Michael Geoghegan recently posed the following important question on his blog:
What does “subscribe to a podcast” mean to the average person?
You should provide a call to action and clear instructions for subscribing to your podcast, preferably above the fold on your site. However, as Michael points out in his blog post, simply inviting people to subscribe to your podcast is not the best way to convert site visitors into podcast subscribers. What is the best language to use for the call to action? Does the phrase "subscribe to our podcast" have the right meaning to the average web surfer?
When we subscribe to a magazine, we send a check. So it’s natural for your site visitors to think that podcast subscription requires payment. A misconception like this will cost you subscribers. It’s best to assume your site visitors are not "in the know" about podcasting. Make it clear that podcast subscription is free (unless you ARE charging)? Let’s take this even further…
In my experience as a marketer, a call to action works best when the benefits are made clear. Tell your site visitors why they should subscribe. What’s in it for them? Here is an example of the copy I use on the Internet Business Mastery site:
Automatically Get New Episodes for Free
Subscribing to the Internet Business Mastery podcast feed is free. You’ll automatically receive new episodes as soon as they’re released, ready for syncing to your MP3 player.
There are a few things I’d like to point out about this.
- The word "subscribe" is not even used in the headline.
- The call to action is to "automatically receive new episodes for free." This reveals one of the main benefits of subscribing right up front.
- I emphasize that it is free.
- This copy is immediately followed by the appropriate instructions and links.
Take a look at how you invite visitors to subscribe to your podcast. Are there things you can do to improve the conversion?
Paul Colligan offers additional insights on the issue.
October 23, 2006 by Jason
Categories: Podcast Promotion