Producing a podcast is one thing, but promoting it? Whole other ball game. One of the number one questions we get is how do I grow my audience and keep them engaged? That’s where newsletters come in. Keep on reading to learn why it’s important to have a kickass email newsletter, and how you can start building yours asap.
Why should you have a newsletter?
A newsletter allows you to stay in touch with your listeners and let them know what’s coming up for your show. Newsletters make your listeners feel like they are a part of your podcast community; like they are hearing from a friend instead of a brand. It also boosts their trust levels. If people see that you have something valuable to say to them, then there is a much greater chance that they will want to hear future episodes.
Still not convinced? Here are five more reasons why having a newsletter will help you grow your podcast audience:
- Newsletters have a great return on investment. It’s a low-cost (or no-cost) way to get directly into your audience’s inbox.
- Subscribers are opted in with their permission, meaning you are reaching people who are already bought-in or interested in hearing your message.
- You can reach a wider group of people than just those that listen to your show or who are avid social media users (think potential new fans).
- Building a mailing list allows you better segmentation options like focus groups so you can ask about what topics interest them most, which hosts/shows they prefer, and what they want to see more of.
- A newsletter is the perfect place to feature content that you can’t post anywhere else and can give your listeners an exclusive experience.
What should be included in my podcast newsletter?
This can vary depending on who your audience is and what your podcast is about. For example, if you’re writing an email newsletter for a podcast about roasting coffee, you can include links to related posts from your coffee blog, a roundup of recent coffee industry news, or insights from other resources about roasting coffee.
Another valuable tactic within your email newsletter strategy could be to create content promoting other podcasts your listeners might enjoy. Usually, those other podcasts will reciprocate and *BAM* now you are tapped into an entirely new listener base.
At the end of the day, what goes into your newsletter is up to you and more importantly, your listeners. Always keep an ear to the ground to stay in touch with what content your audience wants to consume.
Starting a Newsletter
Here’s your checklist for starting a newsletter for your podcast.
- Sign up for an email marketing platform like Mailchimp (it’s free!)
- Create templates that can be filled out each month with the content ideas mentioned above
- Put a call to action on your podcast’s landing page or social media so your followers know where to subscribe.
- Sign up for an email marketing platform like Mailchimp (it’s free!)
- Create templates that can be filled out each month with the content ideas mentioned above
- Put a call to action on your podcast’s landing page or social media so your followers know where to subscribe.
Best practices:
- Start by creating an introductory letter to your newsletter subscribers. Talk about what you’re all about and why they should subscribe to your newsletter.
- Make your newsletter accessible on as many platforms as possible, including mobile devices and laptops.
- Include images and branded elements throughout to create a more enjoyable visual experience for your subscribers.
- Be consistent. Publish once (or twice) per month at minimum so you stay top of mind for subscribers.
- Put some thought into your subject line. Try using CoSchedule’s subject line tester for some extra support.
- Don’t know what will perform best for your audience? Try an A/B test. Send one idea to one audience subset and another idea to the other subset. See which email has the best success metrics and take note for your next email send-out.
Paige McCauley is FRQNCY Media’s digital marketing maven and resident musical wunderkind. Paige has a long history with the power of sound as an award-winning recording artist and songwriter, performing at venues like The Fox Theatre, House of Blues in West Hollywood, and the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. She also has extensive experience in the music industry, interning for the Recording Academy and working with artists like Billie Eilish, Travis Scott, and Brandi Carlile during her time in college.