How to Use Visual Elements to Market Your Podcast Effectively – PCI 405

I'm Mackenzie Bennett, marketing specialist at Blueberry podcasting. Married at hope, graphic designer at Blueberry podcasting. In today's episode, we're going to discuss how to market your podcast podcasts effectively with visual tools. Here listening to podcast insider, a weekly podcast bringing insights, advice and insider tips and tricks to help you start, grow and thrive through podcasting. With the support of your team here at we very podcasting. Welcome. Let's dive in.

Erin I'm glad you are joining on this episode because I really wouldn't wanna talk about this without having an actual designer. Specifically the 1 from our team. Yeah. I was gonna say, at this point, our listeners know whenever it's whenever the artwork, individuals come up, That means air is coming to their own. Yeah it's always a special episode. I'm like, okay. I will just give Aaron some insight into what we should talk about a little bit, and then you will come with some beautiful

images to share as well. It's great. Well, it's always fun because, like, especially this time in podcast and because, you know, when I started At blueberry, it was just the podcast. Cover artwork. But now, you know, we've gone to video. We've gone... And now we're talking about social media, so it's just really showing how you know, just like with music, there's so much opportunity to, like, go beyond just the audio, go beyond, you know, just the music. It's like, you... There's

so many, different visuals you can do. There's videos, there's other stuff, outfits, merge, things like that. Like, you go into, like, record story now and just look at how visual it is, and this is all for music. So it's just like, it's really cool for start to see podcast podcasts, become even more of, like, a a visual standard. I love it too because, like, you started at the beginning of 20 20 with us, so it's, like, 4 and a half years

at this point. And just how much has changed in that time. Yeah. It's wild. So... Okay. Well, 1 of those things that has changed that we wanna talk about was social media graphics specifically for marketing your podcast. Everyone knows that part of marketing nowadays is

social media. But why we use graphics in social media, you know, just right right down to it is it just grabs your attention better? Especially when you're just scroll, you can convey information very quickly and efficiently about your episodes that way, and it just, increase its share ability and engagement and typically, you know, just getting it out there to the people more. Yeah. And this is just, you know, social

media 01:01. But we see it is with any product, any person, you know, you always wanna switch up the images. You don't wanna, you know, even like, personal. It's like, well, I've already posted 2 images with the t shirt. Do I wanna post it wearing this t shirt again? No. It's a really good point. Actually but this dilemma, I have very few t shirts I love to wear it come and my friends are like, okay. T shirt a lot. So you your podcast artwork at your t shirt.

No. That's perfect. Okay. So some examples of, like, how to use these social media graphics, creating episode announcement. Don't wear the same t shirt in every single fit. Don't do that. Include the title, a description and how to listen, like, how and where to listen, but don't wear the same t shirt. Everyone's gonna think it's the same image. Over and over again. I said our switch up your hairstyle.

If you have a guest on, put a graphic of them, feature their photos, to tag them, put their name include their funny quotes, and clips, like everything that people want nowadays is that sound byte that, like, you know, 15 second clip, whether it is audio or video, that is what people wanna share. Yeah. Totally older there. And like, a good example I happened. It's 1 is the other town.

Which is the podcast Far was doing before he became like, the head of Louis Vuitton like fashion, or men's fashion, He just basically just you wanna, you know, because Vale is for real. So he'd would just have, yeah, guess from all over the, you know, all over the entertainment spectrum. And, you know, they would just talk about their lives to talk about the stuff idea. I mean, it's just like these are just really interesting people. But soon it's

like video first. A lot of their social media is just clips of them now in studio with the camera front of just talking and conversation, but it's those quotes and it's those clips. Especially someone like Per. You know, we know for his music, but, like, something he says, Like, some of this stuff is so hilarious and he's like, I'm dead serious, and he's

like, we know that's what makes hilarious. So there's always, like, these isn't and these rants that he goes on and sometimes they'll just post the whole rant, and you can just wash the hilarious. And

