If you’re a podcaster, you know the value of listeners leaving reviews on the podcast apps. That’s why you ask them to in many of your episodes. But are they just sitting there, on the podcast platforms, just gathering dust?
It’s time to do something with those podcast reviews!
This week on the podcast, I’m sharing five ways to leverage the reviews you have. And I’d love to hold you accountable for implementing one or more of these strategies. They’re simple and repeatable, and they won’t take up much time once you have a system in place.
For help with this, find out more about the Podcast Ease membership and join us today!
Mentioned In This Episode:
Transcript:
Welcome to episode 204 of the Content Experiment Podcast, a podcast for podcasters that supports the idea that content and marketing are ever-moving targets in any business, and it’s okay if you don’t feel like you’re doing it all right, all of the time.
Here we talk about podcasting and creating content for your audience that they want to hear in a way that’s sustainable for you, the business owner. Because I know that you have a lot on your plate. So I’ll give you the ideas and tools and tricks to publish your podcast consistently in a way that works for YOU.
Now today’s episode is going to fall under the “do as I say, not as I do” theme because I’m going to share some ideas of how to leverage some of the reviews your podcast has gotten. And to be fair, I am not doing these things. Partly because I just haven’t prioritized it and that’s because we just can’t possibly do everything.
I’ve shared many times that you get to do business and your podcast your own way. You get to decide which strategies and tools to use and which ones to table for now.
For me, I spent 2020 and 2021 in major growth mode. It was a wild ride, that I’m very grateful for, and I struggled to keep up with just making sure the work was getting done. In 2022, things slowed down and I took back some of the work that had previously been done by contractors. I’ve also been working on streamlining some systems and really encouraging clients to batch and work ahead–all the while trying to do that in my own business too.
So doing more podcast promotion just hasn’t been a priority for me. That’s not to say it won’t happen in the future; it just hasn’t been happening right now. And that’s okay. That doesn’t mean that what I’m going to talk about today isn’t valuable. It is. And if you’re looking for a way to leverage your podcast reviews, I encourage you to give these a try!
First, though, let’s talk about why podcast reviews are so important.
Podcast platforms like Apple, Spotify, and Stitcher use ratings and reviews in their algorithms to suggest podcasts to new listeners. If a podcast has great ratings and a lot of reviews, it’s more likely to rank higher, which means it’ll show up more or higher in searches and recommendations. If you want to have sponsors or advertisers on your podcast, they’re going to look at your ratings and reviews to determine whether your podcast is the right place for them.
Reviews are like social proof. Sure, podcasters ask for ratings and reviews, but we can’t control what you actually write. Which makes positive reviews even more powerful.
Potential guests will use the number of ratings and reviews you have, particularly on Apple, to determine if being a guest on yours is a good use of their time.
And, honestly, it just feels good to take a look at them from time to time. Especially when you’re feeling down about podcasting or you’re having a difficult time getting motivated to record your next episode. Seeing how you’ve helped people in the past can feel really good.
Okay, so now that you know why reviews are so important, here’s what you can do aside from just letting them sit on the podcast apps gathering dust.
Share them ON your podcast
Who doesn’t love hearing a shout-out on a podcast that you love? Reading reviews aloud just might remind or encourage someone else to leave one. And you could even turn this into a contest. Everyone who leaves a review in any given month will be entered into a drawing for a $25 gift card to their favorite book store, for example. And promote the contest by reading aloud a review or two.
(And note that this is an example; I’m not actually running this contest right now. But maybe in the future!)
Just to show you what this might sound like on your podcast, just read them straight from the app! For example:
Crystallof17 says, “One thing you can count on with Abby is no nonsense and practical business wisdom. It’s been a breath of fresh air to find her work and benefit from all she shares on this podcast. All the noise has been simplified. Start listening now!”
This review means a lot to me because my goal is to be really straightforward and no nonsense. So thank you Crystallof17!
Meme invader 420 says “As a former client and friend, I can attest to the fact that Abby has the expertise and processes to help you FINALLY get your content plan nailed down. This podcast is a glimpse into the magic!”
Now I don’t know who meme invader is based on their handle, but this review does a really good job of tying the podcast to what I help clients with. Which is huge! Our podcasts are usually our primary marketing tool for our businesses and we want prospective clients to know what we do!
Promote them on social media
This one is super easy to do. Simply take a screenshot of the review, add it to a background in Canva, and schedule it to Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, wherever you publish social content. Be sure to include a caption sharing a little more about your thoughts around the review.
And note that I said to use a screenshot. Of course you can type up the review and make it “pretty,” but including a screenshot of how it appears on the podcast app is true social proof.
Include them in the footer of your email
I have a link to the podcast in the footer of all my emails, but including a screenshot of a podcast review is helpful too. You can rotate the review each week or month or maybe find an app that will do that for you. I’m not sure if that’s possible, but it may be, depending on what email provider you use.
Add them to your website
You probably (hopefully!) have a podcast page on your website. Include some of your best and most relevant reviews on that page. I have a review that says “This was soooo valuable. Hard to imagine my life without this podcast.” And while I appreciate the review, it’s not very specific or relevant. I probably wouldn’t include this one on my website.
Also, bonus points if they relate directly to your services and can help you showcase your expertise. I’d include these reviews on specific services pages.
I know there are plug-ins for WordPress that will allow you to rotate these reviews automatically for you.
Include them in a sponsorship kit or your own podcast pitch sheet
I mentioned this earlier, but if you’re looking for sponsors or advertisers for your podcast, include some of your favorite reviews in your sponsorship kit or media kit. And if you’re trying to guest on other people’s podcasts (as you should!), including some of your reviews can give other hosts an idea of the value you bring to the table.
Of course, there are other ways to leverage your podcast reviews so they’re not just sitting on the podcast apps. And maybe you have questions or just need some accountability in doing something with them.
I hope that the Podcast Ease membership can be that support system for you.
It’s part accountability, part expert-on-call to help you get your podcast out to your audience consistently and with confidence.
Each Tuesday you’ll get a 90 minute accountability session where you set your intentions on what you’ll work on for your podcast during the call, then you’ll spend the next 90 minutes doing that work. Maybe it’s outlining your next episode, researching guests, writing your show notes, or even recording a solo episode.
Then, every Thursday, you’ll have 60 minutes to ask questions and make connections with others on the call.
You’ve heard me talk about how important consistency is, and it’s true. Your audience expects to hear from you on a regular basis. They look forward to your episodes. But it’s also SO hard to prioritize our own work. We’re so busy making sure our clients and families are taken care of but the work on our own podcasts isn’t going to get done unless we make the time.
I’m going to help you with that.
This Podcast Ease membership is a month-to-month commitment, you can join or cancel at any time. Calls are at 8 a.m. Pacific on Tuesdays and Thursdays and you can join any time.
The investment is $99 a month for weekly Q&A sessions, weekly coworking sessions AND I’ll also pepper in some additional support and trainings here and there. Join now at thecontentexperiment.com/ease.
If you found value in what you learned here today, be sure to share it on social media and tag me at thecontentexperiment or give it a rating and review. The more you share, the more we can get the podcast into the hands of more business owners, just like you, who need to hear the message that they are not alone.
