Growing your podcast with TikTok: Insights from the experts

This is definitely the case for Ryan Omoto and Daniel Omoto, the two brothers and hosts behind the “JustTheNobodys” podcast. With a distinct TikTok strategy, Ryan and Daniel complement their podcast with content that involves their fans, gives a behind-the-scenes look into how they record, and integrates different multimedia for strong visual storytelling. The result is not only millions of likes and views per video for @justthenobodys on TikTok, but also expanded opportunities to attract new fans and build community around their content.

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You can widen your reach and drive organic growth by including TikTok in your overall podcast marketing and recording strategy. Find out how with insights from the Omoto brothers and TikTok’s North American Head of Entertainment, Catherine Halaby.

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Why you should use TikTok to promote your podcast

“JustTheNobodys” success on TikTok proves that podcasters have much to gain from using the platform. “TikTok empowers creators of all kinds, including podcast creators, to make content that is authentic, ultimately helping them to reach new audiences and tap into TikTok’s power of discovery,” says Catherine. 

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There are currently more than 1 billion global active users on TikTok, made up of a diverse community of creators, brands, and open-minded consumers, as well as an extensive range of ideas, perspectives, and types of content. According to a TikTok study, over half (55%) of users surveyed said that TikTok helps them discover new things. That’s a huge potential audience of new podcast listeners you could reach, not to mention possible brand attention and sponsorship opportunities. 

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Gen Z is discovering new podcasts at more than twice the rate of any other age group, and Gen Z podcast listeners on Spotify grew by 62% from 2021 to 2022. With this demographic actively engaged on TikTok, there is a great opportunity for creators to target them with podcast content on the platform.

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6 tips for promoting your podcast on TikTok

TikTok’s recommendation system presents content to each user based on their preferences and interests. Various factors, like how users interact and engage with content and creators, help determine what users see in their feed. Essentially, TikTok will show more of what users like, and adapt with their changing behaviors.  

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The For You feed is the focal point of TikTok. It’s the personalized feed for each user, made up of posts from users they follow and other recommended content. Ryan and Daniel say it’s the most important TikTok feature that gives creators organic exposure and “allows creators to experiment with their content.”

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The For You feed wins organic growth for creators of all types because it “curates content based on users’ interests, not based on follow count,” according to TikTok.

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This is good news for podcast creators, because it allows them to reach the right audience for their podcast. Creating content that represents your niche and personality will attract the people drawn to those topics or just your general vibe. So above all else, “creators should focus on creating content that they love and that they are passionate about,” Ryan and Daniel say. 

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With that north star in mind, here are some other specific ways to successfully use TikTok for podcast promotion and increase your chances of a For You feature. 

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1. Give your audience a backstage pass to your podcast world

TikTok will prioritize your podcast content for people with similar or relevant interests. So, create an intimate experience for your audience with content that brings them into your studio and headspace. 

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Posting clips from episode recordings is a great way to do this. If you have a video podcast, you can easily post individual clips. If your podcast is audio-only, you can post plenty of interactive features with the audio, like video, images, animation, or other special effects.

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For example, Ryan and Daniel post videos of their studio recordings with images and videos to illustrate their conversations.

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Additionally, “Dissect” is a Spotify Original podcast that also excels at accompanying their podcast audio clips with striking visuals.

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Posting content related to your podcast niche is another way to build your brand and broaden your network on TikTok. You could share your takes on culture or events within your podcast space not directly addressed in your episodes. 

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Another way to bring your audience along for the ride is to give them an inside glimpse into your creative and production process. Show them what it’s like to make your podcast or what a day-in-the-life looks like for you. 

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2. Engage with your audience

As we’ve learned, the TikTok audience is primed for discovery, creating a culture of connection and open communication. In fact, according to TikTok, 70% of users report feeling a deeper connection to others they interact with on TikTok compared to other platforms.

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Ryan and Daniel say the best way to generate interest and connection with your podcast is to “build a community with your audience.” As Catherine notes, the brothers do an amazing job with this on TikTok using engagement tools like “reply to comment with video,” making their fans “a part of their content strategy.”

