revolves solely around building a network of inspiring relationships that can take you to the most unexpected places. Who knows, maybe instead of getting what you want, you might even find yourself in a situation you thought was too good to be true. That’s the magic of the wonderful relationship network.

Use your mailing list: or create one

Take Facebook as an example.

First, create a branded pop-up subscription form for your site.

Pop-up forms provide a quick and convenient way for visitors to share contact information and subscribe to your list while they’re browsing your site, making them a powerful tool for growing your audience. They’re easy to add to your site, and they’re proven effective – our research shows that Mailchimp users noticed an average 50.8% increase in their list growth after adding a pop-up form to their site.

Here are a few tips to consider before you start creating pop-up forms:

• Choose an attractive headline: Be sure to include a good headline that describes one important benefit your potential customers will receive by signing up for your newsletter.
• Relevant description or Tag line: Include a short and clear description line that will help you increase your subscription conversion rate.
• Simple form: Include only necessary contact information, such as name and email address.
• Include a call to action in the subscribe button. Be sure to use a non-template call to action that will encourage visitors to click the button right away.

Creating a popup form in 3 steps

1.Design your form.

• Tip: Create subscription forms with the user experience in mind. If you need design tips or best practices, we can help.

2. Set display times.

• Tip: Match the time the pop-up form appears to the average amount of time a visitor spends on your site. Set the form to appear immediately (or with a 5-second delay) if people don’t tend to spend a lot of time on your site. If visitors tend to browse, consider a 20-second delay or scroll-based trigger when someone reaches the middle or bottom of the page.

3. Generate code and, if necessary, paste it into your site’s HTML or site builder.

• Tip: If you have your site connected to Mailchimp, you can automatically publish a one-click popup form.

Set the form to appear immediately (or with a 5-second delay) if people don’t tend to spend a lot of time on your site. If visitors are prone to browsing, set a 20-second delay.

Next, create marketing campaigns to find your people with Facebook ads.

Every marketing professional knows that Facebook ads help you reach new audiences and find new customers by targeting people similar to your existing acquaintances. In fact, we’ve found that targeting audiences similar to your Mailchimp list can lead to a 29% increase in ROI compared to targeting by interest alone.

But Facebook ads aren’t just used to sell products, they’re used to generate leads by collecting emails through ads that link to your landing pages with forms to fill out. In just a few steps, you can create an ad that brings people to your site so they can quickly and easily sign up for your email list.

Creating a Facebook ad in 3 steps

1. Target people with similar interests.

• Tip: You’ve gathered a lot of information about your existing customers, now you have an opportunity to use that data to benefit your business. Facebook analyzes contact profiles from your Mailchimp list and then creates a similar audience based on common interests, behaviors and demographics.

• Tip: You can perform A/B testing to compare how a custom audience of recent visitors to your website and a similar audience of likely subscribers behave when trying to generate leads to improve conversion rate optimization.

2. Design your ad with the URL of your website.

• Tip: Choosing the right image for your Facebook ad can make a big difference in social media marketing. Our cheat sheet will help you choose an image that looks great and leads to conversions.

3. Set a budget.

• Tip: Your budget represents the maximum amount of money you want to pay for advertising. You can spend any amount, even $5, and you will only be charged for each person who clicks on your ad.

Guest a podcast and write guest blogposts

So, here are 9 key tips for the best podcast interviews:

1. Find guests you’re really interested in

Even David Letterman can’t do much with a guest who is tougher than a plank of wood. You can’t magically make someone interesting with the power of a question alone. For starters, your guests must have a certain charisma. And not everyone has it. The reality is that some guests are much better than others.

So half the art of recording the best podcast interviews comes down to selecting compelling guests. And the main rule to follow is whether you are genuinely interested in hearing what that person has to say.

Don’t interview just because he or she is famous or has an impressive job title. If you’re not really interested in what they do, listeners will pick up fake curiosity in your questions. They will sound stiff and curt. And the conversation won’t lead to anything interesting.

But finding the right guests is often easier said than done. Fortunately, MatchMaker.fm simplifies the process. All you have to do is register and fill out a few details about your podcast. Then you can browse a database of thousands of guest profiles and book the most suitable guests for your show.

Tip: Use a scheduler like Calendly or Harmonizely when booking guests. This will make life easier for you and your guests by saving them from having to email each other.

2. Do a little research on your guest

You have to be careful when researching your guests. If you do too much, your conversations will seem stiff. But not enough information can also come across as rude and disrespectful. You need to find a middle ground. Here are some basics to check before you sit down to record:

Read their page about themselves

But don’t get bogged down in a career history or list of accomplishments. Awards and accomplishments are great, but that’s not what makes a great interview. Instead, when you read their page about themselves, try to get a feel for them as a person.

Try to spot any aspect of their personality that shines through in the text. And make sure you don’t miss anything interesting or unusual. This is often where the seeds of a great story lie.

Check social media

Are they active on Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram? What topics have they written about lately? Have they shared any interesting articles? This is often a great way to start a discussion in an interview. For example, you might say, “I noticed that you recently tweeted about X, why is this such an important issue for you?” By doing this, you’ll demonstrate that you’ve done your research and give your guest a chance to talk about the topics that currently concern them.

What are they publishing?

Find other media appearances

Look online to see if the guest has spoken on other podcasts and listen to at least a couple of them. Just type “GUEST NAME” + “PODCAST” into Google. This will give you an idea of which topics they are most enthusiastic about and how they are likely to sound in your show.

Pay attention to the way they communicate. Do they usually give long or short answers? Do they sometimes go off track? This is helpful to know ahead of time. If they haven’t done many podcasts, look on YouTube to see if they’ve given talks.