So how do people create these said clips or, like, whatever graphics they wanna use? I mean, that's more. So has definitely your forte. I don't know what use. Yeah. Well, you know, Cam is definitely, like, our go to or people who would don't know. Or I don't feel comfortable just making a stuff from scratch. Adobe Spark also has some really good templates that you can help you get tired and

stuff like that. And then I know a new 1 is a have by buffer, which I believe does measure the same thing else Adobe and Can, but I'm not sure what their twist is. I mean, I know that in our... Like, in our pie system, our Ai that we offer through our thrive bundle has social media that you can create. Like, we just do the captions right now, but we are also doing, like, artwork for people. So Ai in general for social media graphics. I can... Like, it's already happening for sure. It's

just gonna... It's a matter of, like, how many people are gonna start using it outside of just people who are interested in Ai right now. You know, the... As it gets integrated into more systems? Yeah. And that's what makes it so, like, you don't know what it's gonna be like in 2 years because, like, every single time so when using it, they're learning it they're giving feedback, it's getting better and better. And, like, Ai, you know, even a year ago

when it's just a wee little baby. I now like to say, like, Ai has, like, or the eighth grid. Like, understanding of the world, you can put things... Can put some things together, but it's a little off still needs to work on the spell lane, but everything's kinda there. So just imagine, like, a, year from now when it's, like, high school level, call it level, like, graduate close graduate, and it really starts to go about and beyond this intelligent.

We're really gonna see, like, a lot more this Ai I think we're gonna see a lot more this Ai stuff become more of a visual cool. Right. Whereas right now is something more tech base. Yeah. Absolutely. That's the easiest way to

start out. But speaking of visual. Another way to promote your podcast is with promotional videos, and this is a little bit more nuanced in the fact that you are taking some things specifically and turning it into promoting whether it's just that episode or the show in general, or a guess but it is engaging for your audience, it can convey a lot of information in a very short period of time. And generally just creates, a connection with your audience through both the visual and sound. It can

be, you know, we... Everyone loves watching, like, a movie trailer or something like that. So doing this for your podcast is definitely something that people want as well. Yeah. And I mean, we... You know, if an image images work by thousand word. Think how many work The video was worth. Like, no. We've seen tiktok becomes skewed just from a couple seconds of videos. Just Yeah. And so just that versus an image, it should... It is so much more engaging.

It just creates a stronger connection. You know, it... Ties visuals with the sounds, and, you know, if it... Again, if it's a video first podcast podcasts, then, like, you're literally just literally to saying they're watching new podcasts and that's kind of what you want. Is that, like, based engagement. And so that's why we think videos. They're if not, have already become such out a standard. And like I said, with undertone, like most of their clips and captions is literally just the video

off their show. It just shows how much you can do and you know, for shows, like, an hour, like, you can find a minutes. You you can find you know, 30 seconds of polarity in that. It Yeah. I just thought choppy up and just, like, you know, and then if you can find 01:30 seconds and then, you know, just fine 2 or 3 more and it's like, boom, we have a whole week work of content that we can push out before we can put the content. While we even put the main episode

out. Yeah. Those teaser videos that people do. Like, they genuinely work. There's a couple video podcasts or, like... I mean, they obviously do video and audio, but they have been on my Tiktok algorithm for, like, 3 years now. I've never actually watched... Or listen to their show. Because I'm just not gonna, like, I'm not gonna move into to that long form content that they have, but 1 of my good friends? Like, she ended up,

she listens to the show now. But, like, we still talk about it, and I know exactly what she's talking about it because I have seen the teaser video or, like, whatever that 1 clip that was created that then is, like, you know, the best part of the show and then we just talk about that. It does bring, like, a weird convenience ceo eat. The community of just

the people who you see the highlights or the highlighter. And like, yeah. They're only seeing the best part of your shows, but they're also seeing the best part of your shows, they can connect people who also know about those best parts of your shares. So it is kind of weird to see, like, just having this social media based fan based collide with this more tried and true podcast podcasts or subscribing community. So I'd love to get them in rooms get be like, yeah.

So you guys both love my shows in very different ways. Like, how can we, like, like, first of off, let's just chat about it. But I know. You're Given from those, that's where you get your listener in their testimonials. Another great thing to use for your videos as well. Just, again, just put them in a room You gotta just talk about. I

like, oh, yeah. Just like, I like it but I just know it from clips versus someone like, I know from led mortgages news or like someone like me, like, I know you from other stuff that you do, and now you get so happens to all to do a podcast like, 1 good example I have of that is this this designed agency called good Ef

design advice. Yeah. Ethane is exactly what the word is, And I know them from the design world and things like that, but they just put out of, and the podcast is never just like, this is just what we do. But now we're just talking about it on And was like, oh, that's great. But, like, I immediately knew and I can immediately connect with these people who just know the podcast and be like, oh, you guys it check out their other stuff. I've been following them for week. It

like that. But that's already 2 good testimonials right there. Just like, the you to, check have your listeners tell you about shop? So much of those conversations nowadays are happening in the... Comment sections of all the social media that we're using too. Like, so, like, I start a video. I start watching a video, Like, it's just I'm talking back and forth. I don't need to look in them at them for the most part. So I immediately just open up the comments

and I'm like, oh, okay. This is giving more context or, like, someone's laughing at this relation, like, this goes back to 3 episodes ago or something like that And I'm like, okay. I know what's going on enough, but, like, it's fun to see this all happening at the same time, all just within this comment section. It really

is, like, a little community within that. And that is where those like, listener testimonials are, but without being, like, a full testimonial is just, like, they're coming together in those short moments of the comments.

