Podcasting — much like any other form of media — is all about persuasion. You’ve got to attract your potential viewers, get them to listen to an hour-long show without turning it off for something more interesting and then keep them coming back for more.
It’s not an easy feat. But we have a few key principals — courtesy of James Tuckerman’s presentation at We Are Podcast — for mastering the art of human persuasion and making your podcast stand out.
Be likeable
It’s perhaps one of the most obvious rules of human interaction, but one that we’re all not terribly good at. Being a likeable, relatable podcast host — and person — is arguably the most important part of hosting a podcast.
How do we do that?
Be interested in the other person. This doesn’t just apply to guests, but also to your audience. If you’re hosting a podcast for entrepreneurs, are you making it clear that you understand your audience’s aches and pains? Acknowledge how difficult their job can be and offer concrete ways to make it easier.
Develop social proof
Humans are relatively simple creatures. If we see our friends doing something, we’re almost certain to try it out.
Within the online world, there are a myriad of ways that you can develop this word-of-mouth form of advertising. Besides just hosting an incredible podcast, cultivate real numbers and organic testimonials that prove your show is the best one on the planet.
You can plug testimonials from big names into your website. You can incorporate positive reviews into your social media. And you can use subscriber numbers and rankings to prove your podcast is worth listening to.
Most people when looking for a podcast on entrepreneurship, for example, are going to search for that keyword and select one or a few of the top choices. If you have those numbers behind you, you’re going to pop up at the top and be more attractive to potential listeners.
Remove barriers to entry
Besides being predictable, people are also inherently lazy. Think of how many times you didn’t wait for a video to buffer before exiting the web page, or how many times you didn’t sign up for a service because it required you to make an account. That’s something that would’ve taken a minute at max, but you didn’t do it because it was an extra piece of work.
For podcasts, make it easy for potential listeners to subscribe. Offer them a video that shows them how to do it — believe me, plenty of people still don’t know how. Send out emails with a subscribe button that takes them straight to the app store. If people need to go search for your program themselves, they’re less likely to do it.
And above all, prove to people that your podcast is worth it. If it’s different and will offer them something that actually improves their lives, they’re much more likely to take the extra step and listen.
Listen to my entire conversation with James Tuckerman here.
If you want to be proud of the voice you’re sending out into the stratosphere, download the comprehensive 81 Point Checklist here and get ready to launch your audio marketing machine.
Author: Ronsley Vaz
Ronsley is the founder & chief day dreamer at AMPLIFY. He is an author, speaker & serial entrepreneur.
He has a Masters’ degree in Software Engineering and an MBA in Psychology and Leadership. He is known as the creator of We Are Podcast – the first Podcasting Conference in the Southern Hemisphere, and the host of The Bond Appetit Podcast and Should I Start a Podcast. He has an audience of over 3 million in 133 countries.