Make it easy for your podcast listeners

If you want people to go to your website, you give them a URL. It doesn’t matter what browser they use; they click on (or type in) the link, and it opens on their chosen browser.

What about online video? Just send them a YouTube link and – voila! – it opens in YouTube.

But, podcasts? Well, that’s a bit clumsier. There is no one generic link which opens in their favourite podcast app.

So, what should you do when you want people to listen to your podcast?

First, it’s important to know where people generally listen to podcasts.

Overwhelmingly, most people listen to podcasts on the Apple Podcast app on a mobile device (usually smartphone).

There’s a lot of research with very similar results. Here, I’ll share with you statistics from Chris Ashmore Media’s suite of podcasts for some understanding.

In the 12 months between 31 March 2021 to 1 April 2022, we’ve had 143,800 downloads.

92.5% were listened on a mobile podcast app. Just 5% were consumed on an embedded player on a website.

The chart above illustrates how most people will prefer to listen to your podcast on their favourite podcast app.  

And, as the next chart demonstrates, the three most popular podcast apps are Apple (65.5%), Spotify (16.4%) and Google (2.3%).

As you can guess the ‘other’ apps are numerous (dozens, in fact), including CastBox, Podbean, Castro (which I use), Podcast Addict, Gaana (popular in India), Deezer, Luminary, and many more, which – on their own – don’t garner more than 2% of total listening.

At the very least, you should provide links to Apple, Spotify and Google on your website to allow for easier access to your podcast. In other words, the links you provide will open the app on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Google Podcasts.

Ideally, you should have a dedicated webpage (or even website) for your podcasts, with embedded audio players for each episode. Also ensure that you provide links to Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts apps.

 The badges they would like you to use, look like this. (Ask me for them if you need them – they can take a bit of hunting.)

Think of your webpage as the on-ramp. This is where new listeners come for the first time to check out your podcast. They will then migrate their listening away from your webpage to their favourite podcast app. And that’s perfectly fine, and where you want them!

Also, you should be using a podcast hosting platform (we recommend Omny Studio), which offers those apps automatically within the embedded player on your website.

Here is an example of Emma McQueen’s Tea with the Queen podcast.

A good example is our client Shane Williams and his podcast Platform Diaries. Check it out and notice how he uses the more popular podcast badges.

That’s it! Remember, if you make it easy for people to access your podcast, you’ll have more listeners!

Any questions about this or anything else about podcasting, please let me know.