Now as we expand as podcasters, adding new shows, co-hosting, joint venturing and expanding to a point where the Murdoch organisation looks puny, we need to be careful.
We need to be careful in this one area at all times but especially when we start to expand, should we do so. I’m talking about our listeners. They must always be the centre of our efforts. Any cross promotion should be pitched for their best interests.
This has been on my mind lately as the BBC is in the middle of huge push to drive listeners to their new app. That’s fine per se but the way they are doing it is like listening to fingernails across a blackboard.
Every promo I’ve had the misfortune to listen to goes along these lines: “I’m sick of X, I want to show the world Y Listen to me.” And, and! These promos are for shows that have nothing to do with the program I just listened to.
Now most of the things X they are sick of mean absolutely nothing to me. What they want to show me Y is of less interest. The whole publicity program is based upon the cult of personality. Most of these hosts I’ve never heard of, and don’t care about. I listen to very specific programs from the BBC and these new shows are pandering to sub sections of a divided society that is of zero interest to me.
The whole process has annoyed me more than it should have.
I have my main show, World Organic News but also co-host on The Real Food Chain and Permaculture Plus. There’s a certain continuity to these shows. I’ve cross promoted them but only from the point that the listener who likes World Organic News may find something of interest in the other two shows. I have another show that has nothing to do with the organic movement, food or permaculture, Sound Collages. I have never cross promoted this. It is where I create experimental soundscapes, explore the artistic side of audio and has nothing to do with food or its production. It is therefore unlikely it would be of any interest to my main show listeners.
Please bare this in mind when you’re telling the world about your expanding podcast empire. It is our listeners that matter not our imperial aims.
Takeaways
- Cross promotion is legitimate
- Does the cross promotion serve your listeners?
- Do NOT be like the BBC, think about the connection between promoted shows.