Yeah. I totally why. Although, I tried to avoid it at least until I'm like, almost out with the video because it's like, there's always, like spoilers. Are, like, some repeating, like, finger line and it's like I haven't gotten to the lock that... Yes. The top comment is always, like, the funny part of the video. And, yes, you genuinely have to hold yourself back because you're just gonna ruin it for yourself. Yeah. But that brings us to another thing, which is just, like, audio in

general. So that's just kind of a blanket term for where what we're all

really familiar with. At this point. It's, like, combining audio clips with some type of visual whether that is an actual, you know, recording like, video of you guys recording the episode or something else, like, whatever, if you're at a concert and you're talking about that if you want to go see such and shuts movie or, like, you know, here's what the campaign was for D d, whatever it is, just putting together those key moments from the episodes so that you can share them on social.

So, like, highlight key segment of the episodes, promoting new episodes, and then just, like, posting them wherever on whatever platform you're on. Yeah. And the this really reminds me of, back in the day before we really had a more and animated version of these audio grabs of just, like, when it was just the podcast cover with like, the word down

on. Yeah. Like, printed on here, like, really big or printed really big in the description where, like, listen to it that, is what I would say, welcome to the... To Da has evolved into audio. And... Genuinely reminds me, like, before... Companies jumped on the bandwagon of video content to, like, go with their audio or vice versa, when, like, fans would do it. Like, when I was in college, I would be like, okay. I I guess I maybe wanna listen to this Howard stern.

Interview with such and such person. But, like, I'm gonna have sirius m. So just went on Youtube and looked it up, and it was just some random person posting. Yeah. The phone that, like, they, you know, downloaded, and then add just a still frame photo of Howard Stern interviewing Tina fe. And I was just like, okay, I guess this is what, like, it's just gonna be on the background. That was as good as it was at the beginning. And now companies are like, oh, okay.

So I guess we could do that on our own and actually, like, make money off of this on advertising by doing this ourselves

instead of letting our fans do it themselves. Yeah. And it... It's funny because you brought up bunch and direct this time I didn't it. So now I could just talk about it. I, you know, the podcast I listen to all the Dungeon and Dragon 1. And oh, it's deal with, like very visual nomads

and he's very epic thing. And like you said, before eat sometimes till to this day, our artists and animators will d antibiotics are, like, tiny animations, literally bringing this, like, completely moment to, like, like, with visual if you look up, like, literally would look, like, any D and d podcast podcasts, automatic or, like, animation, audio on Youtube and you'll find something that someone did about it. And so it

is funny because now people... And, like you said it's funny now because as they become more visual, people are literally contacting these artists and be like hey, can I use this

for my podcast? Like, can Print this as trailer for my podcast because, you know, these are just, like, people who are like, love Spanish love the D and d world all they're just, like, it's just so fascinating that it is already like, connecting people to artists, connecting artists to these amazing stories that inspired them to continue making your art And so it is kind of like this weird pool that now it now has

come. Like like, also in that circumstance, I have never played D and d. I have no desire to, but, like, I know bits and pieces of it just from friends who have played, like from talking to you and then just, like, it being on television, like, it's part of, you know, stranger things and like, other shows and everything. Like, I would love those those rendition of what is happening. Where I'm like, okay. I don't wanna imagine

this. Show me whatever weird wizard creature thing is that you guys are, like, talking about, like, I don't wanna think about this in my head. You can do it. Show me. Don't tell me. And I can say the way I describe it People is, like, think lord the rings, but everything is decided by the roll of a dice. Right. Every every failure is designed by. And it's like, it happens in a moment, the y and

