How Foreward got into the top 15% of podcasts in one week

I was asked in a Reddit thread to explain how I had such a successful launch.

Within four days, Foreward hit the “Top Charts” benchmark for Fiction on iTunes (Apple Podcasts). Within one week we were in the top 15% of ALL podcasts on iTunes (Apple Podcasts). We hit #19 in the "New Fiction" section and #40 out of ALL Fiction podcasts. ⁠⠀

How did this happen? I’ll walk you through…

9 months prior to launch

-I built a business page on Facebook for Foreward and a basic website through SquareSpace (SquareSpace is inexpensive and easy to use, and I’d highly recommend it). The website was basically a landing page at this point with instructions on how to audition to act in Foreward. Make sure any social media accounts or websites you create include links to each other. That’s called a linkback, and it helps with your SEO. Also, register your podcast as a business with Google.

-I made an announcement on my personal Facebook page and my business facebook page looking for actors, and I immediately got a huge response. I asked people to submit “self tapes,” which are basically a short voice memo recording of them performing a part from Foreward. I had about 10 different parts I’d send to people depending on what I thought might be a good fit, and I’d use that to determine what part I’d assign them. I also posted on local acting Facebook pages.

-Meanwhile, I started learning how to use Instagram. I’d post something once a day everyday about whatever I was working on (writing, casting, setting up my gear, whatever). It helped people to feel involved. I set up Instagram to automatically post on Facebook and Twitter, so I didn’t have to do it twice. Use IFTTT to do this. I also googled what the most effective hashtags for podcasts on Instagram were, so I could copy and paste the same hashtags into the comments of my post every time I posted.

6 months prior to launch

-At this point I’d started to learn what people respond to on Instagram and what they don’t . They loved seeing selfies of my actors recording their parts, so I started asking all of my actors if they’d be willing to take a picture of themselves in the studio (they were in there alone due to Covid). Usually they would, and often the actors would share the images with their own networks.

*Note: People also respond to videos more than anything else. It helps them form a bond with you, even if they've never met you. It creates a sense of loyalty, and they feel like, "so-and-so is my friend, because I see their face all the time, and I need to go listen to their podcast." Maybe you’ll even become actual friends in the process!

-I started scheduling out my posts in advance using an app called Later. You can do this on your computer, which I much prefer over my phone. You can spend a couple hours prepping all of your posts for the month and save yourself a lot of time. If you click on the “Preview” mode, you can see what the layout will look like over time, which is important as your build your brand. If your colors are dark and moody, you don’t want to stick something in there with pastels. I started using high quality, royalty free pictures from UnSplash (which is free) to build my social media strategy. Generally, I’d post 1 actor selfie, 1 picture from UnSplash, one actor selfie, 1 picture from UnSplash, and so on.  Canva is also very useful for designing social media posts. It’s also free.

-I also started writing blogs about whatever I was working on about once a month. People tend to engage with those also.

4 months prior to launch

-At this point I’d chosen my editors and composers, so I could start sharing information about them on social media.

-I’d cut a rough cut of the trailer, and my editors were hard at work polishing it up, so I started teasing that on social media. I asked people to subscribe to my mailing list if they wanted to receive the trailer before the general public. At this point, they were curious, so they signed up. I teased that I’d release the trailer to the people who had subscribed when we got 1,000 subscribers. When I released the trailer, those folks started sharing it like wildfire, which was great!

*NOTE: I did not post the trailer on iTunes (Apple Podcasts) at this point. I only posted it to Youtube. As soon as something goes up on iTunes (ApplePodcasts) the clock starts ticking, and you only have about a month to get into the top tiers of iTunes (Apple Podcasts). Wait until the last minute (about a week prior your launch to be safe) to post your trailer. Sometimes it takes a few days to be accepted by iTunes (Apple Podcasts) the first time you submit. After the first time, it happens within a couple hours, so you can submit your episodes the night before they premiere.

-At this point I also picked a launch date for the podcast that felt reasonable and started asking people to subscribe if they wanted to be alerted to the podcast launch before the public. I mentioned this at the bottom of every social media post. That was also very effective.

-Some of my good friends, family, cast, and crew started promoting the podcast to their circles. They’d post on Facebook or Instagram and tag people in their stories asking them to subscribe and follow along on social media. Figure out who your raving fans are. You’re going to need their help!

-I participated in the Charlotte Podcast Festival (it was all recorded, and you can access all of the classes here), where I learned a ton about podcasting and got to network with other podcasters. They taught me how to use social media, how to get sponsorship, how to get to the top of the charts, etc. I was also able to participate in their Podcast Shark Tank, where I was taught to pitch to a panel of people with NPR experience. When I did that pitch, there was a large virtual audience in attendance of fellow podcasters. Some of them reached out to me asking me to be a guest on their podcast. That was a great way to grow my network! It also made me realize I could reach out to other podcasts or news outlets and ask them to feature me. That was great content to share on social media.

-I also became part of the Ladio (Ladies in Radio) mailing list, and that helped me meet other women podcasters.

Launch

-I emailed my mailing list on launch day and told them I'd set a goal to hit the top the top 10% of podcast ons iTunes (Apple Podcasts) within 30 days. I asked them to help make that happen, and I immediately got a ton of hits.

-I created a LinkTree (also free) where people could access any important link they wanted related to Foreward. Here’s my LinkTree. Put yours in your Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter bios.

-We had a virtual cast party a few days after the launch, and when I shared with the cast and crew our initial success, they started sharing the podcast far and wide. We all had something to be excited about!

-I used Artlist for a decent amount of my music, so I listed the musicians I used on my website and contacted them to share the good news. Some of them shared Foreward with their networks to promote their music. I did the same thing with the people I found on FreeSound.org, so they could promote their work within Foreward.

-I created a clear call to action asking my social media networks to listen, subscribe, and review Foreward on iTunes (Apple Podcasts). I explained to them why that was important according to how the algorithm operates. I made tutorials to show them how. I am also advertising that I'm going to do a drawing for someone to win a free Zoom dinner with the Director (me) if they leave a review. It’s not too late to enter ;)

-I also asked my community to share Foreward with their social media networks and with friends. I supplied them with my Press Kit, so they’d automatically have content to share without having to give it a lot of thought.

Today (13 days since my launch)

-I am starting to write to news stations (local and international), advocacy groups, and celebrities trying to get someone outside my network with a large audience to share Foreward. It only takes one big share to have this thing get huge! I’ve written a short and sweet pitch that I edit slightly based on my audience and send in an email, in Instagram DMs, or LinkedIn. I have a huge spreadsheet of people to contact. I’ll let you know how that goes! I want Foreward to grow up to be a television series, so I need to get it into the right hands. That’s my next challenge.  If anyone has contacts at Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, HBO, or Hulu please let me know :)

If you have other questions, I'll do my best to answer. Lots of other podcasters have helped me develop this strategy over the last 9 months, and I also have a background in film production and marketing.

Happy Podcasting!