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For example, “JustTheNobodys” uses crowdsourced topics submitted by their followers to turn into podcast and TikTok content, like in the example below. This is a way to engage with their fans, give them a chance to be featured in their content, and have a constant stream of fresh content ideas.

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Liking other content, responding to your video comments, and commenting on other creators’  videos are all best engagement practices to follow.

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3. Use interactive features to bring podcast audio to life

Augmented reality accessories like butterfly wings and sunglasses, green screens that can transport you to a sidewalk in Paris, emojis, text calls-to-action: these are just some of the filters and effects you can use to enhance your TikTok content.

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Beyond experimenting with your appearance and adding context, other innovative features like Stitch and Duet offer podcasters more collaborative and creative opportunities. Stitch and Duet are similar concepts with different presentations and applications. 

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A Stitch combines your video with another user’s, played one after the other. It’s a great way to respond or elaborate on a discussion or topic in another creator’s video. A Duet plays your video simultaneously with another user’s, displayed side by side. A Duet is a fun way to react to other content in real-time or collaborate with another creator or fans on one piece of content.

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As Catherine explains, all of these available features give podcasters many creative ways to build upon their podcast content. “TikTok benefits podcast creators by allowing them to bring new life to their storytelling through strong visuals, whether it’s in animation format to visualize audio or a side-by-side format to show clips as they’re telling a story,” she says.

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4. Leverage TikTok trends

Keep a finger on the pulse of the ever-changing tastes of TikTok users and the latest hot pop culture with TikTok’s trend discovery tools. This will give you valuable insights into the music, content types, topics, creators, and hashtags associated with the top-performing content at any given time. By keeping up with what’s trending, you’ll ensure your content is relevant and reaching more people at the right time.

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Hashtags can help improve your content’s discoverability. In addition to using trending hashtags, be sure to use podcast, genre, and topic-specific hashtags to capture users searching for them.

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5. Maintain consistent branding and posting 

When planning your TikTok content, think about what you want to focus on and how to present your podcast on this unique platform. Consider what types of content to share, the features and effects you want to play with, how you’ll showcase your branding, and how often it makes sense to post content.

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Making your content cohesive and consistent will reinforce your podcast’s brand identity and keep your audience engaged with fresh, regular content. “The best strategy and practice that creators should always keep in mind when leveraging TikTok is to stay consistent with your content and stay consistent with your posting schedules,” says Ryan and Daniel.

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Feature your most intriguing clips–whether they’re funny, provocative, or insightful–and package them strategically with effects and features for a strong format you can easily replicate. Catherine points to “JustTheNobodys” as a shining example.   

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“Although successful podcast content on TikTok can come in various forms, it’s always key to have a storytelling element that hooks people in and keeps them engaged until the very end. @justthenobodys are a wonderful example of podcast creators who excel at this, while ensuring that their content feels unique to TikTok,” she says.

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It’s important to keep up with your podcast schedule, and the same goes for your TikTok marketing strategy. To help maintain a consistent posting cadence, note when you recognize awesome TikTok moments while you’re recording and editing episodes. Building this into your process will allow you to create TikTok content while you’re working on your podcast.

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6. Analyze your TikTok performance

Remember to regularly track your content performance using TikTok analytics to discover what’s hitting and what’s missing. You can see helpful metrics like follower growth, profile views, video views, and overall likes, comments, and shares in the Overview tab. 

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The Content tab will show you individual post insights so you can see total views, likes, comments, shares, average watch time, traffic sources, and percentage of viewers who watched your entire video for each piece of content. And the Followers tab will give you details on your audience, like their geographic location, when they’re the most active, and your change in followers compared to the previous time period.

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Understanding your audience on TikTok and the content that resonates with them will inform what content to focus on and what should be put on the back burner.

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Supercharge your podcast growth with TikTok

Wherever you are in your podcast journey—whether you’re years in or you’re just getting started—it’s never too early or late to start establishing your presence on TikTok. Dip your toes into the TikTok waters by exploring all the possibilities of this creative platform, how you can connect with new listeners there, and how to grow your TikTok audience.