The beginning of the year is a great time to introduce/reintroduce your podcast listeners to you, your business, and/or your podcast.
One way to do this is by adding a quick housekeeping segment to your next episode as a way to inform new listeners about your show and extras you may offer, like links in show notes, additional information on your website, and/or how to work with you or your business.
This is also a great way to remind longtime listeners of these things in case they've forgotten, especially those who’ve been loving your podcast content so far and can’t wait to see what else you have to offer!
This post was inspired by a recent episode of Wellness While Walking I edited. The host, Coach Carolyn, included a short segment at the beginning of the episode reminding listeners about all the resources and information she lists in the show notes. Podcast listeners are typically on-the-go — and in Carolyn's case, they're encouraged to take a walk while listening, hence the name Wellness While Walking. But that means that calls to actions like checking out a website or clicking on the show notes isn't always top of mind.
A little segment with this information every now can help engage and re-engage your audience.
Here are some examples of what you can include in your housekeeping segment:
What you include in the show notes and where to find them — you’d be surprised how many podcast listeners don’t know that podcasts come with show notes that are full of resources, information, and links! Pro Tip: It doesn't hurt to let your audience know how to find the show notes. Many don't know it's usually a simple tap or swipe within their podcast app. If you have your podcast show notes also listed on your website, let your audience know — and be sure to mention your website clearly.
Speaking of your website, I tend to advise my consulting clients to mention their website at least once or twice per episode, especially if it’s connected to a business they are using the podcast to promote. This is a good opportunity for your listeners to dive into your services, products, and offerings so let them know what they can find when they go there.
How to sign up for your email list and the benefits of doing so. Be sure to mention any freebies or lead magnets you’re offering and what subscribers can look forward to when they sign-up.
How to reach you and get in touch. If you’re looking to grow a community around your podcast, giving your audience members a way to be a part of the conversation is one of the best ways to do that. You can mention your email, social media handles, or even give them a way to leave a voice message you can play on the show using a service like Google Voice or Speakpipe.
What to expect in the upcoming year, including changes to the release schedule or frequency of episodes. You may also want to talk about upcoming guests or topics you’re excited about. Give your audience something to look forward to, while also reminding them to Follow or Subscribe to your show so they’ll be sure to get new episodes delivered as soon as they’re released.
You may want to put reminders and notes toward the top of the show, which is usually when the majority of your audience will be tuning in and engaged. Beware, though: many podcasters will read that sentence and think they should do this for every episode, but the drawback to that is these segments can tend to get long and repetitive for listeners.
Those who listen frequently are more likely to use the Skip Ahead button to fast-forward through familiar segments to get to the meat of the episode. And new listeners may become impatient and decide it’s not worth their time to continue when they came for the content promised to them, not 5 minutes of promotion.
For those reasons, you may want to keep these announcements on the shorter side and try not to do them too frequently. You may also want to preface them by saying something like, “before we start the show as we normally do, we wanted to re-introduce ourselves and the show for new listeners …” or “a few quick notes before we get to the episode … .”
This lets the audience know you typically don't include this much information at the top of every single episode.
Have you ever included a housekeeping segment in your episodes?
For those who’ve already done this, reply and let me know how it went for you! Did you notice more followers to your social media or mailing list? Did you see more web traffic to your website? Comment below and let's compare notes!
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