Using Fan Mail to Engage with Your Listeners

Send us a textTurning your podcast ideas into reality starts with defining your "why" – whether it's a passion project or business venture. This episode breaks down the essential first steps for new podcasters to confidently plan and launch their shows!Check out this Podcasting Q&A Episode for steps on submitting your podcast to the directories, Podcast Directory Submission 101If you have questions about preparing for your podcast, email us at [email protected] a topic or question we should address on a future episode? Text us or email the Buzzsprout Podcaster Success Team at [email protected] Keep podcasting!

Send us a textDiscover the essential steps to get your podcast listed on major listening directories like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Music. This episode breaks down the process of creating and submitting your RSS feed to ensure your content reaches your target audience!Have a topic or question we should address on a future episode? Text us or email the Buzzsprout Podcaster Success Team at [email protected] Keep podcasting!

Send us a textWe’re relaunching Podcasting Q&A with a fresh new twist!Kickstart your week with us while we answer common questions we see straight from the support inbox. Each Monday, you’ll get the best tips and strategies to keep you podcasting with confidence! Have a topic or question we should address on a future episode? Text us or email the Buzzsprout Podcaster Success Team at [email protected] Keep podcasting!

Send us a textEngagement is the key to building a meaningful relationship with your podcast audience, and Buzzsprout's Fan Mail feature makes connection simple and effective. In this episode, we break down the Fan Mail feature, how to use it on your podcast, and strategies for engaging with your listeners. Have a topic or question we should address on a future episode? Text us or email the Buzzsprout Podcaster Success Team at [email protected] Keep podcasting!

Send us a textMegan from the Wild Healers podcast asks, "Is it possible for an independent podcast to make it into the Apple New and Noteworthy section?"Special thanks to Kris Emerson, host of the Excel Still More podcast, for sharing his experience getting into the New and Noteworthy section.TL;DRThe Apple Podcasts New and Noteworthy section is a common goal for new podcasters. The appeal is that if you can get your podcast listed there, you'll be able to grow your audience faster, build momentum, and ride that wave off into the sunset of your podcasting dreams.So... how exactly do you get in? In this episode, we'll share what we know and ask Kris, a fellow Buzzsprout podcaster, what he did to land in the New and Noteworthy section.What's the best strategy?The best way to get into the Apple New and Noteworthy section is to focus on getting a lot of listeners to subscribe to your show in Apple Podcasts in a short period of time. As a new podcast, your window to make this happen is typically 90 days from when you launch your first episode.At one point, many podcasters believed that it was the number of downloads or reviews you received that got you in the N&N section. But over time, as we've seen podcasters try and game the system, we've found that those aren't big indicators.Apply isn't spilling the beans on their process any time soon, but we DO know that an algorithm based on how many subscribers you get feeds possible selections to an Apple employee who ultimately determines how makes it in and who doesn't.Record your podcasting question at Speakpipe.com/Buzzsprout to be featured on a future episode.Review Podcasting Q&A in Podchaser to let us know what you think of the show.Have a topic or question we should address on a future episode? Text us or email the Buzzsprout Podcaster Success Team at [email protected] Keep podcasting!

Send us a textLetty from My Sweet Business with Letty Alvarez asks, "What kind of download stats can you expect with a new podcast?"TL;DRLaunching a new podcast is a lot of work and is something you should celebrate! It’s only natural to want as many people as possible to listen to it, but where should you place your expectations?In this episode, we’ll walk through 3 questions that will help you determine what your benchmark for success should be.1. Do you have an existing audience?If you’re starting from scratch, you should expect fewer downloads than someone who has 100,000 followers on Instagram.It’s okay if you’re just getting started, just set your expectations accordingly.2. How popular is your podcast subject?The reality is, some podcast topics have larger built-in audiences than others. As an example, True Crime podcasts are currently more popular than Home Gardening podcasts and will naturally have a larger audience.We would never recommend you start a podcast just to become popular, just recognize that the potential size of your audience is partially determined by how many people are interested in your subject matter.3. How good is your first impression?If you have a poor first impression, that will negatively impact your download numbers no matter how good your podcast is. You'll want to make sure you have hi-quality artwork (use a service like 99designs or Upwork to work with graphic designers), practice good mic technique for crisp audio, and use catchy episode titles to grab someone's attention.If you make a good first impression, and then back that up with great content, your podcast will grow.What's the average number of downloads?The average Buzzsprout podcaster gets around 50 downloads per episode. This is a great target for when you're first getting started!Record your podcasting question at Speakpipe.com/Buzzsprout to be featured on a future episode.Review Podcasting Q&A in Podchaser to let us know what you think of the show.Have a topic or question we should address on a future episode? Text us or email the Buzzsprout Podcaster Success Team at [email protected] Keep podcasting!

