Outline:
Just one click away from anyone’s reach
Your inbox is your most personal digital space.
It’s a place where you nurture relationships, where you store part of your life, that acts like a gateway to your higher education and job applications, and for some even a place to store their most valuable passwords (but don’t do it!).
It's an intimate place for you that brands have found as a way to create direct relationships with their customers. With more than 4.2 billion people in the world having an email user today, it’s no wonder that more than 87% of marketers invest in reaching their customers through this medium.
One way to establish that bond is through a newsletter. Newsletters have become a valuable tool for all types of publishers and podcasters can take advantage of them as well. It’s no easy task but thanks to the valuable insights of newsletter expert and SquadCast’s community manager, Arielle Nissenblatt, on our podcast interview, podcasters can strengthen their communities and reach new audiences more effectively with this tool.
What does a podcast newsletter look like?
Podcast newsletters are not just extensions of your podcast; they’re a source of content that should stand on itself.
Your podcast newsletter can be a follow-up on what you covered on your podcast and expand on those ideas. It can also be a recap of the main things discussed in an episode providing additional resources for people to learn from. Since podcasts are audio-driven, Arielle reminds us that you can exploit the visuals on your newsletter with pictures, fan art, and other content that can’t be displayed on your podcast.
It can be so many different things that can both entertain and educate people on the wonders of podcasting. If you don’t know what to write about, you can always reach out to Arielle and she can quickly assess your podcast and help you figure it out.
A newsletter should always focus on adding value to the conversation instead of trying to sell something in particular to the reader. Focus on high-quality content above all else.
What to avoid in a podcast newsletter
With over 5 years of experience with her EarBuds Podcast Collective newsletter, Arielle points out 2 things you shouldn’t do with your newsletter:
- Don’t treat your listeners as customers: they’re part of your community and not solely a way for you to sell your podcast. Your fans are building alongside you and you allow them to not only have access to you but with each other. Arielle insists that people will keep engaged if you’re willing to be there for them.
- Don’t make all your CTAs redirect to your podcast (show or episode): your newsletter should stand on its own and add content that goes beyond what you have on your show. If your call to action is always “listen to the podcast”, people will disengage very quickly. You should be able to entertain them right there.
How to reach a larger audience as a podcaster
There are two things that Arielle encourages podcasters to do to grow their audience:
- Learn about podcast recommendation newsletters: you don’t have to be alone in this journey. Get others to promote your work. Your podcast newsletter shouldn’t be the only place where your podcast is featured. Ask established and trusted newsletters to feature your podcast, but learn what they’re looking for before pitching your idea.
- Follow the curators and writers of podcast apps and newsletters: there’s a face behind the podcast newsletters and apps. Get to learn about them. Follow these curators and writers and learn what they value the most. You’ll get extra points on your podcast pitch if you’ve been following them for a while before asking them to help you out. One of those people might be looking for your exact podcast to promote it to their audience!
In other words, embed yourself into the podcast space from every angle. Listen to other podcasts, subscribe to other podcast newsletters, and follow the people creating these apps and newsletters. You’re slowly but consistently building your podcast network and when the time comes they’ll support you back.
Summary
People’s inboxes are a way into their minds and hearts. As a podcaster, you can take advantage of having your own newsletter to strengthen your community. However, it’s not a copy-paste of your podcast. Your podcast newsletter should stand on its own and add something extra that will make your audience want to stick around.
With the insight of newsletter expert Arielle Nissenblatt, we explore the do's and don'ts of a podcast newsletter that will help you steer yours in the right direction. With over 5 years of experience, Arielle helps us dive more profoundly into this valuable tool for podcasts. Listen to our interview with her to get all the tips and recommendations you need to take your podcast newsletter to the next level.
Arielle’s recommended podcast newsletters
Useful links