So what is podcast email marketing?
Podcast email marketing is simply a strategy that entails sending emails to promote a podcast.
Email marketing for your podcast is essential because it allows you to build relationships with your email list subscribers and will help you grow your audience.
In this post, you’ll learn how to promote your podcast successfully with email marketing tips that deliver results.
1. Start Building Your Email List
The first step in podcast email marketing is to build an email list. To acquire peoples’ email addresses, you will need to convince them to subscribe.
Here are ways to encourage your audience into subscribing to your podcast newsletters:
Subscription boxes and popups on your website
You can promote your podcast with pop-ups and signup forms on your website, like this one from the MOTHERKIND Podcast:
Online forms are the most commonly used lead capture tool, with 74% of respondents in a survey saying they use them.
Your website’s CMS (WordPress, SquareSpace, Wix) or page builder may already have a popup form feature you can use. If not, search for popup or signup form plugins to see what’s available.
Lead magnets with email subscription requirements
Email lead magnets are incentives for subscribers to sign up. Think of any freebies such as exclusive podcast episodes, discounts, downloadable ebooks, or anything else that could be valuable for your podcast listeners.
For example, the Mom to Mom Podcast offers a free school-at-home daily schedule in exchange for an email address:
The box is placed on the homepage, right under the menu with different categories, and can’t be missed while scrolling down.
Remember only to ask your fans for basic information at this point. The name and email address are all you really need to send a newsletter.
Once you have your emails, don’t forget to use an email verification tool. An email verification tool is a software solution that helps ensure the accuracy of email addresses. It ensures your newsletters reach the inboxes of real people. Sending emails to unverified email addresses can result in bouncing emails, leading to mail servers marking your emails as spam.
Using social media to promote subscribing
Use the power of social media like Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to promote subscribing to your email newsletter. Mention what people can gain from subscribing and the specific ways to join your email list in your posts.
“The Always Sunny Podcast,” for instance, encourages subscribing in their social media posts:
Using social media to promote subscribing
Notice the hashtags in the example above that The Always Sunny Podcast used to reach a broader audience.
Hashtags help posts to be found on the social media platforms searches and, as a result, reach more people.
Apart from using a few hashtags related to the content of your post and your brand, also incorporate hashtags relating to podcasts which could include: #podcast #podcastersofinstagram #spotify #podcasting #podcaster #podcastlife #music.
Links in your podcast episodes
Use this space to encourage subscribing to your emails and following your social media accounts. Here’s a description that you can find on an episode of “The Daily Stoic” podcast:
As you can see, having a website for your podcast and social media accounts are essential not only transcribing and embedding your episodes but also to promote your podcast and build your email list.
To grow your audience, people need to know about your show!
2. Automate Your Welcome Mails
A welcome email is a great way to start your relationship with your subscribers.
If you automate your email marketing, your email provider will send a welcome email to subscribers as soon as they join your email list.
An automated welcome email allows you to introduce yourself and your podcast. If you send welcome emails manually and the subscribers get them a few days or weeks after signing up, chances are, they won’t remember who you are or even join your list.
Below is an excellent example of a welcome email from the Future Ecologies podcast:
Your welcome email should tell subscribers what to expect from your email newsletter, such as the topics you’ll be discussing, the guests you’ll have on the podcast, or when new episodes come out.
You may also include links to a few episodes so they can start listening to them right away.
Don’t forget to say thank you for subscribing and include your social media accounts at the bottom.
3. Create Custom Landing Pages
A landing page is an optimized page where readers can access your lead magnet content in exchange for their email address. Most users reach landing pages by clicking on a CTA button that promotes the lead magnet.
You can build your own custom landing page using WordPress, SquareSpace or another CMS, or you can use a landing page builder like UnBounce.
Landing page builders will have templates you can choose and adapt to match your color scheme, among others.
A good landing page should have a clear and convincing message. Keep it short and only ask for essential information.
4. Combine Your Email and Social Media Strategies
Social media is an excellent way of communicating with your fans.
However, email is better than social media at driving listeners to your podcast.
That’s why you should use social media in conjunction with email marketing.
Just look at the figures below from OptinMonster. With email newsletters, the average open rate is 22%. If 1% of your audience even sees your post on social media, it’s already considered a success.
Always include social media icons in your emails so people can start following you with just a click or two.
Allow your readers to share your content on their social media instantly. It’s also a great way to increase your reach and gain new subscribers. Encourage signing up to your newsletter in your social media publications.
Promote your podcast on social media organically and via paid adverts but make sure to direct people to your signup landing page instead of to the podcast directory.
Your goal should be to collect people’s email addresses and keep them informed about any news and updates. If you ever decide to change your name, move podcast services or change your social media pages, you will be able to take your subscribers with you.
5. Personalize Your Emails
The easiest way to personalize your emails is to use your subscriber’s first name, so you should always ask for the user’s first name along with their email address.
Personalization makes your email recipients feel special! 🤗
But personalization doesn’t just mean using the first name of your recipient.
Personalization also means sending email content that is tailored to the recipient. You can personalize your content by segmenting your email list. To do so, you will have to gather more information about your subscribers like gender, age, interests, location, etc.
To find out more about your subscribers, you can use surveys or ask your subscribers to update their personal preferences. To encourage your fans to fill out forms, you can offer freebies, downloadable special episodes, and similar extras.
6. Track Your Performance
Track the performance of your emails and use this knowledge to improve future campaigns. In your case, as a podcaster, your ultimate goal is to grow an audience for your show.
Other metrics that you should be checking include your email’s open rate. The open rate is a pretty basic KPI that you should be tracking. It tells you what percentage of your subscribers have opened your email. A low open rate could mean your subject line isn’t as effective.
You’ll want to take note of the following:
- Best days and times to send your emails
- What type of subject lines make people open an email?
- What images or content generates conversions or more listeners for you?
- What CTAs get the best results?
You’d be surprised at how quickly you can improve engagement by just understanding what is working!
That’s a Wrap 🎁
In this article, you learned that email marketing is one of the most effective ways to engage with your audience.
Remember, build your email list, automate and personalize your messages, and make custom landing pages. Don’t forget to use social media in conjunction with email marketing.
Follow these tips, and you’ll see your list grow. Good luck!
