Amazon Music will happily offer you free podcast promotion. You just have to do a few things for them first...
One of the most common questions posted anywhere on social media is “how can I get more listeners to my podcast?”
It’s one that I’m hearing a lot during my consults, but it’s also pretty normal to read this very same subject come up week after week on Facebook Groups and other communities.
We’ll be covering this topic way more in depth in a future episode of “The Podmaster” but in the meantime, here’s a pretty simple way you can do it.
If you want the most fundamental type of free podcast promotion, you have to leverage the most historic form of growth hacking there is – marketing.
To get more listeners, you have to tell more people who are likely to listen, that you exist.
Posting endlessly to everyone on social media will get you limited results.
Not everyone on your channel will want to listen to you.
It’s nothing personal, they’re just too busy.
Or maybe your chosen subject isn’t interesting to them.
So you have to spend more time identifying where your dream listeners are, and target them!
A good place to consider might be Amazon Music.
Particularly now that they’re offering to give you and your podcast some free podcast promotion!
Free podcast promotion on Amazon Music?? I'm there! Tell me more, Podknows Podcasting!
I’m not going to lie to you, this is going to take a little time and effort, but I truly believe it is worth it.
For as long as Apple Podcasts podcasting app (previously known only as iTunes) has been a thing, everyone has wanted their show to be chosen to be featured.
Being featured means your show gets shown to everyone on the home page.
The appeal of this to podcasters is it can be quite difficult to be found by search unless you know what you’re doing.
Podknows Podcasting actually has a service that helps with this.
Book yours today.
(Click the link above and scroll below the packages to “Podcast Audit”)
The little known thing about the Apple Podcasts curation system is that unlike most others, it’s not AI driven.
This means someone has to actually hand pick your podcast to be featured in the sections such as “New and Noteworthy” and “Top Shows”.
This has been a deliberate change made in order to help combat the problem of the many snake oil podcast promoters who offer to ‘promote your podcast on iTunes’.
If you want to learn more about that, you can listen to this episode of Podknows’ very own podcast “Your Business Needs A Podcast“.
There is a way you can help the process of being discovered on Apple Podcasts but we’ll save that for a future post.
In the meantime, my suggestion for a quicker shot at that highly sought after ‘podcasting fame’ is to take advantage of the kind offer of free podcast promotion from Amazon Music.
Step 1 to getting free podcast promotion - get listed
Before you can promote your podcast in Amazon Music, you need to first ensure that your podcast is available in the platform.
You can check this, here.
If it isn’t, you need to add it.
Podcasters who use Podknows Podcasting have this taken care of on their behalf.
Those with a Libsyn account can also do it very easily.
Email me if you need help with this!
If you’re one of those unlucky people with Anchor hosting, I’m afraid you’re about to discover yet another headache from using that platform.
You’ll need to jump through a few hoops but you can still add your podcast.
This is the link to manually submit your podcast to Amazon Music if your hosting provider doesn’t handle this for you.
Step 2 to getting free podcast promotion - add the Amazon Music button to your site
Okay, look. This is just how the world works. If you want something from them, you need to give them something back.
I appreciate that you might be a fan of the minimalist look on your website, but the truth is that none of these apps are going to do anything for you if you don’t show them a bit of love in return.
Step 3 to getting free podcast promotion - email them
Once you’ve followed both of the steps above, it’s time to email Amazon Music.
If you’re launching a brand new podcast, you’ll need to notify them at least two weeks prior to your official ‘launch date’.
Here’s what you’ll need to tell them:
- Who your host is (Libsyn, Buzzsprout, Captivate, Anchor etc)
- What you’d like them to promote (special episode?)
- Your podcast’s name
- Your podcast’s description
- Any Diversion & Inclusivity notes
- Where the promotion is wanted (your home country)
- The release date of your trailer
- The release date of your first episode
- How often you release
- When you would like the promotion to start
- How many episode downloads you’re expecting
- Your plans for including Amazon Music in your marketing
- Your social media accounts (that will be used to promote Amazon Music page for your podcast)
Step 4 to getting free podcast promotion - pay virtual 'lip service'
Once you’ve done all that, it’s time to tell the world your podcast is available – in Amazon Music.
Remember to include @AmazonMusic and the hash #PodcastsOnAmazonMusic when posting so they can see you’re actively promoting.
Step 5 to getting free podcast promotion - be patient and hope for the best
Like with anything promotion related, there are no guarantees. But if you follow the above steps, your podcast stands just as much chance as anybody else of being chosen for some free podcast promotion on Amazon Music.
Good luck!
If you do get picked for being featured, let me know in the comments!
In the meantime, why not follow Amazon Music’s tips for how to talk about your podcast on social media.
This is a guaranteed way of getting free podcast promotion!