60, you'll you're gonna fail. And so it's like, the entire story could change off of, like, you know, a nice role or like a terrible role. Yeah. There's so many ways to use audio to just like, the concept in general of social media out there to promote your show. It really is just a way to to connect with people in an additional way. Social with whatever content it is that you're trying to get out there. You never really can tell, like, what they're gonna connect with sometimes

do you just... Like, you just gotta try. You have to start putting something out there because not doing any type of marketing is not gonna get you anywhere. You... This is a scenario in which you have to, like, trial and error type of scenario. You have to fail a little bit to get better. I because just doing nothing. It's just you speaking it to a microphone. Yeah. I know this would like a huge problem we had with barb podcast search who were like... I don't know like, what clip that I use

that I'm not. And so we, like, you know, come came up with an Ai solution. That will, like, go through your show and pull out a bunch of different clips and it's, like, honestly just use them all and see which ones, you know, go it to the wall, see what Dick's kind of thing Yeah. Because, you know, I'm not that you realize, oh, these are the things that my people like about my show. And like, oh, these are things that people don't like. I like this 1 did good. This 1 did

bad. And then you can start to really parse out. Okay. This is what my in ballot because this is what people like about. Watching Ai. Evolve has been. Like, it's great, and I love it for us because it's really fun to see how we can use it to make our, you know, podcast lives easier. But, like, as a person who takes myself out of my job for a second, Like, I

was just... I saw my. Parents not too long ago and was explaining my mom, like, how I use it for work and, like, everything that I used it for in the past year or so, and she was just, like, I just figured out the other day how to turn off the Ai option on, like, in inward like in Microsoft excel or whatever it was I worked. And she's like, I have no desire for this and I'm

like, I get that. Don't get me wrong, but, like, it is here to stay. And 1 of those things that, like, it's gonna get better and better like you said. And I she was showing me she was like, here. Look at this 1 tree, like, gave me her phone and I was like, mom. You are aware that, like, this is Ai. Right? And she's, like, no. Point out how you know it's They at? Like, okay. The authenticity is gonna shine through to some people.

So... So when you are creating all of these things with whatever, you know, various software that you're using, whether you're using. Ai or not. Like, just remember to keep it consistent with the feel of your show. Like, don't falsely create some tone or some visual that is not... Does not, like, accurately depict what they're gonna get. I think that's... I think people get used to that with, like, some trailers or, you know, previews of something, and then they're, like, oh, this is a let down.

Oh, that's actually a really good point. That consistency is the... And, like, once you have that pattern affirmative it used to be a purposeful there. Yeah. More people are gonna be, like, oh, well this is either not as good, not as well produced, not as are just thrown together. And not to make anyone interest about it, like, my example, good ef design advice. Their branding is the color red,

like, an something, something always has red. There's always some kind of red background or some kind of red line or some kind of red circle, and that's it. Like, it does have to be this huge fancy logo or, like, this huge outstanding, like, art, you know, style, It can just be something.

Simple or basic, but it needs to be consistent, and that means it's in your visuals, in your your videos, any graphics that you post online, even audio, and, like, having even having some kind of sounds or some kind of trying that is known just on your show are known to be or some kind of sound that Gesture your show does and pretty night in your audio. Now they have a both audio and these rebranding consistency.

To connect their for a show. And that's just going to help your audience engage more or when they see your yourself. They Gotta know it's from you no matter where they see it when they see it, how they see it. In what form they see in and they're like, oh, they have the color. They have this. They have that this mu home this show. And I think that's good not only for discovery even but it also helps you know, just track your performance and things like that because it actually start to put all

these things out there. You're gonna get feedback. You're gonna get comments. You're gonna get lights, sharing your things like that. And you're gonna find out, like, oh, maybe my audience is more Instagram than Youtube or maybe they're more Youtube and spotify maybe they're more qualified than apple. You know, just starting to see, like, rick coming from, asking them polls and quizzes is, getting talk back, things like that getting no testimonials erroneous that we talked about. And not to say,

like, you have to invest everything into 1 brand, like, you're allowed to change, obviously. Like, as you grow, we will change. As long as you say, authentic because that authenticity is what builds the trust. And so as long as it's still neuro personality your voice, and wanna I change up the visuals. They're, like, oh, I wanna do this now or, like, I don't like reading anymore. I wanna go purple and how our gonna has to be purple. Like, your audience would be like, oh, okay.

That's definitely a switch up, but as long as it's like, again, it's consistent. They see a pattern. They see that change, and, you know, even telling them, like, I change it for this reason or, like, we have a new season. Therefore we have a new color. Like, they'll be onboard and that will help you really build that brand and really build knock. That that made me think of. I don't wanna go off on like, huge tangent about it, but social media platforms change.

