In a world with millions of podcasts, podcasters face one major challenge: getting their show in front of the right audience. Sure, you can promote your podcast on social media, but converting followers into listeners can be tough. What if you could send an episode directly to someone scrolling Instagram? Luckily, ManyChat has entered the chat. 

ManyChat empowers podcasters to promote new episodes, build and nurture an audience, and foster engagement on some of the most popular social media platforms. I’m going to help you set up ManyChat and share examples of how to use it to grow your podcast’s listenership.

What is ManyChat? 

ManyChat is a Meta-approved chat-based marketing tool that automates direct messages on behalf of businesses, influencers, and content creators via Instagram, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and SMS. It allows you to communicate with your audience in a personal yet scalable way. Think of it as a super fast and cost-effective social media assistant. With ManyChat, you can leverage the power of social media without spending tons of time and money.

If you’ve ever seen an Instagram caption that says something like “Comment ‘guide’ to receive my free guide,” you’ve seen ManyChat in action. The basic premise of ManyChat is that followers can comment a trigger word or phrase that automatically launches a sequence that will send them an episode, a resource, collect their email for your newsletter list, etc. This means you don’t need to use the same Linktree or link in bio for every call-to-action (CTA), which can be confusing and inefficient. Another big benefit to ManyChat is that it can boost your Instagram engagement rate, making the algorithm friendlier toward your future content.

For podcasters, ManyChat can be a game-changer that enables you to interact with potential listeners instantly, in your voice, even when you’re offline. 

How to use ManyChat for podcast promotion

ManyChat’s features can be tailored specifically for podcast promotion. Here are some examples of how you can make the most of them:

Promote your podcast via Instagram Reels

Combine the souped up reach of Instagram Reels with ManyChat by creating a video introduction explaining what you cover on your podcast and asking followers to comment for the link. For example, Brock Johnson has a Reel promoting both of his podcasts pinned to his profile and he asks viewers to “Comment ‘STAN’ now (and listen whenever you want).”

Tease upcoming episodes

Build anticipation by sharing short teasers a day or two before your episode drops. Share a sneak peek, a controversial quote, or a behind-the-scenes tidbit that hooks your audience. For example, “You won’t believe what our guest revealed in tomorrow’s episode—stay tuned!” You could also create a more elaborate sequence to drip teaser content leading up to launch. 

On Grow the Show, Amy Porterfield revealed that every week, she posts a video teaser saying something like, “Hey guys, I just recorded a podcast about how you should not be trading time for money and what to do instead. And I’m going to give a case study that’s going to blow your mind. So all you need to do is reply below 595—that’s the number of the episode, 595. I’ll DM you instantly with a link to my podcast. Go take a listen.” This one action has a noticeable effect on her podcast’s downloads.

Here’s Sean Cannell using the same strategy after his conversation with Amy Poterfield on The Think Media Podcast, using none other than “AMY” as his trigger word.

Promote your podcast via Instagram feed

Of course, like Sean Cannell, I typically use ManyChat to promote my podcast drops after they’re available on my feed with photos on my Instagram page. For example, I posted a photo from my wedding with the following caption:

Gettin' hitched at the Little White Chapel 🤍 #iconic⁠
Yes, turns out I am the type of bride who will be posting incessantly about her wedding 🤷‍♀️
🎧 Hear all about it on the latest episode of @privatepartsunknown, including audio from the ceremony and reception! Comment LOVE below and I'll send you the episode 😘

In addition to feed posts and Reels, you can use ManyChat to promote your podcast through Instagram Stories as well.

Automated broadcasts

Broadcasts work like email newsletters—except instead of landing in a crowded inbox, they appear directly in your audience’s chat. Once you build up your ManyChat subscribers, you can send them to your entire audience or a targeted segment. 

• Send new episode announcements: The day your episode launches is crucial for building buzz. Instead of waiting for your existing audience to stumble upon new episodes, you can use automated broadcasts to deliver fresh content directly to their inboxes.  Set up an automated message to all subscribers whenever a new episode goes live. Include a direct link to the episode with a compelling message like, “You don’t want to miss this one!”
• Share updates and exclusive content: Give your subscribers sneak peeks or behind-the-scenes content. Maybe you want to offer incentives for early listens or reviews. These bonuses can keep listeners engaged, but if overdone, it can trigger unsubscribes. I recommend doing this sparingly at first.
• Promote paid offerings: If you sell merch or offer products or services related to your podcast, targeted broadcasts can be a great way to generate sales.

