Good advertising is a dialogue with people. – Lee Clow
Lee Clow is a marketing wizard.
You’re likely well aware of Mr. Clow if you're in the advertising biz. If not, well, allow me to give you a hint.
Remember the infamous 1984 Apple commercial?
Maybe I’m dating myself with that example. But I’d bet you’re familiar with the Energizer Bunny and the Taco Bell chihuahua.
Clow had his fingerprints on each of those icons, so he knows a thing or two about selling. He understood that getting your brand to the masses is about reaching the hearts and minds of people - not just by telling a story but by listening.
So, you’ve fired up your B2B podcast and have the first few episodes in the can. That’s awesome! But launching your show is just the first leg of your marathon.
With thousands of podcasts flooding the web, your core audience isn’t going to be summoned by magic. You need to put your brand on the map.
Now, Clow is a weathered titan of his industry. So like Jeff Bezos or Elon Musk, he doesn’t need to embrace social media to spread his brand awareness. But you need a platform.
You need to be active on LinkedIn.
You might be asking yourself, ‘Why LinkedIn? What about Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter?’
Consider this: Facebook has a massive pool of almost 3 billion members internationally, but Gen Z is leaving in droves. Your future customer base is running off to more viable platforms like Snapchat, TikTok - and LinkedIn.
LinkedIn’s ad reach grew by 22 million people in Q4 last year. That’s a significant bump for their 800 million-plus subscribers. The same people consuming those advertisements are seeing hundreds more posts.
Still not convinced? Only about 12% of Americans who make under $30K a year use LinkedIn. However, that number jumps to over 50% of Americans who make over $75K.
Ask yourself who you are trying to reach with your B2B podcast. The answer is clear:
Your target audience is on LinkedIn.
Now that we’ve established why you should use the most powerful networking algorithm on the planet, let’s dive into how you can maximize its potential.
Engage, Engage, and Engage Some More
Sure, you’ll get some great wisdom from scrolling through LinkedIn. But you’re trying to promote your podcast (and, by default, your brand), not take in the sights.
Interaction is the golden ticket on LinkedIn.
If you’ve already fired up your podcast, you’re probably obsessing over its analytics. Data dominates the business space; the same is true with LinkedIn’s algorithm.
The number of potential eyes on your content - or ‘reach’ - is impacted by reactions and comments on your post. The LinkedIn machine loves engagement. The more people who interact with your post, the better.
So how do you enhance your reach in a network of potential clients who will consume your content?
Engage with their content!
Interact with your network’s posts as much as you can. But, of course, time is a precious commodity. Most of us can’t afford to spend hours a day on social media. So I suggest doing the following at the bare minimum:
Search for some like-minded influencers on LinkedIn, be it those in your industry or prolific business coaches (preferably people who actively post). Then, follow a handful of them and hit the notification alert to let you know whenever they post.
Like and comment on at least five of those posts each day. Your thoughts don’t need to be Machiavellian in quality; just show that you’re engaged. If those people are leaders in your field, their followers are people you want to connect with!
Patience is key. You’re likely not going to see immediate returns on this investment. So the most important thing you can do is maximize your time and be consistent.
Remember, those people you’re following are also trying to grow their network. If they are true LinkedIn veterans, they will notice your engagement and respond in kind - boosting your reach!
Post Direct Content
So, you’ve started to establish a LinkedIn presence - now what?
It’d be easy to simply share an external link to your podcast’s site hoping for clicks, but outside sources make the LinkedIn algorithm sad.
Upload your podcast directly; better yet, post a video! (I talk about the pros of video submissions for podcasts in an earlier blog).
Video gives context with visual cues and enhances the personal connection with your audience. You may think your listeners are only there for the nitty-gritty of your show and don’t care about you - but they do!
Video humanizes both you and your guests. Use it to your advantage.
However, we are talking about an algorithm here. And while visual media is hot as Hell right now, posts with text still tend to get more traction on LinkedIn.
Write a Summary
An ad should be an appetizer, not a buffet. – Lee Clow
A well-written teaser for an episode will go a long way. But, remember, listeners only need a hook - or an appetizer. So give them a taste with a couple hundred words and let the algorithm do the rest.
While not necessary, post timestamps for relevant segments in the episode when possible. Your audience will have a better understanding of the show’s content. In addition, timestamps can entice a potential listener who doesn’t have time to listen to an entire forty-minute show.
Sprinkle a few hashtags in your post to expand your reach! Hashtags will help your content reach people outside your network. Try not to use more than three to five; eventually, the algorithm will hit a point of negative return with the more you add. And, frankly, it will just look out of place - this is LinkedIn, not Instagram.
Lastly, make your post ‘skimmable.’
I'd open a book if I wanted to read a bloody novel.
Break up those fatty paragraphs.
Give your readers a chance to breathe.
Have We Talked About Engaging?
Trust me. Interaction on LinkedIn isn’t just a theme - it’s everything.
After putting in the hours and energy to broaden your reach, you’ll see the fruits of your labor through reactions to your podcast posts.
Don’t forget to reply to commenters on your post! Engagement is key to retaining and expanding your audience.
As your base grows, it can be challenging to keep up with every reaction, but think of each connection/follower as a potential customer. Commit early on to interacting with as many as possible, and it will become a habit of success.
Bringing Ideas to Life
Most ideas are a bit scary, and if an idea isn’t scary, it’s not an idea at all. – Lee Clow
Without action, an idea is just that - an idea.
Getting a podcast off the ground is no small achievement, but it’s only the first hurdle in your race in the data space.
You build your brand through a dialogue - and dialogue goes both ways.
If you’ve put in the time and effort to launch a B2B show, you’ll likely be comfortable engaging with your network on LinkedIn. With only ten minutes out of your day, you can harness the power of LinkedIn to boost the signal of your podcast.
But if writing summaries or crunching videos isn’t in the cards for you - we can help with that.