The most effective Apple-specific podcast promotion tool we’ve ever seen
There are more than 1 billion active iOS devices in the world today. Why not make it as simple as possible for iOS users to find and listen to your podcast?
In 2012, Apple introduced Smart App Banners, system-level banners that appear at the top of web pages and link directly to the App Store.
Despite their name, Smart App Banners work for podcasts, too, and they deep-link to your show within the default iOS Podcasts app:
The best part? They work. At Pacific Content, we’ve built internal tools to measure the effectiveness of Apple-specific podcast promotion, and websites with Podcast Smart Banners are one of the highest-performing channels we’ve ever tracked, with typical conversion rates between 10–15%.
One exceptionally successful client implemented a Smart Banner on their site, and has seen a 21% conversion rate. In other words, one in five taps to their Smart Banner resulted in a subscription. Remarkable.
How to implement an Apple Smart Banner on your podcast website
It’s surprisingly simple to add a Smart Banner to any website. Just add the following tag in your site’s <head>:
<meta name="apple-itunes-app" content="app-id=XXXXXXXXXX">
Where XXXXXXXXXX is your show’s unique numerical ID.
Make it trackable
If you use Performance Horizon — and I suggest you do — you can make your Smart Banners trackable by adding your affiliate ID and a campaign tag:
<meta name="apple-itunes-app" content="app-id=XXXXXXXXXX, affiliate-data=at=YYYYYYYY&ct=ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ">
Where XXXXXXXXXX is your show’s unique numerical ID, YYYYYYYY is your affiliate ID, and ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ is a unique campaign tag.
Smart Banners only appear in mobile Safari (the default browser on iOS devices). All other browsers will safely ignore them.
Growing the denominator
Apple’s Smart Banners are great. But they’re just one tactical example of a much more important strategic way of thinking.
The real opportunity in podcasting isn’t about reaching the 26% of Americans who have listened to a podcast in the last month.
It’s about reaching the 66% of Americans who have never listened to a podcast, ever. It’s about reaching outside the US to global audiences. It’s about reaching well beyond who’s already listening.
If you’re in the business of promoting a podcast, part of your job is to expand the medium’s overall user base. Grow the denominator.
Apple Smart Banners are just one way to do that.
Remember
- There are more than 1 billion active iOS devices worldwide
- Apple’s Smart Banners remove friction in iOS, especially for new podcast listeners
- Effective podcast marketing is about growing the denominator. Always ask yourself: how can I help people who don’t know they love podcasts yet?
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