Send us a textNorman from Antifool asks, "What is the best way to record someone using a phone for a podcast interview?"TL;DRIn recent years the number of new software options for podcasters has increased quite a bit. Some of them are great for experience podcasters that want every bell and whistle imaginable. While others are focused on streamlining the process as much as possible.So in this episode, we'll share the pros and cons of the top five recording software options that we use and recommend at Buzzsprout to help you decide which one is best for you.1. AudacityAudacity is the most popular podcast recording and editing software in the world (and for good reason). It's free to download, it's available on Windows, MacOS, and Linux, and has the full suite of audio editing features.Just be aware that Audacity tends to be a bit buggy (like, won't work because Apple updates their OS kind of buggy) and does destructive editing. Destructive editing means that if you delete a portion of your audio and then save your project file, you can't get that audio back.2. GarageBandGarageBand comes pre-installed on just about every Apple device you can imagine (Macbook, iPad, iPhone, etc.). Like Audacity, it's free to use. Unlike Audacity, it's easy to learn quickly so you spend less time learning the software and more time editing your episodes.One thing to keep in mind is that GarageBand's export settings are severely lacking, so if Loudness Normalization or bit rate modes are important to you you'll need to pair it with some additional software.3. AlituAlitu is an internet-based recording and editing software that makes it super easy to create episodes. You can automatically add your intro and outro to every episode, it applies mixing and mastering effects to your audio files as you upload them, and you can publish your episodes directly into podcast hosts like Buzzsprout.But all that efficiency and ease of use means there are fewer things to customize. So if manually setting your compression levels is important to you, look elsewhere. But if you are a busy podcaster looking for ways to speed up your workflow, Alitu is a great solution.4. Hindenburg Journalist ProHindenburg Journalist Pro is everything you could possibly need in a podcasting editing software. It's intuitive, easy to work with, and allows you to publish episodes directly to Buzzsprout.Because it's a pro-level software, Hindenburg Journalist Pro is a more sizeable investment, but if you're a Buzzsprout podcaster you can use the link in the Resources tab of your Buzzsprout account to get a 90-day free trial and test drive it for yourself before deciding if you want to invest in it longterm.5. DescriptDescript takes a fresh and innovative approach to editing podcasts. Rather than generating a waveform of your audio files, Descript creates an accurate transcript of your recordings. Then to edit your podcast episode you just edit the words on the screen. How cool is that?Just make sure to listen back to your episode from start to finish before you export it as sometimes the algorithms aren't as precise as you'd like them to be.Have a topic or question we should address on a future episode? Text us or email the Buzzsprout Podcaster Success Team at [email protected] Keep podcasting!

Send us a textKrystal from The Proffitt Podcast asks, "What is the best way to record someone using a phone for a podcast interview?"TL;DRIt's not uncommon to have a guest interview lined up where the only microphone that person has access to is the one on their smartphone. In that case, you just want to keep things simple so your guest can focus on what they want to say and not on the tech involved.So in this episode, we'll share some coaching tips you can give to your guest to get better sound quality as well as several software options that allow you to record phone calls.Phone Call Recording TipsTip #1: Make sure they are in a quiet space. Nothing ruins a recording faster than screaming children, barking dogs, our crazy amounts of echo. Help them find a quiet space with good acoustics (Heck! Tell them to go in their walk-in closet) to get a better recording.Tip #2: Have them use Apple Earbuds or something similar. Even if they don't own an iPhone (which comes with a free pair of headphones), chances are they know someone with a pair of Earbuds or AirPods. The directional microphone in these headphones is significantly better than the one on their phone and will help cut down on unwanted background noise.Tip #3: Make sure they have a solid internet connection or cell phone signal. No software can save you from a poor internet connection or cell signal, so make sure they have strong connection and you're hearing them clearly before you begin.Recording Software Options#1. Zoom.us (our favorite)Zoom is a really versatile platform. You can provide your guest a phone number that they can call in on or they can open up a Zoom meeting in the web browser on their phone. Plus the audio quality is significantly better than the other two options on our list.#2. SkypeThere's a good chance your guest is familiar with Skype and has used it in the past. Have them download the Skype app on their phone and join the interview that way. We recommend pairing Skype with audio recording software like Ecamm Call Recorder or Audio Hijack for best results.#3. Google VoiceIf you need something quick and easy the record a phone-to-phone interview, Google Voice is it. Just send your guest your Google Voice number (which is free to create), press 4 to start recording, then download the audio file when you're done.Record your podcasting question at Speakpipe.com/Buzzsprout to be featured on a future episode.Review Podcasting Q&A in Podchaser to let us know what you think of the show. Have a topic or question we should address on a future episode? Text us or email the Buzzsprout Podcaster Success Team at [email protected] Keep podcasting!

