We have an undying love for podcasts. No “ifs,” “ands,” or “buts” about it. 

However, (See! Still not a “but”!) we do admit that there may be some issues when it comes to growing your audience and getting more ears on your valuable content.  It’s no secret that there is a lot of talk about podcast discoverability. There are discussions as to whether or not podcasts have a discoverability problem, and if there is, whether those issues lie with technology or the podcaster themselves.

But that’s not what we’re here to discuss today. The bottom line is this. There are  many podcasters out there who are finding it difficult to increase their subscriber (or “follower”) numbers and boost the number of episode downloads.

Now this could be attested to the fact that there are just so many podcasts out there, (according to the stats on Podcast Industry Insights courtesy of Daniel J. Lewis, there are currently 2,118,515 valid podcasts listed as active on Apple Podcasts!) so it can be difficult to be heard above the din.

And while one of the goals is getting featured on the curated lists of podcast directories, such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher, you’re still appealing to the converted there, as those using those apps are already podcast listeners.

So that still leaves the question of how to promote your podcast more widely hanging in the air…

…but not for long!

Today we’re sharing our top tips for a unique way you can promote your podcast content fairly simply and relatively easily across all sorts of platforms!

Today, we’re giving our top tips for using audiograms!

But first, a fun fact…

In its standard definition, an audiogram is a graph compiled by audiologists to show the results of a hearing test. In other words, it is a visual representation of a person’s hearing. 

But that is obviously not what we’re talking about today. 

We’re talking about your podcast! And in that context, audiograms are one of the tools available to podcasters to turn their podcast content into something super engaging which can be shared across all sorts of platforms. 

Audiograms are an audio clipping that has been converted to an animated waveform and placed on top of an image. The end product is a video, which can then be shared on a variety of social media platforms. Another fun fact: According to this report, video is the #1 way consumers like to consume content from brands on social media.

With that in mind, check out our top tips for using audiograms to promote your podcast.

Tip #1…

1.   Use Them!

Our first tip for using audiograms to promote your podcast is to just use them! They are the perfect way to package bite-size bits of your content and share them across all your channels, be that Facebook and Instagram, or even your newsletters or family group chat!

They’re fun, engaging, and fairly easy to put together. (We’ll get to the technical details in Tip Number 2!) There’s simply no reason not to use them!

An audiogram creates the opportunity for podcasters to interact with viewers by harnessing the power of social media by being something that is both a great showcase of all your podcast offers that’s accessible across multiple mediums, as well as giving your audience something visual to share with their followers and friends. Making audiograms a fun, but super effective way to expand your reach. 

Related read: Tips For Using Instagram To Promote Your Podcast And Grow Your Audience

2.   Pick Your Platform

So you’re now sold on the idea of incorporating audiograms into your podcast marketing strategy, but you’re wondering about the practicality of it all. It’s all good and well to want to create these little audiograms, but if you need an editing degree to make it happen, you may have a problem.

Thankfully, a degree (of any kind!) is not required in the slightest, and we have technology to thank for that! 

Programs such as Wavve, Audiogram, and Headliner make it easy to create eye-catching, attention-grabbing audiograms in a matter of minutes! 

Whichever platform you pick, the best news is that these programs do almost all of the heavy lifting for you! They make it easy to upload your chosen audio clip, pick and customize all the elements, and they automatically transcribe your audio clip, making subtitles and captions super easy! (We’ll share more on those in Tip #6!) 

3.   Leverage Social Media

The power of audiograms lies in their ability to cross the great divide between podcast directory and social media. But you need to know how to wield the power of social media in order to get the best results. So Audiogram Tip Number 3 is to leverage social media in your favor.

Whichever program you pick, whenever you set about creating your audiograms, keep your social media channels in mind. Think about what your different audiences will find most engaging, and create your audiogram from this angle. 

If your Instagram followers favor bright colors and humor, use a flashy background as your image and that hilarious bit of banter as your audio.

Are your Facebook friends after the hard-hitting truths? Change the tone of your image and include one of those impressive nuggets of wisdom your latest guest dished out.

You should also consider length limits and the different aspect ratios for the platforms you use. These audiogram creation sites all allow you to size your audiogram to the recommended dimensions for the different social media channels. Use these features to configure your audiogram to the perfect size for all the social media platforms you’re going to use.

Related read: Social Media Marketing Options For Podcasts

4. Create Stand-Out Images

Remember, you’re aiming for eye-catching! As viewers are scrolling through Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or other social feeds, they are bombarded with visual material. You will need an eye-catching image for your audiograms to halt that scrolling. 

You may find this task stress-inducing as you feel the pressure of finding “the perfect” image, but shake that stress off and embrace the creative challenge!

Let your creative juices flow and feel free to think outside the box here! There is virtually no limits to what this perfect image could be!

You could try your hand at a number of different options and styles the different programs offer. Think about using an image that will convey part of your podcast’s message, or, if you’re interviewing a guest on your show, use their photo, or some behind-the-scenes images. Have some fun here, and you’ll be sure to come up with some fun ideas for your audiogram images.