3. Prepare and ask clarifying questions

While you’re doing your research, think about questions you might ask. Try to be creative. After all, if you ask the same questions as everyone else, you are more likely to get a rehearsed answer. Skye Pillsbury, host of Inside Podcasting, recommends the following approach:

“I try to take questions they’ve already been asked and take them one step further. For example, ‘I heard you say X, but I didn’t quite understand Y. Could you elaborate on that a little more?”

“By formulating questions this way, you accomplish two goals. First, by conveying what they’ve already said elsewhere, you immediately move the conversation into more interesting territory. And second, you show your guests that you’re really paying attention to what they’re doing.”

Skye interviews podcasters about their craft

If the goal of your show is to help listeners learn, focus on the “why” and “how” questions. Try to have your guest give specific examples, anecdotes, tips and case studies. These are much more meaningful to listeners than abstract theory. Always try to put yourself in your listeners’ shoes and ask questions they really want answers to.

Remain flexible

Making a list of questions is a great way to prepare. But don’t stick to it rigidly. It’s important to keep a certain amount of flexibility and openness during the conversation. If you only read out your list, the conversation won’t flow naturally and the interview won’t be truly in-depth.

Start the conversation with questions, and let the guest’s response determine the direction in which you should move. If interesting points were raised, keep going, dig deeper and try to get more information.

4. Conduct a preliminary interview process

If you’re recording the interview in person, sit your guest down first, offer them a drink, and have a conversation with them. Making your guest feel at ease is one of the keys to recording the best interviews. This is especially important if your guest has not participated in many podcasts before. It can be pretty nerve-wracking!

Even if you’re recording remotely, there are a few key points you should let your guests know ahead of time. Give them brief information about your show and remind them who your target audience is. If they keep this in mind, it will help them more accurately tailor responses to your audience.

You should also describe the next steps that will be taken after the recording. Where will the episode be published? How will it be promoted? When will it air live? If there is likely to be a significant delay before the episode is released, let the guest know.

Finally, give the guest the opportunity to ask you any questions they may have before the recording begins. If you’re dealing with experienced guests, this process usually takes less than 5 minutes. But be prepared for those guests who need it to take a little longer.

Tip: If something interesting comes up during the conversation before the interview, you can always refer to it during the interview. But remember to keep your listeners informed by saying, “Before we turned on the microphones, we talked about X…”

5. Keep the conversation moving forward

Thirty minutes may seem like a long time. But if you need to cover a lot of territory, it’s not. So don’t spend a lot of time going over your guests’ bios and basic information about the episode’s topic. That’s exactly the kind of thing your episode intro is for.

Don’t be afraid to take your guest back if they veer too far off topic.
As soon as you can, get to the point of the conversation. Questions should be clear, concise and direct. The fewer words, the better. Your listeners want to hear the guest, not you. So don’t go on at length about your thoughts and opinions (many podcasters are guilty of this!).

If your guest goes off on a tangent, that’s fine. But only if you feel it’s in the best interest of your listeners. If you feel your interviewee is veering off topic, don’t be afraid to bring him or her back on track with a prepared question. As the interviewer, you should be the one setting the direction of the conversation.

6. Do not interrupt

Try not to interrupt your guest when he or she is talking. This may seem rude and is usually very annoying to listeners. Of course, there are times when you must interrupt your guest to get the conversation moving. But these instances are the exception rather than the rule. Your job is to ask your guest the right questions and give them the opportunity to continue the conversation.

If your guest mentions something you want to clarify, write it down in a notebook and bring it up when he’s finished making his point. Also, when your guest speaks, remain silent. It can be tempting to express your agreement with sounds like “uhhhh.” But they clutter up the recording and distract from what your guest is saying, so it’s best to omit them. Of course, if your guest says something funny, by all means laugh! But besides laughing, remain silent while your guest speaks. The interview will turn out much better that way.

7. Practice active listening

Try not to think about what your next question will be while your guest is talking. Listen. If you don’t, you won’t understand what you’re talking about at all, and your answer will look awkward and disjointed.

This can be difficult when you’re just starting out. Obviously, you don’t want there to be a dead air after your guest has finished talking, so rehearsing your next question in your head will make you feel more prepared. But this will prevent the conversation from getting into a real flow.

While your guest is talking, be attentive. Try to imagine what he’s talking about. This will help you formulate a more natural response, and your interview will sound better. If the worst happens and your mind goes blank (it happens!), you always have a list of questions to lean on.

8. Listen to your own interviews

Listening to yourself is one of the best ways to become a better interviewer. It helps you catch the crutch words (“you know,” “like,” etc.) that you use without realizing it.

As you play through your interviews, listen to them with critical attention. Could you ask the same question in fewer words? Would your listeners be able to follow the conversation easily? Were there any moments that disrupted the flow of the interview? Were you able to cover the key questions in the allotted time?

9. Learn from interview masters

Listen to those you admire, take notes, and then bring your own unique perspective.

Don’t imitate.

When learning any new skill, you should learn from the masters. Find an interviewer whose style you like and try to break it down into more detail. What exactly makes them stand out? And how can you apply some of the same techniques in your own interviews?

However, be careful not to hide behind imitating someone else. The best interviewers let your own personality shine through in their questions. Listen to other people you admire, write them down, and then bring your own unique perspective to the table.

Purpose your content: the more places your podcast is, the better

I don’t think it will surprise anyone that your audience reach will be greater if you promote your podcast on different social platforms. The more people hear about you, the more loyal they will be to you (even if not loyal, they will still know about you). So use every option you can to post your content.

Well, after reviewing this information I wish you a speedy implementation of this “plan”, I hope you are the one who succeeds and I can join to listen to your podcast.