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(By Scott Carson) I don’t care what segment of the population or what niche that your podcast is in, we’re all looking to connect with our loyal listeners while growing our tribe of podcast peers. And while we watch our numbers of downloads slowly creep up like a hawk looking for its next meal, there are faster ways to connect with your peeps then the Field of Dreams “build it and they will come” model. With it now being a new decade, it has gotten easier to grow your audience versus social sleuthing (aka Facebook stalking) other podcasters in your similar niche.
When I first started my podcast three years ago, I wanted to try and connect with as many people who might be interested in my show and content. And while I didn’t want to attract every person, I did want to find a way to get the word out on what I was doing. Here are the three simple things that I did to help me grow my audience that every one of podcasters can put into place.
Start A Facebook Page or Group. I know this might sound old, but I see a ton of podcasters asking this question, “Do I need a separate Facebook page or group for my show?” The answer is a very loud YES! But simply starting a Facebook group won’t help you unless you let your listeners know about it. It can take time to grow it, but this group can become the easiest way to communicate with your audience without having their email or phone numbers. Posting links to your new episodes, posting images, and asking your audience questions can give you instant access to questions and topics that your tribe is interested in. Don’t know what to ask your next guest, ask your Facebook group and they will often think of questions you would never think of to ask. Do you use video with your show? Livestream the interview to your page or group to grow your audience. Are you wanting to know who your biggest fans are? Facebook can easily help you identify your biggest cheerleaders and those who like, share, or comment the most on your posts. And the best part? It’s free except for the time you are wasting playing Farmville or finding out what type of vegetable you are.
Start A Meetup Group. This next suggestion is going to scare the introverts reading this. But if you want to connect with your local audience, starting a Meetup group is an effective way to organically find others who share your same interests. I wanted to connect with other podcasters in Austin, TX. There was another Facebook and Meetup group but the only time they meet were on weekends that didn’t work for my schedule (or for others as well). So, I started my own Meetup group that met the first Wednesday of the month. We’ve had anywhere from three to eighty podcasters during our monthly meetings. What’s awesome is that Meetup helps other interested parties in finding your group by recommending your group depending on the key words or interests. I would say that at least 80% of our Meetup Group members have come from Meetup directing them our way. Having a Meetup group has really helped me to not only grow my audience, but to also become a better podcaster from learning from my local peers on a variety of subjects associated with the nuts and bolts of podcasting.
Start a Mastermind. I know what you are going to say. Yes, it seams that the word and idea of having a mastermind is getting way overblown as many online marketers have started their own version of mastermind to help them monetize their time. But a mastermind doesn’t have to be a paid membership to a club that only works to promote the person in charge. A true mastermind is a group that works to better everyone in the group. Now there might be dues owed or an annual cost (to ensure participation or limit membership) to help cover the cost of meetings and other expenses, but I know many successful masterminds that started over coffee or a meal on a regular basis. I started a mastermind seven years ago with my educational business and its been a huge success and resource for students to learn from others. The same can be said of the podcasting mastermind that we started this year. Start a mastermind with your loyal fans or peers as a way to not only help you grow and share best practices, but to also help your mastermind members grow as we are all facing hurdles in our personal and podcasting lives and a mastermind can be a great way to truly connect with others who are just as serious about their pod craft and interests as you are. The different masterminds that I’m a part of have all been exponentially worth the cost of them as the lessons I’ve learned and shared have helped me speed up my learning curve and find success a lot sooner than I would have found as a lone wolf. Just make sure to add real value for your members when putting one together.
Whatever your 2020 plans are for your podcast, growing your tribe should be a top priority for us all. Seth Godin might have said it best in his book Tribes. Everyone is looking for someone to lead them and that someone might as well be you. And with it being the second decade of the 21st century, it has become easier and very affordable for you to connect and lead your tribe today.
Scott Carson is the host of the Note Closers Show Podcast. He can be reached at scott@weclosenotes.com