Last week’s British Podcast’s Awards saw the BBC scoop many of the top prizes, so should other podcasters be more like them?
There is no shortage of discussion about the BBC’s strong position in the UK’s podcasting landscape. It has resources, access, talent and support from the public and government to create a slate most companies would dream of. But is it all about money? Or are there things it does that we can learn from?
- Using Your Inventory
The BBC is amazing at extrapolating its content across all of its inventory. That means that when a new show comes out, you will hear an ad for it across the 100 other podcasts you may be listening to by the BBC at the same time. No release is too small for cross-promo in the BBC universe and we could all take that as a note to do more of the same with our inventory. Don’t be shy about shouting about your own podcasts across other shows and channels – just make sure you have either a) audience alignment with the podcast you are cross-promoting or b) a genre alignment. The secret to an even more successful cross-promo: having both!
- Understanding Your Audience
The BBC has BBC Sounds, which in itself gives it a huge leg up from other podcast networks because it can see audience data that most would dream of. But, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do absolutely everything to try to learn as much as you can about your listeners. Send surveys, organise focus groups, ask listeners what they like about your podcasts and what their wishes are when it comes to your content and its distribution. All of this information will help you grow. It will also help you understand why audiences might drop out of a podcast on a certain segment or not subscribe to your paid channels.
- Defining and Explaining Your Value
The fact that as a country, we are all constantly talking about the value of the BBC means one thing – we are all under its influence, one way or another. That is not just some fluke but a carefully crafted message that gives people an understanding of what the BBC brings to audiences across the country, and the world – whether you agree with it or not! Your podcast network should be doing the same. Make sure you have a clear message about what it is you are giving your listeners. This could be as simple as boiling it down to a slogan that sits alongside your logo and forms part of your visual and sound identity, or it could be a bigger marketing campaign that focuses on the message that you want audiences to take away. There is value in knowing who is behind your favourite show – so think about what message your production company is putting out there about your brand too, besides just your podcasts’ individual aims. Afterall, people are more likely to engage with you if they know they can get something from you that they can’t get anywhere else.
- Applying for Awards
You should always stay on top of the awards calendar. Awards are not only a great way to earn accolades for your work, but also a way to be visible in the industry as a whole. For your listeners, awards could also be an opportunity to interact with your podcast by voting for it or sharing about the wins across socials and their friends – and for the industry (and the BBC proves this), it’s a way for you to be seen as a leader in the field. Our tip: when you are putting together ‘best of’ content for the end of the year, make sure to save it in a file that will then help you with any award applications.
- Use Socials and Your Platforms Wisely
Your social media profiles should be the ‘shop window’ of all of your shows. It should reflect all of the ways you are serving your audience and give an overall impression of what you are trying to achieve — think back to your value for the listener! The BBC does this by having a unique social identity for each of its strands on socials that serve its audiences relevant social clips, polls and events. You’ll notice that BBC also separates industry talk from listener-first information about the shows which ensures it doesn’t mix messages for two completely different audiences. Same goes for your platforms like your app for example, is it easy to navigate and see what’s an offer? How are you enticing people to interact with you? BBC Sounds gives loads of exclusive or first listen content straight on the app that makes it appealing to use. Remember that your socials and your platforms serve as a reminder for people about your podcasts, so take running them seriously — they may just be the sharing menu that brings you more listeners!
Every podcaster has access to a different selection of talent and resources. A glance at the podcast charts shows the BBC doing well as a network with lots of output, but shows from Goalhanger, Global, Spotify, Plosive and Audio Always often do better, giving them a pretty good run for their (large amounts of) money. More independent shows like Casefile, No Such Things As A Fish or Staying Relevant have also found a way to compete and stay at the top.
Each leans into their own special skills, what are yours and what can you learn from others, like the BBC?