2014 UPDATE: Because of Julie’s social media promoting her episode continues to be one of the most listened to and downloaded. That means, years later, she’s still getting promotion from it. Now the average download per episode is close to 1,000!
UPDATE: By Saturday morning, 72 hours after the episode was published, Julie’s downloads were up to 500!
Throughout my eBook, How to Promote Your Children’s Book: Tips, Tricks, and Secrets to Create a Bestseller I write over and over that the operative word in social media is SOCIAL.
Now, even though every podcast guest is informed of the effect they can have on their own popularity, they don’t always do as coached (see what I ask them to do, below). I know why – it takes time and effort.
Julie Hedlund made the effort. She Facebooked it, she tweeted it multiple times (and with different wording), and retweeted me. She blogged it, she linked it, and she kept the conversation going. You know what happened? Her community – her peeps and tweeps – made her a record breaker.
My site had the second highest one-day views ever (691) and on just the first day, her episode was downloaded over 400 times, which is incredible when you think that over the course of time (since podcasts are listened to archivally) the total average download per episode is 572! Yay, Julie!
Part of what I tell guests to do:
-Create a Facebook event and invite all your friends.
-Talk about your episode on FB.
-Do a blog post and link the audio file (which I’ll send you).
-Tweet it and RT my tweets about the show.
-Send an email blast to your mailing list, tell the listservs you’re on.
-Do a review in the iTunes store (instructions are below).
-Post it on Google+, Jacketflap, GoodReads, LinkedIn … everywhere you live online.
-Tell your publisher or boss or King of your country (this should be something you do anyway!)
37 Comments
Penny Klostermann
Wow! Congratulations to Julie! And congratulations to you, Katie! Is there a Brain Burps trophy or something!? You both should have one :•)
katie
Ooh. I likey! Hmmm. I’ll have to think about this idea.
Julie Falatko
I am boggled by 319 downloads in one day. Way to go, Julie!
katie
You and me both!
Linda Lodding
I was on the treadmill in The Netherlands listening to you gals! Congrats!
katie
That is SO cool! Thanks for telling us!
Joanna
I confess to listening online at my desk over my lunch break in Monaco. Congrats to you both. Julie did an amazing job promoting her fabulous MeGenius story and has some real insights into marketing now. Hopefully this is an upward trend for you al for 2012.
katie
Well I confess that when I read that I yelled, “MONACO?!!!” out loud, even though no one else is home. You have no idea how cool it is for me to hear from my international listeners – I’m in 106 countries now, but I rarely get responses from the 105 places that are not my own country (no matter how pathetically I beg on air!). Thank you!
Joanna
Katie, add France to the communication then, as I live in Nice and commute to Monaco each day 😉 I love all this international connection!
Julie Hedlund
To say that I am completely verklempt right now would be the world’s biggest understatement. Katie, I so appreciate you sharing these stats, and I am so happy (and more than a little relieved) that my promotion of the show paid off.
But I would be remiss if I didn’t shine the light back on all of the “peeps and tweeps” you mentioned, because all the promotion in the world doesn’t work if people don’t take action. And you guys came out BIG TIME! Now I hope you all will subscribe to future podcasts because they are nothing short of little gold nuggets of info and inspiration (and fun to listen to!) 🙂
Jennifer Rumberger
That is so cool Katie and Julie! And I haven’t even had time to listen yet (planning to today), so I’m one more download! Julie does amaze me with how well she networks and gets the word out. Just look at the 12 x 12 challenge – almost 300 strong. I’m excited to be a part of such a great writing community!
katie
Thanks! I hope you like it – nah. I KNOW you’ll like it! Positive thinking!
Beth Stilborn
Yesterday turned into a topsy-turvy day, and so I haven’t had the chance to listen yet, although I downloaded the app to my iPod Touch all ready to do so. I will listen as soon as possible! Yay Julie, and yay Katie!
katie
Thanks, Beth!