Like, we've seen huge differences in the way that Twitter started and has changed since it became x. Kinda, you know, the age demographics, we were just talking about it in a meeting today between Facebook and Instagram, and then the rabbit hold that you get sucked down with Tiktok and, like, just people sometimes step away from a platform when algorithms change when functions change when privacy things happen in terms of service are altered, just the type of content that people are

getting and, like, they're like, oh, this isn't the... This isn't what I what it was before. Like, I'm just not spending my time on this black or. Yeah. If you have. I yeah. I was gonna say even things, like the, like the App store are, like, where people find their podcasts and these podcasts places have already dynamic changed. And, you know, we talked about it in our last episode when there was, like, all these episode artwork and how that's now going

to be implemented into me. These podcast. He's kinda podcast destinations. That's where we'll work. In just how quickly they change in the rules and to think like that and how to keep a and, like, what? Think like that. So, like, sometimes you might be happy to might be forced to change your podcast artwork because of these new rule that come out. So that's

another reason where it's like, okay. Well, as long as it's consistent, you wanna understand why you have to do this and you can make this something that you can implement across all of your other stuff. That's really what shows that, like, that great visual storytelling that your audience will connect with. Yeah. And we really try to, like, implement those stuff very quickly into our system as well so that people know.

You know, if they do need to change something, if Apple made a new blanket statement saying, like, this is how artwork is gonna function from now on, we're gonna tell people. Want you guys. Yeah. Yeah. Gonna put out an. We're gonna discuss, like, we're gonna have examples. Marketing that we do for blueberry. So much of that encompasses just, like, hear are some podcasting best practices. Like, here is how you can get this out to people

in an effective manner. So we really do enjoy helping people effectively grow their show in what feels like an organic way and not, like, Sc is not the word. Just like, it doesn't... You don't feel uncomfortable and, like you're... You know, Yeah. Don't have, like, that ic feeling of, like, oh, I don't like this. That's we're trying to make it feel more

organic. Yeah. Yeah. Well, like you said, it's like when you see the first trailer. For a removing it's awesome. And usually the second trailer and you're like, oh, something's off far something went wrong. Did you run out of money? Like, Monday. My yeah. My my biggest thing is like, I don't watch them at all anymore really. Because I feel like they've kind of gone such... They've had such a downfall in the past, like, 10 or 15 years with social media of the entire

siri. The entire, like, season or the entire movie is in the trailer. There's all of the best things there is nothing to look forward to. I can figure out beginning middle plot, climax ending who's bad guy who's, like, I can just figure it out. I've been I've made media my entire life for the past 30 years. I can figure it out with these trailers. They so. Like, don't ruin.

That's kind of what I was saying before of, like, don't make your promotional content what the content is actually not, like, it has to be consistent. It has to have the same feel and not just, like, give everything away. So, yeah. If it's just a tease or... Yeah. Know. Like, it also doesn't need to be, like, a whole minute. Like, the shorter, honestly the better, Like, you know, think of,

like, genuinely... Why would frankly, like, an elevator pitch up a joke, you know, like, set it up, get to the point punch. We're all laughing, next thing, kind of, Yeah. You, looking for moments like that. It doesn't need to be, like, a full drawn out story. Like, that's what they come to the podcast to here. Like, help will you either chop this up to make it knock make it quick, make it easy or, like, how you just capture those outside tiny go to moments.

Here and there, but doesn't give away the overall. Harlan Era, every show is different. Yeah. So it's just about finding up worse for your show and you're on. For his a plethora of information in this episode and just literally go on the Internet. You will know what you like and what you don't like in terms of promotional content and the path that you wanna go down. But this, like, the show notes are gonna have some visual examples links to helpful software and just an overview

of what we've talked about today? But is there anything else that we, like, need to say about promoting a podcast with visual elements. Well, you know, I was like to end with a half fun with it. Yeah. No. Like, for whenever you're doing, it should be just as fun as making your show. Yeah. It should be just as exciting know, you probably have some sketches of what

it would look like. Probably have some idea in your head, it's just about figuring out how to dis fill that down into something that you can actually make or have made for you or have Ai mate generate for you just something, you know, like, keep it easy, because you can always go more you can always go more detail and always go more satellites later, but it is about just having those bases. Oh, color, fonts, maybe a logo to really start to build

that brand recognition. Yeah. That's really great. That's a good idea. People be brave. You are more creative than you think you just need to actually allow yourself to get it out there. So poland. And if you're not hiring someone? Yes. You can tell someone. I do that. I mean I've been doing that to you for years. I'm like, in my head, it looks like this. So tell me if that's stupid or make it look great. Yeah. So was awesome talking to you guys always, Mackenzie. Yes. You too, Aaron. It's was

nice to talk to you. Hey. You know what? That's that is wonderful to hear. You too. Let's just ended with that. Thanks everyone. Thanks joining us. Come back next week and in the meantime, head podcast insider dot com for more information to subscribe, share and read our show notes. To check out the latest suite of services and learn how blueberry Can help you leverage your podcast, visit blueberry dot com. That's blueberry without the ease because we can afford them.