How would Tony Doe grow a show?

Radio and Podcast Consultant, Tony Doe hails from Nigeria. As a well established radio and podcast consultant, having worked closely with a wide array of creators, I asked Tony to share his thoughts on podcast growth across the continent.

I think it's always good to be reminded of tactics and be introduced to some that you may never have tried before.

TPC: Tony, what does your podcasting journey include thus far?

TD: My journey began casually in 2012, shortly after I left full-time radio to try out my hands in radio consultancy and independent audio production. I was creating shows and hosting them on Soundcloud and Hulkshare and then I discovered Podbean. I had also been following The Breakfast Club on iTunes, catching up on the on-demand versions of their entertaining radio show.

While I can’t identify the particular podcast or show that fully introduced me to podcasting, I’ll have to say The Breakfast Club played a big role in showing me what it was like to re-purpose radio content as podcasts, something I could enjoy while living in a different time-zone hundreds of miles away.

Over time I discovered other hosting platforms and began to create shows exclusively for on-demand consumption. My longest-running podcast is Up Gunners, which I started in 2014. I also have a limited series podcast on conversations with radio folk on their experiences and the future of audio. It’s called The Tony Doe Podcast. And I manage a sermon podcast, The Seun Osigbesan Podcast for my local church.

I’ve had so many failed shows but that’s how you build and grow, right? [laughs]

In 2022, I pivoted from audio creation to curating experiences, trends, innovation and podcaster stories through my newsletter/podcast, Podcast Related.

My current show focuses on the industry from the perspective of an African creative and it’s very much early days to assess the success rate but its cousin, the newsletter, is doing just fine.

TPC: Leaning on your experience as a podcast consultant, how important is a podcast trailer?

TD: A podcast trailer is VERY Important. It’s usually the first thing a new listener stumbles on and it’s a great way to prepare the listener for what’s in store on your show. Also, some podcast platforms treat them as priorities for discovery purposes, so yes, I do think it’s a good investment to have a great podcast trailer, that creates and heightens the excitement and could be a great marketing and promotional tool.

TPC: When in the content creation journey should a podcast trailer be uploaded to a hosting platform?

TD: Maybe a couple of weeks before launch. I think it creates a timeline of anticipation for the show and should allow both creator and listener, to prepare adequately and fix their schedules.

TPC: Can you take us through a tried and tested strategy for the launch day of a podcast? What should we have in place in order to gain traction with a brand-new show?

TD: Wow…people have different expectations for creating podcasts and so these needs will vary very differently. However, when I was preparing the Tony Doe Show, I had at least 6 episodes ready, including promotional assets [short videos, episode art, etc] and saved up soundbites which I used as pre-teasers on social media and through my blog at the time. I started a full month before launch and by the time the first episode was made public, some folks had already listened to it. Apparently, I had scheduled the first episode before its actual launch.

My first episode with Valerie Geller, a renowned Broadcast Consultant was also a strong choice, she supported me greatly too by sharing the episode in her communities.

Over time, I've learnt that successful strategies now include having a solid marketing plan in place, which may include social media promotion, advertising, collaborations with other podcasts or media outlets, and email marketing. Again, it takes good discernment to know what works for you.

TPC: What does a good CTA include?

TD: A clear direction or order you want the listener to “obey”.
I’ve seen a lot of convoluted CTAs demanding too many responses and confusing the listener, oh, and I’ve done that too, a lot.

So a good CTA should be clear, actionable and relevant to your content, whether you want a review, rating or subscription. Be clear about it, and then make sure that the listener has easy access to carrying out your request through a link or visible button.

TPC: What is a show swap and should all podcasts use this technique?

TD: I put an episode of your show in my feed, and you put an episode of mine in yours, and that’s a show swap. It might be an effective way to gain exposure to new listeners and build relationships within the podcasting community.

The downside is, core fans of a particular podcast may not be fans or want to be either of the swaps and it may turn them off the podcast completely as they’ll assume the creator doesn’t think highly of them enough to attempt to disrupt the flow. I’ve seen some Reddit users go red with anger over swaps.

TPC: Is social media considered a good tactic for growing a show?

TD: It can be. When used strategically, it’s a powerful tool for growing an audience, through targeted promotion and engagement with potential listeners. It’s most effective on platforms where the creator and the listeners are mostly active, though.

There are other options like promoting in podcast apps and of course, Spotify’s ad services which are more measurable, but everyone’s on social media and you get a feel of community when you exchange direct information and feedback.

TPC: And lastly, what do you think are some of the more common mistakes podcasters make when trying to grow their audience?

TD: Doing too much, too soon.
Podcast growth requires patience and strategy. It’s a mid to long-term gain.
The first time a potential sponsor reached out to me for a placement in Up Gunners, the show had been running for nearly 7 years!
Good thing that when they approached they were a pretty good fit.

Some podcasters want to see immediate results after one day.
Not in this age, sorry. You also need to know for certain that you’re creating content for your targeted listener and staying consistent with it.

You might have to outsource at some stage, not every gifted producer is a maverick marketer and that’s where consultancy services come in. Do diligent research on what they offer compared to what you need and have a budget ready, no matter how small.