Recording your episodes is only one part of the puzzle when looking to grow a podcast. Thinking about how you can promote yourself elsewhere is a good idea; you will find plenty of social media platforms where you can do precisely that.

Since Instagram puts a lot of emphasis on visual media, you might not think it’s an ideal starting point for growing your podcast. However, you can find significant value in the platform if you’re willing to try it. This article will discuss how you can grow your podcast with Instagram.

1. Share Your Podcast Episode Links

For a long time, sharing links on Instagram was for an exclusive club. While you could copy and paste them into your captions, users could not click through directly from the app. And to share clickable links on your Stories, you needed at least 10,000 followers.

That, however, changed in late 2021, when the Meta-owned platform opted to let everyone add links to Instagram Stories. Since then, several creators have benefited from being able to share what they do elsewhere with their audiences.

When sharing a link on Instagram Stories, you can provide a bit of information about what users can expect from your podcast when they click through.

2. Post Snippets of Your Podcast Episodes as Reels

While podcasts are largely audio-based, adding visuals as part of your growth strategy is an excellent idea. You will notice that many of your favorite podcasts also use video content, and doing the same can help you grow your audience over the long run.

When using Instagram to grow your podcast, you can use Reels to post snippets of your episodes. An ideal way to do this is by recording what you say; then, all you need to do is export the content from your camera.

You can also use your smartphone. Once you’ve recorded your video, add your caption and put together any necessary finishing touches.

3. Share Big Updates

As your podcast grows, you will probably want to keep your listeners in the loop about anything exciting that happens. And if you’ve built a large-enough audience on Instagram, the platform is an excellent place to make big announcements.

You can use Instagram to reveal when you’ve got a big guest appearing on your podcast. You can also inform your followers when you appear on someone else’s show.

When sharing big updates, utilize all of Instagram's features, such as Stories, Reels, and regular posting. This will spread the news faster. Here's how to improve the chances of your Reels going viral.

4. Take Photos of Yourself With People You Meet

One of the best things about podcasting is that you have the opportunity to meet people whom you never otherwise thought you could. When growing your show, your audience will want to put names to all the faces; doing so will help you create a greater connection with your audience.

When you meet people for your podcast episodes, you can share images of yourself with them on Instagram, and remember to tag them. It doesn’t matter if it's someone with millions of followers or a smaller creator; both will help you get your name out there.

5. Show Listeners the Behind-the-Scenes

Many people are mainly interested in podcasts and YouTube channels for the content, but many also want to see the creative process behind the scenes. That is especially true for those who are only starting out, as it’s sometimes daunting to look at established creators and not know what actually goes on.

Showing listeners the behind-the-scenes for your podcast episodes is an excellent way to build rapport. You can, for example, create Reels showing how you record and edit your podcast episodes.

6. Share Your Achievements

We talked about sharing important updates, but you might also want to discuss your big achievements with your Instagram followers. If you reach a big milestone, you can use it as an opportunity to thank your audience for supporting you along the way.

Sharing a post is perhaps the most effective way, but you might also want to conjure up some ideas for a Reel showing the journey you’ve been on so far.

When talking about your podcasting achievements, you can also use Instagram as an opportunity to let your listeners know what they can expect from you going forward.

7. Share Additional Information

Your podcast show is only one way to share information with your audience. When researching for each episode, you will likely find several pieces of helpful information. Similarly, you will likely learn a lot about yourself and your craft each week.

Sharing extra information is an excellent starting point if you want to grow your podcast with Instagram. For example, you can create a carousel where you share useful statistics or pockets of wisdom you’ve gained.

When creating regular posts, you can also share additional things you’ve learned in the caption. However, you’ll want to ensure that you can keep your audience engaged for long enough.

8. Document Your Podcasting Journey

When you begin any creative pursuit, documenting the journey is a powerful way to build an audience. People enjoy seeing things blossom into something big, and talking about what you’re doing—along with sharing your struggles—will make you more relatable.

You can use your Instagram page to share your progress whether that be regarding your followership, the quality of your content, or the achievements you've accumulated.

Over time, you will have a body of work that you can look back on. And on those days when you’re not feeling particularly motivated, it can serve as a helpful reminder of how far you’ve come.

Instagram Is a Powerful Tool for Podcasters

Instagram is a helpful platform for growing your audience as a creator, and that also rings true for podcasting. You can use several interesting features to gain more listeners, and if you approach things the right way, your account can also serve as a powerful branding tool.

When growing your podcast with Instagram, you have several options. If you’re unsure where to start, pick a couple from our list and see what you can build from that.