Send us a textBill from Happy Valley Hustle asks, "How do you get your guests to consistently promote their podcast episodes?"TL;DRHaving guests on your podcast is one of our favorite marketing strategies. They have a great time sharing their expertise and, if everything goes well, they're eager to share it with their network of friends and followers. Unfortunately, guests are known to drop the ball in this area, so here are 3 tips to help your podcast guests share their episodes more consistently.1. Communicate early and oftenAt first, you're going back and forth to schedule the interview, grab headshots for promotional graphics, and get links to their website. Don't drop the ball once the interview is over! Keep them in the loop about when their episode is coming out and reaffirm how much you appreciated them as a guest.2. Do all the heavy liftingIf you want your guest to promote their episode on your podcast, you need to make things really easy for them. That means creating social media graphics they can share with their followers, writing a blurb for their email newsletter, and providing a direct link where people can listen to the episode. The more work you do for them, the more likely they are to share their episode.3. Sponsor an Episode of Their PodcastWith this advanced strategy, offer to sponsor an episode of their podcast if they have one. You pay them to promote their guest appearance to their existing audience, talking all about your podcast, and a significant number will check out your podcast episode.Costs vary depending on the size of their podcast audience, so best practice is to ask them how much it would be to sponsor an episode or two of their podcast and then go from there.Special thanks to the Creating a Brand podcast for sharing their social media graphic and Visual Soundbite with us for the video version of the show!Record your podcasting question at Speakpipe.com/Buzzsprout to be featured on a future episode.Review Podcasting Q&A in Podchaser to let us know what you think of the show.Have a topic or question we should address on a future episode? Text us or email the Buzzsprout Podcaster Success Team at [email protected] Keep podcasting!

Send us a textJonathan from Halfwits & Failed Crits asks, "How do you promote a podcast?"TL;DROne thing most podcasters don't realize is how much work it takes to grow your audience and find new listeners. Podcast marketing and promotion often take as much time as creating the podcast episodes themselves. The key to making any marketing strategy work is to find new listeners that would be interested in your podcast and telling them about it. Here are the top 3 strategies for promoting your podcast.1. Social MediaSocial media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Reddit, Twitter, and Instagram are great places to find potential podcast listeners. Use each platform's built-in community tool, whether it's groups or hashtags, and start engaging with people. Leave helpful comments, establishing yourself as a trustworthy expert, and point people back to your podcast when prompted.2. Be A Podcast GuestGoing on someone else's podcast is a great promotion strategy. The people listening to that show have already shown they're interested in the subject, so if you're able to spend 45 minutes to an hour demonstrating your expertise there's a high likelihood that good chunk of that podcast's audience will follow you to your show. Make sure the audience has a decent overlap with yours to ensure this strategy will actually work.3. Be Easy To FindMake sure your podcast is listed in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, and Stitcher. These directories make up close to 95% of all podcast listeners.For bonus points, use SEO keywords in your podcast name and episode titles to leverage the search function inside of each podcasting app and on Google.Learn more about Podcast SEO Strategy in this SEO-focused episode of Podcasting Q&A.Bonus. Overcast AdsIf you have some budget and want to juice your subscriber count, run some ads on the Overcast podcast app. This puts your show in front of new audiences and tracks how many new subscribers you get as well. The ROI on Overcast ads consistently beats Facebook Ads and Google Adwords.Learn more about Overcast ads.Looking for some more promotion strategies? Check out our guide with more than 50 podcast marketing ideas.Record your podcasting question at Speakpipe.com/Buzzsprout to be featured on a future episode.Review Podcasting Q&A in Podchaser to let us know what you think of the show.Have a topic or question we should address on a future episode? Text us or email the Buzzsprout Podcaster Success Team at [email protected] Keep podcasting!