Myspace. Facebook. Twitter. Pownce. Jaiku.

So many sites out there, but do podcasters actually use them for promoting and perhaps gaining new listeners for their shows?

For me, Myspace and Twitter have been the most helpful in networking. Especially Twitter. Facebook turned out to be a dud. Pownce I'm still playing with.

So I thought it would be interesting to see what other podcasters use, and the networking sites they swear by.

Do tell!
Dani

As a music show twitter and other generic networks are pretty useless. Maybe one of my twitter friends likes music. maybe not. who knows. myspace at least allows you to find people through common interests like bands but it has just become a spam dumping ground. I've had a lot of good feedback from ilike.com and mog.com. both match music fans with other music fans based on what you have in your music library.

Your tweets do crack me up though Miss Peter!

I know myspace has been a goldmine when it comes to music. I've found several new bands to send to the radio station I voice track for here. Myspace has been upgrading it's features a bit, so it's been easier to weed and get through the spam. I've also noticed A LOT less lately as well.

~Dani

I've never heard of the last two you mentioned! I'm going to check them out though. I post a show player in my comments on myspace and that seems to have boosted my listenership quite a bit!

I use my blog to promote my show.

It took me a few years to understand that the typical methods for promoting my podcast would never work....my audience is very specific, so any promotion that I've done has been specifically directed at the "running community", thus I've started focusing on being a part of runners forums (CoolRunning, Runners World, Rec.Running newsgroups, etc.).

It turns out, that for me...word of mouth is the best means for producing my show. Just about all of the emails I recieve from new listeners starts with "I heard about your show from a friend of mine at our running club..." and so I've pretty much given up on the "MySpace", "Facebook", "Twitter" etc.

This things may work for some...but word of mouth has been the best promotional tool for me.

Of course, I could be a complete idiot, and may have missed out on growing my audience significantly, but runners are pretty "picky" and I don't ever see myself paying for an "Ad" in a magazine.

On the other hand, rumor has it that a "World" wide runners magazine is publishing an article about me and my goofy little podcast next month...(or so I'm told), so it should be interesting to see how many new listeners subscribe to my show.

I think the best advice I ever recieved was by Rob Walsh (PodCast411) who suggested to his listeners that they go to where the audience is....for me, runners who go "online" visit a handful of websites and forums every day....as I always have (in my 8 years of running) so, I just participate in those forums...without alot of self-promotion (although, I do have a link to my website: www.steverunner.com in my signature...so that drives some hits!)

Run long and taper!

- Steve

I use postcards - I am a big fan of there use.
So I send them out to target particuler groups are just hand them out in niche markets -
Basicly the header fo my webstie/blog.

http://www.storytellingwithchildren.com

I also try to get my guest to invite people to listen - this can work really well if they hae an email list.

Eric Wolf

I have four podcasts and tend to use a combination of marketing techniques. I use myspace, facebook, twitter, and forums like this one to keep my name and logo out there. they all seem to come up when I google Worlds of Wayne, or any of the show names so it seems to be keeping my exposure up there.

Other things I do include:

- consistent email list.
I email a short notification when I publish. I don't like to spam people, but I have specifically been told that some of my audience use that email to know when I have posted a new show.

- Business cards.
I take em everywhere. To the bar, resturant special events. I always hand them out locally just to keep my name out there. I give one to every in studio guest.

- Buttons and merch
I love merch. I use the merch for give a ways and promotion. Buttons are fun and people love em.

- Newspaper ads
I made a promo for one of the more popular magazines in town and they traded me a 1/4 page ad that runs when they need to fill space. I also write for them as well, so getting into writing for your local publications can help out alot.

- Trade on websites
I have also made promos for local sites and forums which seem to have a large audience, and they have put up a button link on their sites. also, am working with a local site which will soon be putting out my show on their page. It's local, but well worth it.

- Ask listeners to leave reviews on iTunes.
- Complementary live video on ustream.tv
- Self produced record of all the live in studio performances
- Give a ways and signed merch from guests
- Cut vinyl decal for car window of show site
- Sponsor local events and benefits

Even so, I am always marketing and still looking for more listeners. Really depends on the show. Worlds of Wayne has been growing slowly but steady for the past two years while Freelance America was a hit right off the bat as it had a more specific focus and target audience.

I am still trying to break that audience barrier that gets me the listener base that would help me gain sponsors. I am working on re-designing the site to offer ads much like the Pickle. I intend to get paid advertising from both local and national sponsors.

Weird thing is, I am known now at least locally for the show. I have venue owners sending out my contact information to the pr people of their upcoming artists, so now I have record companies emailing me to get their artists played or in for an interview. Local bands and event sponsors are seeking me out to be on the show too, That feels great.
Now I am working on getting our local newspaper to do an article on the popularity of podcasting. I want to include all us podcasters in the area and see if we all could get some promotion out of it.

That's my take.