Assemble a podcast press kit

The best way to prepare for earned media is to engage with your own show in the same way you’d like someone else to engage with it: cover yourself like it’s your job. A press kit on your website enables any visitor–listener, writer, whoever–to spread your show farther.

Earned marketing is any coverage of your show that is done by someone else. It can range from a small act like an episode shared by a fan through a repost of a post you made or a larger one like media coverage from a local or national publication.

Consider this scenario: your show can serve as the gateway podcast to someone who is brand-new to podcasts, and that’s word-of-mouth advertising you can’t buy. In the future, every time someone talks about how they got into podcasts, your show will be in their mind as the first and longest-running podcast relationship they have.

Why you need a press kit for your show

• A press kit is a deliberate and conscientious way to share a direct link and way to listen to your show with someone who can move your show farther than you can on your own. Keep the thread of potential action going for someone new to podcasts by providing a simple and immediate way to begin listening to your show.
• A timely sending of your press kit, connected to a recent event or special guest, is a targeted and timely opportunity to educate about how people can listen to podcasts, using yours as a prime example.
• A good article should be compelling enough to get someone to start listening to your show. Put your best episodes forward when doing outreach about your show; guide someone through the process of starting to listen rather than letting them run free in your archives - this is your first impression.

Recommendations for creating your press kit

• Describe your show. Your first sentence should be a succinct and compelling description of your show. Use the next few sentences to expand upon it: describe the style, genre, and what one can expect from episodes of your show. (This paragraph should make someone know exactly what they are embarking on when they click play. Set them up for enjoyment!) 
• Give some background on who makes the show–including names, roles they embody, and location–and why the show began.
• Provide high resolution images of your podcast art, and if possible, the people who make the show.
• Highlight stellar reviews or testimonials of your show from listeners or other podcasters.
• Include some back-to-basics steps around how someone can listen to your show. Consider a 1-2-3-go! approach: "Here is my show. Here is how you listen to an episode. You should start with this one. Enjoy!"
• Select 2-3 episodes that are excellent introductory episodes to your show. Provide links if you’re sending an email or embed them on your site.
• Use a show link that works on the web, iOS, and Android for ease of listening. And yes, your RadioPublic show link works on all three, from one simple link.
• Include instructions on embedding the show or a specific episode in an article to make it even easier for a writer to pick up your show and run with it.