Grow The Show - Episode 201: Social Media Clips Won’t Grow Your Podcast - Do This Instead

Release Date: November 25, 2024
Host: Kevin Chemidlin

Introduction: Rethinking Social Media Clips for Podcast Growth

In Episode 201 of Grow The Show, host Kevin Chemidlin challenges the widely held belief that repurposing podcast episodes into short-form social media clips is an effective strategy for audience growth. Drawing from his extensive experience in podcast monetization and audience building, Kevin delves into why this common tactic often falls short and presents a more efficient, AI-driven approach to leveraging podcast content for social media success.

The Ineffectiveness of Traditional Social Media Clips

Kevin begins by addressing the prevalent strategy of turning podcast episodes into short clips for platforms like Instagram Reels, TikTok, Facebook Reels, and YouTube Shorts. He argues that despite the promise of widespread exposure, these clips rarely contribute to significant podcast growth.

Kevin (00:01): "Clips from your podcast episodes... plak them all over your social media profiles... and boom, your show will grow, right? But I'm willing to bet that you have been posting them, maybe you're still posting them regularly and yet your podcast isn't growing."

Kevin explains that the core issue lies not with the clips themselves or the software used to create them but with how these clips interact with current social media algorithms.

Kevin (10:45): "The algorithm... is simply the video that you posted. Did people watch the whole thing? Or was it either not visually appealing or really boring?"

Understanding Social Media Algorithms

Delving deeper, Kevin outlines how modern social media algorithms function as recommendation engines. These algorithms prioritize content based on initial engagement metrics such as watch time and shares. For a clip to gain traction, it must immediately capture attention and engage viewers effectively.

Kevin (05:30): "If the video is good, those 300 more people will see the video, they will engage with it, they'll watch the whole video, and Instagram will be like, this is amazing. Let me show this to more people."

He emphasizes that repurposed podcast clips often fail to meet these engagement criteria because they lack context and visual appeal, making it difficult for new audiences to connect with the content.

Kevin (15:20): "If they are seeing a random clip, even if it is the best moment from the podcast episode, if they are just thrust into a moment in your podcast episode with no context... the short form viewer doesn't have that context."

When Social Media Clips Can Be Effective

Despite highlighting the general ineffectiveness of clips, Kevin acknowledges scenarios where clips can still drive engagement and growth. Notably, when featuring well-known personalities or when the production quality is exceptionally high, clips can perform better.

Kevin (30:10): "If you have a famous person... clips can work. Also, I've seen clips work when you have a really, really fancy studio."

He cites the example of Alex Hormozi, whose recognizable presence can lend context to clips, thereby increasing their potential reach and impact.

Why Most Podcast Clips Fail

Kevin identifies key reasons why most podcast clips underperform on social media:

1. Lack of Context: Viewers are often strangers to the podcast and lack background information about the host or guest.
2. Visual Clutter: Standard podcast visuals, including branding and split-screen interviews, can be unappealing in the fast-paced short-form environment.
3. Engagement Deficit: Without a strong hook or immediate value, clips fail to retain viewer attention.

Kevin (22:15): "It's cluttered. So first of all, it's not visually appealing."

A Superior Approach: AI-Driven Native Social Media Content

Shifting focus, Kevin introduces an alternative strategy that leverages AI to create native social media content derived from podcast episodes. Instead of simply chopping up clips, this method involves extracting and repackaging valuable insights and quotes into engaging posts tailored for each platform.

Steps to Implement the AI-Driven Strategy:

1. Transcription: Convert podcast episodes into text using tools like Descript, Riverside, or Otter.
2. Content Extraction: Utilize AI to identify key nuggets of value—quotes, tips, frameworks—from the transcript.
3. Content Creation: Use AI to draft scripts or captions that recontextualize these nuggets for social media, ensuring they resonate with audiences unfamiliar with the podcast.
4. Publication: Distribute the crafted content across various platforms, optimizing for each medium's unique requirements.

Kevin (45:50): "If you use AI to identify what to make social media content about based on your long form episode, you can then have AI draft a real script for you or draft the caption for you."

He shares his personal success with this method, noting significant increases in organic reach and engagement from native posts created through this AI-assisted process.

Kevin (55:30): "I've been getting reach, I've been getting organic growth on social media and I've been getting leads. I think I have cracked the code here."

Balancing Clips with Native Content

While advocating for the AI-driven approach, Kevin concedes that repurposed clips still hold value in maintaining engagement with the existing audience. They serve as reminders of new episodes and opportunities for interaction, albeit with limited reach.

Kevin (35:00): "They remind your current audience that you have new episodes available... they almost become this little place that my podcast listeners get to interact with me."

However, he stresses that relying solely on clips for growth is ineffective and that integrating the AI-driven strategy can offer a more robust path to expanding the podcast's audience.

Conclusion: Embracing Effective Content Strategies

Kevin wraps up by reaffirming that while traditional social media clips may not drive substantial growth, adopting an AI-enhanced content creation process can significantly enhance a podcast's social media presence and audience engagement. He encourages podcasters to leverage their rich episode content more strategically to achieve meaningful growth.

Kevin (60:00): "Leverage all of the value that you're already giving in your five to 60 minute podcast episodes. That's so much amazing content that can absolutely be repackaged to share on social media, but you want to do it in zero extra time."

Final Thoughts

Episode 201 of Grow The Show offers a critical examination of common podcast growth strategies, debunking the myth that social media clips are a panacea for audience expansion. Instead, Kevin Chemidlin provides an innovative, AI-driven framework for creating native social media content that effectively translates podcast insights into engaging posts, fostering both existing and new audience growth.

Note: This summary excludes non-content sections such as advertisements, introductions, and outros, focusing solely on the core discussions and insights shared by Kevin Chemidlin.