Does Your Podcast Have A Call-To-Action (CTA)?
Author: Patricia Jenkins
What is a CTA?
Very basically this is when you ask your listeners to perform a specific task/activity.
In this article, we’ll cover what you can say in your CTA and where you can place it in your podcast.
If you are a new podcaster one of your goals will be to ensure that people who listen to your show will receive each episode as you release it. In fact, that’s every podcaster’s goal! We want to ensure listeners are also subscribers.
Examples of CTA
A simple CTA is “Please subscribe to the show in your podcast app”. A lot of people are still asking listeners to subscribe in iTunes. This is wrong for two reasons. Firstly, Apple made some major changes last year and podcasts are now available on Apple Podcasts. Secondly, not everyone has an Apple device, and you don’t want them to think that will be a problem. Make sure they know that they can subscribe to your podcast feed in whatever podcast app they use - tell them!
Tip: Use the same CTA for 3-4 episodes then change it. People can be slow to take action or they simply forget. Repetition helps.
A quick change to the example above is to tell listeners where they can find your podcast and ask them to subscribe. Let them know there is a platform they can listen on.
“You can find the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Spreaker - please subscribe”.
Make sure that your show is available in these directories.
Podcasts are about connections and community, tell people how they can contact you. If you are prepared to commit the time you can start a Facebook group for your podcast.
A connection CTA can be :
“Please join the Facebook group for the (your podcast name) the link is in the shownotes”.
Or “Please send me an email with your thoughts and questions. I’d love to read some out on the show”. Spell out the e-mail address if you use this CTA.
With these connection CTA’s you are asking for more interaction. It will take some time for people to respond and contact you but keep asking and telling them how.
It’s important to put any links from your CTA in your shownotes. People are more likely to click on a link than hunt for a Facebook page later in the day. Make it easy for your listeners.
Lastly, where in your podcast should you place your CTA?
This is up to you but as a listener, I prefer them midway or at the end. If you have segments in your podcast, then between segments is a great place to put your CTA.
Otherwise, put it at the end of your podcast - you can make it part of your outro, or just before.
Overall
Make sure you have a Call to Action that provides clear direction of how you want your listners to support and engage with your show.
When trying to determine where to place your call to action keep in mind that most people don’t like to be asked to subscribe before hearing the content.