media update’s Talisa Jansen van Rensburg walks you through five ways you can increase your listener base and ensure you keep them. 

South Africans love listening to podcasts. According to a study done by Matt Brown Media, the amount of people who listened to podcasts increased by 50% in 2018. That is why it could be beneficial for brands and freelancers to look at starting their own.

Here are five ways you can grow your podcasts to reach a bigger audience:

1. Produce high-quality podcasts

Most people might assume that, since their phone has a built-in voice recorder, they can create an award-winning podcast with it. But, in reality, that is not the case. When a person listens to your podcast and there is a scratching sound, clear cuts and the sound of your voice changes from being really loud to being really soft, you can be sure that they will close your podcast instantly.

Since podcasts are sound-only, you need to make sure that it sounds good. Doing this will ensure that your audience enjoys the content and shares it with their friends and family.
Ready to start your own podcast? Check out The ultimate guide to creating high-quality podcasts.

2. Invite guest speakers

Imagine watching a series with only one character in it. That wouldn’t be too interesting for the viewers and they would eventually stop watching it. The same thing can happen with podcasts! Although your audience enjoys your voice and your content, at some point they will want something, or someone, different.

A great way to make your podcast diverse and keep it interesting is to invite guest speakers to give their opinion or advice on a specific topic. Getting speakers from certain companies, or even celebrities, will definitely amp up your audience and allow your podcast to reach more people — since your guest speakers will undoubtedly share the podcast with their friends and family.

3. Implement different languages

South Africa has 11 official languages, and yet, most people just stick to English. But, a recent study done by StatsSA shows that, “nationally, just over one quarter (25,3%) of individuals speak isiZulu at home, while 14.8% of individuals speak isiXhosa, and 12.2% speak Afrikaans.”

So, if you want to reach more people, it could be worth your while to incorporate different languages in your podcast. You can ask your audience if they speak a different language to comment on words that you should try on the air.

For example, you can say something like “the word of the day is ‘happy’”. And then you say the word in isiZulu, isiXhosa and Afrikaans. This will encourage your audience to help you learn about what they want to hear.

4. Keep up with trends in South Africa

Keeping your eyes on current trends within the country will allow you to discuss relevant topics and tailor it to blend in with your podcast. For example, if your podcast focuses on self-help, you can give South Africans advice on how to deal with the panic of the Coronavirus at the moment.

Keeping up with the trends will ensure that your podcast stays relevant. South Africans know that if they listen to your podcast you will also touch on current trending topics.
If you need some inspiration from locals be sure to read The top five podcasts in South Africa.

5. Market your podcast

If you have never befriended social media before, now is a great time to do so! Making use of platforms such as YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook to share your podcast and engage with your audience will be highly beneficial.

The reason why this will help your podcast grow is because it will allow for your audience to like, comment or share it with their friends, family and colleagues.

Do you think that South African podcasts bring something unique to the table? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Now that you know how to grow your podcast, be sure to read Five ways podcasts can help your brand and start recording some content.