Editor’s note: We’ll be off this Thursday and Friday, returning Monday, May 2 with your daily headlines, resources, and events. 

PodMov Daily: Tuesday, April 26

Episode 633: Testing, One Two-sday

Rethinking the Funnel Strategy in Podcast Marketing

The concept of a marketing funnel is straightforward, much more straightforward than listener acquisition. In an always-useful Podcast Pontifications, Evo Terra suggests reconsidering the funnel as a comprehensive strategy. The model can be useful, but doesn’t quite mirror the behavior of potential audiences.

“Broadly speaking for podcasters, [the funnel] means making a lot of people aware of your podcast, then getting some of them to consider listening to your podcast, and then getting an even smaller set to actually listen.” In this multiplatform age (‘Be everywhere!’), there’s a wide variety of pathways and entry points.

A listener who finds a YouTube clip, for example, may skip the ‘awareness’ stage completely. “Will the new person have any idea what’s going on when they view the page or watch your video?” Terra asks. A well-adapted funnel will offer a smooth introduction to the show, no matter where or how it’s reached.

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Interview Transitions: How to Break Repetitive Habits

Podcasters are notorious for habitually using the same interview transitions, writes Shani Silver (A Single Serving). Your guest or co-host has finished answering your question. Now what? “In that moment, you don’t know what the hell to say, your mind is a vacant cavern, so you just say: “I love that.”

This example is Silver’s nemesis, and she hears it often. “I love that,” or any similarly weak, overused response “is an indicator that you’re a bit stuck in terms of progressing as an interviewer,” Silver says. She suggests that planning your questions more thoughtfully will create useful improvisational tools.

Silver provides some alternative interview transitions and tricks, but this one will take podcasters the furthest: “It’s wild, but you don’t actually have to have an opinion or personal reaction every time your guest stops speaking. You can just let their answer stand on its own so that the listener can soak it in.”

Could this be your year to speak on podcasting’s most influential stage? Proposals for PM22 are due on Friday, May 6. Selection is competitive, though we encourage all to submit – every brilliant idea has a real shot.

Sessions are in-person only and will take place August 24-26 in Dallas, Texas. Review requirements, FAQs, and details here, and feel free to email questions to speakers@podcastmovement.com. Best of luck!

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Here's what else is going on:

• Party time: Calling Las Vegas locals! This evening from 7:00 to 9:00 PT, all are welcome to PM’s outdoor meetup at Nevada Brew Works on South Main. The team is in town for the NAB Show and would love to see you for podcast talk, networking, drinks, and good food. Please RSVP here.

• Tapped out: Tomorrow at 5:00 pm ET, let’s talk about overcoming burnout in podcasting. Arielle Nissenblatt (EarBuds Podcast Collective) will host a much-needed Twitter Spaces session. If you produce any kind of show on a consistent basis, this one’s for you. No account needed to join.

• Good fight: “Storytelling for Activists” from Radio Boot Camp is this Sunday, May 1. Jennifer Johnson Avril (Housing Works, ACT UP NY) will lead a workshop on activist-made media, how to apply organizing tactics to storytelling, and communication for movement building. $75 registration.

• First steps: “How to Get Started with Ads on Your Podcast” from Podbean is coming up on May 3. During the live episode of Podcasting Smarter, Roni Gosch and John Kiernan will cover dynamic ad insertion, setting rates, packaging, and more. Includes a live Q&A on YouTube. Free registration.