The podcast is a rare example of content that made its debut long ago, fell into obscurity and then suddenly re-emerged as a popular option of multimedia once again. Its name literally derived from the fact that it was created for consumption on early generation iPods, podcasts are now available in a variety of formats and can be streamed from virtually anywhere in the world.

However, podcasts are a relatively niche form of content marketing: attracting large numbers of people is more difficult than through other standard content offerings such as videos and blog posts. Because of this, improving the overall reach and quality of each episode of a given podcast is essential.

Here are some credible tips to help you accomplish this feat.

Know the Most Prominent Focuses of Podcasts

Podcasts are available that cover virtually every niche, topic and industry imaginable. As such, it is difficult to break into a niche at this point where competition doesn’t already exist. However, this doesn’t mean that a podcast cannot be successful or expand its reach with new listeners.

Ultimately, many podcasts understand that there are certain elements or focuses that are important to listeners. Some of the most common examples include podcasts that can make light or otherwise generate comedy within a broader niche, podcasts that properly educate individuals on the finer points of a given topic, and podcasts that ensure listeners are receiving late-breaking information.

Otherwise and regardless of the overall niche, you might be pinging noise at your audience that is being received rather poorly.

Know How People Find Podcasts

Just as important as what content you offer audiences is the methods that these audiences use to find podcasts in the first place. It might surprise you that some platforms are better suited than others when targeting people with your latest podcast episodes.

Both first-time and established podcast listeners report that the most common platform they use to find new podcasts is search engines. As such, it is vital that these pages and episodes are optimized for search engines.

What other platforms are great for targeting likely podcast listeners? Social media posts – whether they be from your brand’s page or shared by users with their own followers – generate a substantial amount of traffic.

One method that individuals connect with podcasts through that don’t often get mentioned is through word of mouth. Friends and family members recommending podcasts play a huge role in how quickly podcasts grow (so incorporate this knowledge into your podcast marketing tactics!).

Know What Influences Podcast Quality in Listeners’ Eyes

Certain elements can affect how listeners perceive your overall podcast and its quality. If you don’t want to be pinging noise at audiences, then consider publishing content based on keyword research relevant to your target demographic. Likewise, adopt a regular schedule for publication so that listeners know when a new episode is available. Make sure to incorporate the use of interviews with influential or relevant guests as well – this can often lead to cross-over listeners who already follow these audiences (and of course this can increase the overall authority of your podcast).

Podcasts are all the rage currently, but knowing how to optimize them is crucial. To improve the number of people listening and the overall quality, be sure to incorporate the above tips into your broader production and marketing strategies.