5. Analyse Your Audio

The audio you pick for your audiogram is obviously vitally important! This is what will get the viewers intrigued and hopefully convert the view of the audiogram to a download of your podcast. Remember, your aim is to use the audiogram to engage your listeners and get them liking and sharing your posts, besides getting them to download your latest episodes.

When picking the perfect audio clip, there are a few things to you need to keep in mind. The first one is length. The length can depend on a number of things. Firstly, which platform will this audiogram be shared to? Instagram? Then you need to keep the clip to the 60 second mark or under. Facebook? Then you have a lot more time to play with! 

Then when it comes to the audio itself, there are a number of ways you can play it:

An Out-Of-Context Snippet 

This can be a fun way to get viewers interested, particularly if the clip is intriguing but also makes no sense without listening to the rest of the podcast. 

The Build-Up 

Another interest-building technique is using the audio from just before your episode reaches its main “a-ha” moment. This gives viewers a little insight into what is going on, but doesn’t reveal the heart of the episode.

Shareable Content

This is content that just screams “Put me on social media!” It could be a salient point, an amazing guest quote, a hilarious joke, or a snippet that showcases the great chemistry on the episode. This type of content is the perfect choice if you’re wanting your followers to share your audiograms to their stories, pages, etc.

Record A Summary

Many of the audiogram-making apps allow you to record your own audio for the audiogram. This gives you the option of recording a brief overview of the podcast episode and as well as giving some motivation as to why the viewer should check it out. 

Bonus Tip 1: Make sure the audio clip you pick or record is of good quality! It is not uncommon for people to have based their decision to subscribe to a show or not based on the sound quality of the audiogram!

Bonus Tip 2: You also want to be sure that your audio selection has some sort of “ending.” Your selection shouldn’t end on a random word or mid-sentence. Out of context is one thing, but just ending in a random spot is a no-no.

6. Make Use of Subtitles and Captions

Even though your audiogram makes use of an audio track, it is highly recommended that you also include subtitles or captions for the audio. On most social media platforms, videos start playing automatically but often require a click or a tap to play the video with sound. That means that information can be lost if the user has no intention to turn the sound on. 

It is also common practice whilst commuting or scrolling social media platforms in public spaces for users to not turn the sound on. If your audiogram has captions, viewers can still engage with your material, without the dependency on sound. Which is another reason why highly recommend you always include subtitles on your audiograms.

But, most importantly, captions or subtitles help to make your content more accessible to more users, which should always be your aim. Adding that text opens up your podcast to so many more people, and allows for an even greater level of engagement, which makes this a win for everyone!

Related read: Podcast Accessibility: Why And How To Make Your Podcast More Accessible

As we’ve mentioned, these programs automatically transcribe your audio selection, making it easy for you to caption your audio. You will have to do a quick proofread to double-check spellings, punctuation, and word choice. AI is great, but it definitely doesn’t get this right all of the time!

7. Include Animated Elements

You should include at least one animated feature into your audiograms. The most common of these in audiograms is the waveform. This is a vital part of what makes an audiogram so effective. It is the signifier that what you’re sharing is more than just an image. It alerts the viewers that there is something more going on here, that there are other elements they need to stop and pay attention to.

Including an animated waveform on your audiogram immediately differentiates it from your average still photo or image. Users see that waveform dancing about on their screen, and they’re drawn in to what is being shared.

So be sure to include a fun animated element on your audiogram. All the available sites provide the user with a whole host of different waveform styles, so you’ll be able to find one that works well with all the other images, and serves to grab the viewer’s attention the best.

8. Have a Catchy Headline

Along the same lines  as using eye-catching images, another tip for amping up the effectiveness of audiograms is to include a catchy headline. This is just another element that will help snag the attention of your viewers, and get them engaging with your audiogram. 

Newsflash! Your headline doesn’t have to be your episode title! (I mean, it totally can be, but it certainly doesn’t have to be!) Come up with a quick, catchy phrase, an interesting statistic, or a funny quote from the episode to really grab the user’s attention. You can then include this headline on the image for the audiogram to further pique interest in your totally amazing podcast!

Pro Tip: When thinking up this catchy headline, think about that special “something” from this particular episode that you believe will best snag that viewer and turn them into your loyal listener. Create your headline from that, and your audiogram will be a winner!

 Final thoughts

Audiograms are a great way to visually enhance an auditory message. They’re visually appealing, highly shareable, and can be used across any social platform. They give you incredible scope when it comes to repurposing your content to help you reach a far greater audience. 

And while sharing your podcast link in your Instagram bio, or tweeting about your latest published episode is still a must, audiograms give an opportunity for immediate engagement with your content. Right then and there, viewers can get a taste for all that your podcast has on offer, and then they can follow that link and download your latest episode!

So jump on the audiogram bandwagon today. Get your creativity on, pick that enticing piece of content, and then share your shiny audiograms on all your social channels. You’ll soon discover this tool is your new favorite pick in your podcast promotion toolkit.