Using audiogram videos to promote your podcast allows you to connect with your audience on social media in a way that sharing only an audio clip cannot.

We know that video continues to be one of the most effective forms of communication you can use to promote your content. In 2019, video was the #1 form of media used in content strategy, overtaking blogs and infographics. (Source: Hubspot 2020 State of Marketing)

The world of podcasting is also growing and evolving at a breakneck pace. Monthly podcast consumers grew by 16% year-over-year, cresting 100 million Americans for the first time in 2020. (The Infinite Dial 2020) 

When a form of media sees so much growth, the importance of drawing in new users (in our case, listeners) becomes even more critical, and audiograms are a tool you should be using to promote your podcast. 

Over at Headliner, we believe in the power of the video, and we’re here to help you quickly create audiogram videos to engage with your fans across all social platforms. 

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1. Waveforms

Waveforms are probably the most eye-catching element you can use to bring attention to your audiogram, and they’re so easy to add to your videos. A waveform is a visual representation of your audio. The graph charts the changes in an audio clip’s amplitude. The louder the noise, the higher the spike on the graph. 

There are endless possibilities when adding this type of animation, including shape, width, and position. Waveforms also provide an additional branding opportunity, as the colors can easily be adjusted to match your color scheme.

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2. Captions

Cations serve many purposes to different segments of your audience (and potential listeners). 

• First and foremost, they provide an invaluable resource for deaf or hard of hearing users by allowing them to interact with your content.
  
  
• We know people respond to them. According to a study conducted by Verizon Media & Publicis Media, 80% of respondents said they were more likely to watch an entire video when captions are available.
  
  
• The majority of video is watched without the sound. The same study found that 69% of users viewed videos without sound in public places, and even a surprising 25% reported viewing video without sound in private.
  
  
• Making your videos just as effective when sound is off is also crucial to brand trust. Facebook’s research found that when feed-based mobile video ads play loudly when people aren’t expecting it, 80% react negatively, both toward the platform and the advertiser.

3. Faces = Connection

Human connection is vital to brand recognition and loyalty. That connection can be harder to establish in an audio medium like podcasting or radio; however, there are ways to bridge the gap between you and your listeners.

Audiograms--as well as podcast cover art--allow you to connect with your listeners by enabling you to show your face or the faces of your guests.

According to Nielsen Insights, the brain loves faces. Humans crave connection, and the human visual system is hard-wired for face processing thanks to the Fusiform Face Area, which is activated by human faces (and dog faces too!). 

Parts of the human brain lights up when they see another human face. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with your listeners. Add photos or video of you and your podcast guests to your audiograms--it’s a no brainer.

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4. Clip Length + Content

While clip length is somewhat determined by which social media platform you’re posting to, that doesn’t mean you have to use the full length allowed. You can almost count on shorter videos to perform better on social media. 

Hubspot found that Instagram videos that received the most comments/engagement averaged 26 seconds. Twitter users’ attention spans were slightly longer at 45 seconds, and Facebook saw one-minute videos to be the most engaging.

The goal for your audiogram should be to share a juicy moment (or moments) of your episode. You want to hook the listener but not share so much that there’s no reason to listen to the full episode.

True crime podcasts often use a suspenseful moment or cliffhanger, while interview-based shows choose a particularly poignant or funny snippet from their guest.

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5. CTA-Focused Accompanying Copy

While not the post’s star, the copy you publish with your audiogram on social media should do a few specific things. Keep this copy short and focused, and include:

• A direct link to the full episode of your podcast. Make it extremely easy for the user to navigate to your podcast, as that’s the whole point of your post.
  
  
• Tag any applicable brands/users. Does your guest have an Instagram account? Are you a part of a podcast network? Do you or your guests have a website or business to promote? Tagging helps exponentially further your reach, and more reach equals more potential listeners.
  
  
• Add any applicable hashtags. Don’t go crazy here, but if your topic has an active hashtag or two associated with it, this is the time to add them.
  

While there are tons of options and features you can add to your videos beyond these, using these five tools in your audiograms will ensure you’re creating the most opportunity for engagement. 

New to the idea of audiograms? Get creating! Try Headliner for free.

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Headliner is the easiest way for podcasters and media companies to promote new and existing audio content on social media. Thousands of podcasters and the world’s largest media companies rely on Headliner to create shareable videos, reduce video production costs, increase content discovery and engagement, and win on social media. Founded in 2018, the company is headquartered in New York City. Learn more at https://www.headliner.app/."