Are you just starting a podcast? Or have you been doing it for quite some time? Either way, adding user-generated content to your show could be the difference maker in gaining tons of loyal listeners. 

Ultimately getting more listeners has a lot to do with getting good reviews and testimonials. But this can be the hardest part of even a top show. That’s why structuring them around a different marketing strategy can be useful. 

Let’s talk about it. 

What Is User-Generated Content?

User-generated content is commonly referred to as UGC and is content that is original and created by the customers of a specific brand. Now, this makes sense when a brand sends a product and an Instagram influencer posts it on their story. But not everyone is sure how it works on a podcast.

 It doesn’t have to be much more complicated than the idea of having your listeners interact with your show and post about it. Now, this can be through their social platforms or through customer reviews and testimonials. 

Tip: It’s important to remember that even though your podcast following may make user-generated content with music in the background hyping up your episode, you still need to have to be aware of licensing music for podcasts.

Some podcasters are quick to add theme music to their podcast to get user-generated content going, but any music you use needs to be original and owned or given permission by the owner. 

Why It’s Important to Your Podcast

User-generated content is important to any brand because it creates a relationship and brand loyalty. Now more than ever, customers want to feel like they are part of a business or concept. Inclusion is huge. 

This is why one of the most successful podcasts out there is “Call Her Daddy,” hosted by Alex Cooper. Her name for her listeners is called “The Daddy Gang,” and it gives them a sense of identity and something to bond over. Weekly she asks them to engage and what they want to hear from her podcast. This is user-generated content. 

Reviews and Testimonials Can Be Your Tools

When building your podcast, it is key to get solid reviews and testimonials. And there are a number of ways to do that through USG. Here are all the tips and tricks you should be taking advantage of that have worked for other popular podcasts. 

Ask A Question To Be Answered in the Reviews

Engaging with your audience is key. That’s why asking a question and asking for answers to be submitted in the reviews section can be helpful to get them going. This could be a question about what guests they want to see you have next or what topics you should be exploring. 

It also can be about them. Most people listen to podcasts to learn something and to relate. Encourage your listeners to share their experiences or what they thought about the past episode you released in the comments. Let them know you will read them. 

Create a Testimonial Instagram Reel Featuring Your Audience

Using social media platforms is another great avenue for getting exposure to new fans. Another area that Alex Cooper does so well is featuring her audience on her own Instagram. While reviews on the actual podcast platform are helpful, you can also create reviews on social media and turn them into a highlight reel for your stories. 

When you put it front and center on your Instagram, people can see this right away and hop on the bandwagon. 

Co-Host With Another Podcast

Co-hosting with another podcast is a great way to get reviews from another audience and vice-versa. When you bring someone on your show that has a podcast, or you go on theirs, it’s an amazing chance to blend audiences.

Sometimes the approach is to try to go with a podcast that has a similar audience so that the content meshes easily. Other times podcasts have tried bringing on a completely different guest to try and break into another niche. 

Incentivize Through Contests and Prizes

Giveaways are popular for a reason! Even if someone has never heard of a product or a brand before, but they see a “Free Giveaway,” chances are they are going to enter the contest. This is a marketing tactic for companies to introduce themselves to new customers and keep loyal customers. 

This can be done for a podcast in exchange for a review too. You can advertise it both on your episode and on social media by labeling the criteria. The criteria should be to leave a review for a chance to win X gift. You can get creative with the marketing however you want, but be sure to make the task easy for people to enter, so they don’t lose interest. 

Use CTA’s on Social Media for Feedback

Using social media for feedback is a great way to get people engaged. And luckily, there are a lot of different Call To Action options to choose from. While this doesn’t necessarily take the form of a review, you can certainly turn it into one. 

Two tools that come to mind are the “question” call to action and the. “sliding rate tool.” The question gives people a chance to answer a question you have for them or vice versa. The rating tool can work as a testimonial for your highlight reel, asking when you ask fans to rate your last episode. 

Trying Out A Number of Ideas

The most important thing when it comes to getting reviews is to be active. Don’t be afraid just to ask. And giving people incentives to leave reviews and participate often is the best approach. As you start trying out some different ideas, you may notice that your audience responds better to some than others. 

They may not enjoy the free giveaways as much as you think. They may prefer to communicate with each other in the comments section of social media platforms. Trial and error will give you a sense of how to get them engaged and ultimately leverage your testimonials and reviews to keep growing your podcast.