Jennifer Young
Congrats ladies!!
katie
😎
Renee LaTulippe
Wow, that is impressive indeed! I enjoyed it from my cozy spot by the Mediterranean in Tuscany, so now you’ve got another international connection. I’ll be back to go through your archives, too. 🙂
katie
I’m loving this! (And I LOVE Tuscany!) I was looking at the map I created, showing everywhere I’ve been downloaded and every time something happens on the news in one of those countries, I actually think or worry about my listeners! Yesterday it was through an NPR story about Myanmar! (Who are you, my Burmese listeners?!!)
Julie Falatko
Hey! I just checked my blog stats for last week, and I had 11,000 hits last Wednesday! I’m pretty sure that’s my highest day ever. Thanks, Julie and Katie!
katie
I kept thinking this was a typo. I’m so impressed and frankly, jealous! Actually, I’m not jealous, I’m envious (only if that means I wish I had that too but don’t wish yours away. If that is what that means, then that is what I mean). Wow. And here I was telling everyone that 691 was almost a record. I can’t even imagine having that many hits! Nice going! And YAY that you are on MY show!
Julie Falatko
Sending all my readers your way, Katie! (And remember that I have had some kind of blog for TEN YEARS now which makes me ancient, and also maybe there are people who are just nostalgic and keep reading World of Julie for that reason?)
katie
WOW. 10 years! That’s amazing. And I do think the hysterically funny convos with your kids is a huge draw. I’ve been wondering if I don’t share enough of my life? Or do people want me to stick to the book stuff?
Julie Falatko
I dunno. You need to think about your brand and your platform. I love hearing about your personal tidbits when you divulge them on the podcast, though, I will say that (e.g., the Katie John story, and all the stuff that came out in the Charlie Joe Jackson episode, like about your son’s bad fifth grade teacher, and how you’re gluten free now).
Mark
When Andrea and I ran Just One More Book, we would never think of requesting or suggesting a guest of our show (someone who was giving us their time and insight) promote our program or their appearance on it. We always felt the quality of the interview would speak for itself and interested guests would naturally want to promote their appearance on our podcast to their fans.
That approach worked well. Over it’s three-and-a-half year run, JOMB averaged more than 3,000 visits and 2,100 downloads each day.
Mark
Bad grammar alert… “it’s” should be “its.”
katie
I’d thank you for the alert but after reading the post twice, don’t see where you are talking about!
Mark
The bad grammar was in my own comment. 🙂
katie
OH! ha – that gave me a chuckle. 😎
katie
OH! ha – that gave me a chuckle. 8-). And btw, we’re you saying that I *shouldn’t* suggest those things? Because I only started it after I saw that people hadn’t been doing it.
katie
Wow, that’s amazing Mark! My stats are way up from when this aired but still not up to 2k a day! I’ve found that many people don’t realize how huge an impact it would have and that is why I suggest the things I do. Obviously I don’t say anything if they *do not* do it!
Mark
I wonder how many of your guests are put off by the suggestions, though. I know I wouldn’t be impressed by a host who told me to do that.
katie
Something to think about for sure. I will point out that I don’t TELL people to do it. I explain that those who do help to skyrocket the number of people who will find out about them and listen to their episode. But I’d be interested in an experiment perhaps. Maybe not mention a thing and see what happens.
Mark
“I *shouldn’t* suggest those things?”
I suggest you NOT suggest those things. It puts the focus on you rather than on your guest. It puts the emphasis on your own self-promotion rather than on the conversation and the guest’s accomplishments. The onus is on the podcast producer to promote the episode, their site and podcast series.
Being a guest should not be a responsibility. And, all guests should be treated as equals no matter their status. I would never ask Henry Winkler or Eve Bunting to promote their appearance on my podcast so I extend the same respect to all guests.
katie
I’m stunned. I never even thought of it that way! I’m definitely taking this under advisement Mark. Thanks for your help!
Mark
I recognize mine is a very rigid point of view, and one of many. I do feel strongly about it as you can probably tell.
Thanks for giving me a platform to share and for considering my POV.
katie
Though I see I did write “tell” in the post. {blush}.
katie
Mark, I appreciate any input that helps me improve. Though now I am worried I put off previous guests! I really only meant to help them up their downloads ( while realizing it DOES help my show too!)