The Secret to a Successful Podcast Launch

Wondering how to make sure you have a successful podcast launch? You’re not alone! Everyone who launches a podcast wants it to be a success. But if you haven’t put in the work to put together a full podcast launch strategy, how can you even be sure what success looks like? (Spoiler alert: it doesn’t mean you have to be in the top 10 or even the top 20 podcasts in your niche!) That said, putting together a podcast launch is hard work…but that doesn’t mean you have to do it all yourself. Sunny Logsdon and I have put together a new package that can support you all the way through a successful podcast launch, and I am SO excited to share all the details with you. But first, let’s dig into the details of a great podcast launch strategy.

 

What’s a podcast launch strategy?

A podcast launch strategy is the big, overarching plan you put together with your podcast concept, how (and what) you’re going to record, and how you’re going to package and promote everything. In other words, it’s the whole enchilada of what you want to do and accomplish with your podcast.

 

 

How do I launch my podcast?

SO many podcasts launch without putting enough thought into the strategy…and that’s why they fail. If you want to do a podcast as a vanity project, then it might not be worth all the time and effort to put together a launch strategy. 

 

But if you want a podcast that is going to become a part of your marketing strategy and help you grow and become the hub of your content strategy…it’s time for a podcast launch strategy!

 

A successful podcast launch breaks down into five main areas:

• Defining a niche: Figuring out your audience and what you want to say to them.
• Crafting branded materials: This encompasses everything from drafting logo art to setting up socials to signing up for hosting and RSS feeds and opening accounts on the major listening sites.
• Setting up to record: Make a game plan for what you’ll use and where you’ll do it. Need the basics? You can start with a budget-friendly mic like the Samson Q2U or, my favorite Shure MV7. Headphones are important, too!
• Recording and editing: Once everything is done, don’t forget about show notes and episode descriptions!
• Promoting your podcast and episodes: Create audiograms, post on social media, and tell everyone you know!

 

Set yourself up for a successful podcast launch

The most important part of any podcast launch will always be all the work you put in BEFORE pressing the record button. And the very first step is deciding how you’re going to define success. That sounds super basic, but far too many podcasters launch without any idea of how a podcast is supposed to support their business and grow their brand.

 

What to do before launching a podcast? 

Ask yourself these questions:

• What are your goals?
• Why are you launching this podcast?
• Do you want to become an authority in your industry?
• Do you want this to become a lead generation tool?
• Do you want to expand your circle of influence and connect with other industry leaders?

 

Your answers will help you position your podcast in the market, identify your audience, decide the format, and choose content topics. Once that’s lined up, you’ll also need to figure out some practical details:

• How often will you release episodes?
• Will you record alone? With a co-host? With guests?
• What will your podcast be called?
• What about the music?
• Do you have a brand identity?
• What’s your recording plan?
• Do you have the right equipment?
• Who’s going to edit this thing?
• What about marketing?

 

I know, it’s a LOT to think about before you even get started, but laying that strong foundation is what will set you up for success, make content flow seamlessly, and build connection with your audience.

 

How do you announce a podcast launch? 

If you already have established social media accounts, that’s a great place to start! Post in your feed and stories, and post audiograms as reels. If you have an email list, send out promo emails three days before the launch and again on launch day. Afterward, keep the hype going with posts and emails that share any rave ratings and reviews your show has gotten! 

 

Building a successful podcast takes planning and time

There’s really no way around it…you just have to put in the work to make it happen! The good news is that if you’re strategic in the beginning and consistent in producing high-quality, high-value content from day one, marketing magic can happen! When you show up on a regular schedule and build out content that your ideal listeners want to hear, you will build an audience!

 

Podcast success is all about perspective

When you’re clear about your vision and create a podcast that’s in alignment with YOUR goals, your podcast doesn’t have to be the most popular to become a success for your business. You don’t need a gigantic audience or to chart in the top of your niche in order to be doing a great job at podcasting! It’s all about getting in front of the right people, then leveraging that exposure to meet your goals. 

 

Introducing the ProfitPod Launch 

Sunny and I know better than anyone all the hard work that goes into a successful podcast launch…and we also know that there are so many people who don’t have the time to do all that work or want to figure everything out on their own! 

 

So we put together a comprehensive, three-month, all-service launch package to help you get set up for podcast launching success. The TLDR is that you get the services of a marketing expert (that’s Sunny!) and a podcast production ninja (that’s me!), all rolled into one package.

 

Want all the in-depth details? Here’s what you’ll get:

• Custom strategy and positioning for your podcast. Not sure yet what the content or format will be? We can help you nail down the idea, content direction, and best format based on your goals. 

• Visual branding. You’ll get everything from a mood board for your brand photo shoot to a custom podcast logo and cover design based on your visual brand.

• Step-by-step support for your intro, outro, and first six episodes. We’ll work with you to write the perfect intro and outro that speak straight to your ideal audience, then help you flesh out episode content. Not to mention, the best practices you learn when we work together will make future episode planning a breeze!

• Content calendar. We’ll take you beyond the initial episodes and help you create a content calendar with topics, key points, and guest ideas for the first 12 episodes.

• Production management. We’ll take care of setting up your private virtual recording studio, teach you exactly how to record high-quality episodes, and on deck for support through your initial six episodes.

• Marketing and promotional strategy. Every new podcast is like a seed that needs plenty of strategy and promotion to grow! We’ll create a custom launch strategy and three-month marketing calendar that helps you build buzz from pre-launch to social media to cross-marketing on YouTube or Pinterest.

• Social media templates. It’s so much easier to show up on IG when it only takes moments – that’s why we’re including launch templates and an episode template library.

• Communication templates. Never stare at a blank screen or wonder how something should be done! We include plug-and-play templates for pitching guests and walking them through the entire recording and promotion process.

• Dedicated podcast page on your website. Our templates work with WordPress, Kajabi, and Squarespace, so you can post each episode page with ease!

• Custom dashboard. As we work our way through the podcast launch strategy, you can track every step of the process and access templates.

 

It’s like hitting the easy button on your podcast launch

Our team takes away all the tech, setup, and podcast launch strategy worries! Plus, we walk with you every step of the way, from setup to releasing the first six episodes. Your messaging and strategy will be on point for kickstarting audience growth, growing brand awareness, and converting leads to sales. 

 

Ready for a successful podcast launch?

Launching a podcast isn’t difficult. But launching a successful podcast takes strategy, intention, and expertise to execute well. Why rush to launch a podcast in 30 days or less when we can help you craft an experience that will help you grow visibility, sales, and success from day one?

 

Sign up to work with me and Sunny here!