PodMov Daily: Monday, April 19

Episode 410: Your Monday Mix

Facebook and Spotify Planning Podcast Discovery Push

“Facebook plans to go after Clubhouse — and podcasts — with a suite of new audio products,” reports Peter Kafka of Vox. Announcements are expected today, though some of the launches will be far off. They’ll include “a push into podcast discovery and distribution, aided by Spotify,” and a Clubhouse-style platform.

The new collection is under the ‘social audio’ umbrella, pioneered of course by Clubhouse. How Facebook’s live, podcast-esque schmooze rooms may perform is anyone’s guess. Another product will let users record brief voice messages and post them in their newsfeeds, similar to text, pictures, and videos. 

Details are sparse on the podcast discovery project, Kafka says. At the least, he expects Facebook to flag podcasts for users and send them to Spotify. Elsewhere in the audio battledome, “Apple is preparing a new subscription podcast service it may announce as early as Tuesday, as part of its own product rollout.”

Give Me Convenience: QR Codes and Podcast Promotion

“They might have been invented in 1994, but it took until 2020 for people to use QR codes as part of their everyday life,” writes Podnews editor James Cridland. Now, virtually everyone has caught on. Their widespread use in contact tracing has made them perfect for podcast promotion: no learning curve.

Spotify’s Car Thing, though brand-new, taps into the same concept. Edison Research SVP Tom Webster points out the device’s convenient value proposition. “It's hard to make people want something new. When you can give them something they already want, easier and better, this is the key to behavior change.”

Cridland explains that scanning a QR code is many times simpler and more familiar than writing down a URL or podcast title. By neglecting that ubiquitous little square in promo materials, we’re making subscription harder than it needs to be. In the spirit of convenience, he even provides a code generator.

Podcast Clout: The Secret to an Outstanding Guest Pitch

To land a guest spot on a top podcast, an outstanding pitch is essential. The owner of Podcast Clout cracked the code, earning her an interview on Pat Flynn’s Smart Passive Income. As a result, her email list shot through the roof. Then, she started closing tens of thousands of dollars in deals. 

For Christina Nicholson, building a relationship with the podcast host led to incredible opportunities. She was invited to return as a guest, accepted into an exclusive mastermind session, and even joined him onstage at Podcast Movement 2019 in Orlando.

Now, Christina is sharing the exact pitch she sent to Pat Flynn. She’ll even reveal the follow-up process that earned her a ‘yes,’ the booking process, and what happened afterward. Ready to make a first impression that pays?

Here's what else is going on:

• Open doors: BIPOC Podcast Creators, a new support group on Facebook, launches today. Maribel Quezada Smith (DIFERENTE) and Tangia Renee Estrada (That’s What She Did) aim to connect Black, Indigenous, and people of color with inclusive creator resources and opportunities.

• Picture show: On Wednesday at 6:00 pm ET, Phoebe Judge and Lauren Spohrer (Criminal, This Is Love, Phoebe Reads a Mystery) will perform their favorite episodes with behind-the-scenes illustrations. Held virtually at the Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU. Free registration. 

• Quiet game: Hand signals or other non-verbal cues are a simple way to reduce interruptions between co-hosts, says Jennay Horn of We Edit Podcasts. “If you signal to your co-host that you’re about to finish your piece, they can jump in with their question or insight at the right time.”

• Custom designs: Facebook and PM’s tip series wraps up with creative insights for podcasters. On Facebook and Instagram, it’s possible to gather stats on your audience demographics. Age, gender, country, interests, and other details makes it easier to tailor engaging content.