Have you ever considered how valuable a tool podcasts are for authors? Let's look at expanding your audience through podcasts for book promotion.

Podcasts for Authors: A Valuable Tool

When it comes to connecting with a larger audience of potential readers, podcasting is an ideal promotional tool.

For one thing, there are just so many of them! Everyone seems to have a podcast these days! Across podcasting platforms such as Spotify and Apple Podcasts, millions of people are listening every day.

Podcasts are popular in the modern day and age for the same reason radio was the most popular choice of media once upon a time. Humans are social creatures, and we love company. And speech in the background, whether it's radio or podcasting, keeps us company. Podcasts are a modern convenience of the digital age because you can listen to them at any time. You don't have to wait for a podcast to come live; as long as an episode has been published, you can download it and listen to it anywhere.

As well as being conveniently available on demand, podcasts as an audio medium have an advantage over visual forms of media. Namely, they don't require our full attention. If we are watching TV or reading, we have to be very engaged. However, with a podcast (or a radio program), we can have it on in the background while we do other things. In fact, many people find it helpful to have a podcast in the background when they are working or doing chores. Podcasts and radio programs are like having company right there with you while you go about your business.

Another reason why authors can expand their audience through podcasts is because podcasts appeal to different niches. There was a time before the digital age when people with niche interests would have to search incredibly hard to find resources about what they were into. However, the internet has made it easier for members of fandoms and different communities to connect with each other. This is true for podcasts, too, as there's virtually a podcast for every niche interest out there. And podcasting for book promotions is a valuable tool because there are so many podcasts that cover a variety of literary genres across fiction and non-fiction.

Podcasts are a modern advancement in radio and will continue to be popular for the long term.

Podcasting for Book Promotion

Podcasts can help you connect with a larger audience, including members of your target audience for your books.

If you are a non-fiction writer who produces work on history or science, then you can go on podcasts that cover those topics. This will allow you to show your expertise and promote your book.

If you are a fiction writer who writes fantasy, romance, horror, or any fiction genre with a following, you can expand your audience through podcasts by discussing your upcoming project or next bestseller.

On a podcast, you get to show your personality. Listeners will warm to you and want to read your work. So, using podcasting for book promotion helps you build your author brand and grow your readership.

Expanding Your Audience Through Podcasts of Your Own

But what if you could do your own podcast? Podcasts for authors are great because you already have an area of expertise you can talk about (which is, of course, the subject of your book). You can connect with a larger audience by creating your own podcast to promote your work and the work of others.

When it comes to promoting your book, it helps if you can get your name as an author out there. Podcasting helps with this because it's another medium through which people can interact with you. Doing your own podcast for book promotion will also help you advertise yourself as an expert on the subject you are writing about and show your command of the topic.

Blend Podcasts and Audiobooks

One option for podcasting for book promotion is to do a sort of hybrid version of podcasts and audiobooks. You could release the first two chapters of your book as a podcast. This will help you expand your audience through podcasting, as you will be getting your book in front of more potential readers. You can hook in your readers and make them want to go and buy your book to get the rest of the story.

If you are going to have some of your books read as a podcast, it is best to get a professional narrator who can read your book to a high standard.

What You Need to Podcast

Here are 5 key things you need to do a podcast for authors:

1. A uni-directional microphone (a microphone that picks up sound from one direction)
2. Audio editing software (Audacity is a free license software; Adobe Audition is a professional standard used in the radio industry)
3. Somewhere quiet to record to avoid intrusive background noise
4. Headphones (preferably ones that go over your ears rather than earphones)
5. Social media accounts for promoting your podcast

If you don't know where to start, it is worth looking into services that can help you with podcasting. It's important to have the podcast well produced, so it may be worth getting freelancers involved to help you record and edit your work.

Final Words

Podcasts for authors are a really good promotional tool that can help you expand your readership.