Want to get more podcast reviews but aren't sure how? In this blog, we'll break down why podcast reviews are important and how to get listeners to leave them!
RESOURCE: How ratings and reviews work on Apple Podcasts
Why Podcast Reviews Matter
As a podcaster, getting reviews is an important part of establishing your online presence. Reviews–both positive and negative–allow listeners to interact with the content you put out and provide valuable feedback that can help improve future episodes.
They also give potential new listeners a sense of what they can expect from your podcast, helping them decide if it’s the right fit for them. As a result, it's important to make sure you're actively getting reviews and ratings for your podcast.
Now let's look at the how of getting podcast reviews.
How to encourage listeners to leave reviews
To get podcast reviews, it's important to encourage your listeners to leave them. Unfortunately, many people are reluctant to leave reviews and ratings of the content they consume online. This can be for a variety of reasons, from feeling like their opinion doesn’t matter or simply not wanting to take the time to communicate their thoughts.
To increase your chances of getting reviews, it's important to make the process as easy and quick as possible. Here are some tips to help.
Bonus tip: Optimize your RSS feed and episode titles so you get more clicks per episode.
Tip #1. Ask!
Many successful podcasters have found that asking their listeners directly can be one of the most effective ways to generate reviews. At the end of your episodes, you can simply ask listeners to rate and review your podcast if they've enjoyed it.
You can include a call-to-action in your show notes that something like "If you liked this episode, please leave a rating and review on iTunes. We'd love to hear your feedback!"
Tip #2. Make it easy
Whenever you ask something of your audience, you want to make it as easy as possible for them to act and remove as many obstacles as you can.
Leaving a review is simple, but here are some ways you can make it even easier for your listeners:
• Include a direct link to your podcast page on the platform you’re using
Include direct links to your podcast on different platforms in your show notes and/or website.
• Include step-by-step instructions on how to leave a review if they’re not familiar with the process.
• Remind them of what makes your podcast unique and why it’s worth leaving a review for.
Tip #3. Leverage social media and networks
Social media can be a great way to reach more potential listeners and encourage them to leave reviews. Try engaging with your followers by asking for their feedback on your content or putting out polls and surveys that can help you understand what they like or dislike about specific episodes. You can also use social media to promote special episodes or highlight positive reviews from existing listeners.
Tip #4. Respond to reviews
Responding to the reviews you get shows that you’re engaged with your listeners and care about their feedback. Responding to both positive and negative reviews lets current and potential listeners know that you value their opinions and are willing to improve based on what they have to say.
Not only does this help build a strong relationship between you and your audience, but it also helps create an authentic and honest connection with them. It can also help you track progress over time, making it easier to figure out what works and what doesn’t.
BONUS TIP: Enable commenting on your Podpage website for another way of interacting with listeners and getting feedback on your episodes.
Tip #5. Use listener voicemails
While listener voicemails aren’t the same as reviews left on Apple Podcasts, they can still provide you with valuable intel and a great way to interact with listeners.
Podpage's voicemail feature lets listeners leave audio messages directly from their web browser or mobile device, where you can access them via your dashboard. This is a powerful feature that lets podcasters easily collect authentic feedback from their audience in a format that’s fun and engaging.
You can use this feature to ask listeners directly for their feedback on a specific podcast episode, as well as create audio content that you can include in future episodes or share across social media.
Conclusion
As a podcaster, it's easy to be siloed off from your audience and their feedback. Podcast reviews offer an easy access point to your listener's opinions which ultimately helps you make a better podcast. We hope this guide helps you get more reviews and utilize them to optimize your content!
