Scheduling podcast campaigns is the final step in planning your podcast for the new year.
What ARE Podcast Campaigns?
Imagine that you are your own podcast advertiser.
Podcast ad campaigns are the ads and assets that you would run on your show.
You can think of them strictly in a historical way, like commercials in your podcast episodes, or you can think of them like those giving campaigns from public media — really focused for one month, every year.
They are intentional.
Campaigns spell out everything that you’re about and what you are offering.
And, they are unapologetic about their ask from your audience.
If you are focusing on making money with your podcast they could focus on:
- Your Patreon community benefits
- A course you are offering
- Your products or services
If you are not yet set to make money with your podcast, you can build campaigns that focus on community building and audience engagement.
- Asking for specific feedback about an ongoing segment of your show
- Inviting your audience to join your podcast’s community on Facebook (or wherever)
- Signing up for a newsletter
Or, as simple as
- Asking your audience to tell a friend about you and your show
- Subscribing to a specific platform (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, etc.)
The podcast ad campaigns are meant to focus on your goals. Refer to this video, and this blog post in case you need help figuring those out.
Now, choose one goal for your campaign.
Just one.
Step 1: Overview: Look at a calendar for 2023
Break your year into quarters and schedule a campaign to run each quarter, whether it is devoted to increasing audience, income, community engagement, or the launch of your podcast subscription. Make the choice based on your own podcast goals.
Step 2: Establish Your Podcast Ad KPIs
KPI = Key Performance Indicators
You need to be able to measure whether or not your campaign is working.
Think about what you are trying to achieve each quarter with your campaign.
If they involve money:
- Write an income goal
- Break that down into smaller pieces. For example, to make $1000, you need to sell 10 at $100 each. So, in 3 months you need to sell around 33.
If they involve community engagement:
- Write a community goal
- Break it down into smaller pieces. Example: get 5 pieces of audio feedback every quarter. Every month you need to get about 2 pieces of audio feedback.
Step 3: Create your podcast ad creative!
It’s time to think like an advertiser! Remember, the point is to get your listeners to take action on what you ask them to.
- What exactly are you promoting?
- How do you want your listeners to feel when they hear your offer?
- Write 3 talking points that best convey the benefits of what you’re offering your listeners.
- Get clear on your Call To Action: “go to myawesomepodcast.com and sign up for my newsletter,” “call 1-800-the-show and leave me a voicemail letting me know what I book I should review on the next episode.”
From those talking points, you can write a 15, 30, and/or 60-second ad. Incorporate the ad/outro into each episode you publish within the campaign dates.
Step 4: How did you do?
It’s time to take stock of what happened during your campaign.
Look back at the measurable results. Did you hit your numbers? What worked? What didn’t work?
Depending on your results, adjust your goals, your copy, and your execution.
Why work with your own podcast ad campaigns?
They help you get specific about achieving your podcast goals.
It allows you to figure out how to communicate the benefits of your podcast.
They help you verbalize your offerings to your audience.
Finally, they provide the opportunity for you to get better at what you do and how you do it.
So are you up for it?
Give creating your own podcast ad campaigns! Follow us on Twitter and let us know how they work for you!
If you’ve followed along with our latest 4 blogs:
- Taking Inventory of 2022
- What’s Left To Do in 2022
- Podcast Planning, Phase 1
- Podcast Planning, Phase 2
and now this final one, Phase 3, you should be set to rev up in 2023 with all parts moving toward your podcasting goals and dreams! Let another podcasting year commence!