Keep your broadcast messages brief and action-oriented. Include a clear CTA like “Listen now” or “Share with a friend.”

Subscriber growth tools

Offering a freebie, like bonus content or an ebook, in exchange for subscribing is an effective growth strategy. It’s a win-win—listeners get something out of it, and you grow your subscriber base. Create content promoting the freebie, and include a clear call-to-action, such as “Want my free REMOTE RECORDING GUIDE? Just comment ‘REMOTE' and I’ll DM you the download link!” This automation ensures everyone who wants the freebie gets it instantly, all while growing your email list. Here’s an example of a freebie offer that recently got me to sign up for an email list:

ManyChat also offers website widgets to help convert visitors into subscribers. You can add pop-up forms or “chat with us” buttons to your website prompting visitors to subscribe. You can also embed ManyChat widgets into your social media and email newsletters.

Segmenting audiences

As your podcast audience grows, you may want to tailor messages to different segments. For instance:

• Super fans: Group subscribers by their engagement level and send special updates or exclusive content to your most engaged listeners.
• Topic-specific lists: If your podcast covers a range of topics, create segments for fans of specific subjects (e.g., true crime, personal finance, relationships) and target them with relevant episodes and resources. You can also upsell based on topical interest. For example, if a segment of your audience signed up for a playlist about taxes, you might later target them for your Ultimate Guide to Tax Season ebook. 

Jenna Kutcher noted on her blog, “One thing that is crazy to see is that we’ve had very little overlap in subscribers between campaigns, meaning that NEW people (or a different segment of my followers) are engaging with each campaign we do, which goes to show how you can think about each ‘chat funnel’ like different landing pages with different marketing angles and messages to attract different people that all like following for different reasons.” Segmentation makes sure that the right content reaches the right audience at the right time.

Automating FAQs

Listeners often have common questions, like “Where can I listen to the podcast?” or “When is the next episode?” Instead of answering these manually, with ManyChat you can set up automated responses to FAQs, saving time while keeping your audience informed.

Engaging your audience in between episodes

ManyChat allows you to continue the conversation long after an episode airs. Here’s how:

• Follow-up automation: Send follow-up messages after listeners have had time to digest the episode. Ask for feedback, encourage them to leave a review, share their favorite moments, or join a live chat with the host. For example: “What did you think of our latest episode? Share your thoughts!”
• Run contests or polls: Host polls related to your podcast content or run a giveaway where listeners can win a prize by sharing the episode with friends.

Setting up ManyChat to promote your podcast

Now that you know what ManyChat can do, it’s time to get started:

1. Sign up. Visit ManyChat.com and create a free account. 

2. Connect platforms. Link ManyChat to your Instagram, Facebook, and/or WhatsApp accounts so your chatbot can interact with your audience.

3. Explore the dashboard. Take a tour of ManyChat’s interface and create automated messages, broadcasts, and more with simple drag-and-drop tools. They have lots of templates to help get you started. You can also create campaigns from scratch, which is what I’ve been doing (a good sign it’s super easy to use).

4. Create your first campaign. This sequence requires a Pro account for $15/month. 

First, go to My Automations > New Automation > Start From Scratch > New Trigger: User Comments on your Post or Reel. 

In Step 1, choose All Posts or Reels. In Step 2, type in a specific keyword (and any potential misspellings). 

In Step 3, choose Yes, random multiple replies and type out your phrasing and emojis for each one. 

Next, choose First Step: Instagram as Comment Reply, then enter your message text, type a button title (“Click to listen!”), enter a link to your podcast episode, and click “Done.”  

Finally, preview your automation. If everything looks good, click “Set Live.” Then test it out and make adjustments as necessary. Good luck!

Best practices for using ManyChat

ManyChat makes engagement easy, but it’s important to have a thoughtful strategy behind your communications. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Stay human: Yes, you’re using automation—and you don’t need to pretend like you’re not—but you don’t want to sound like a bot. Woo people with warm well-crafted messages in a conversational tone. Remember: You can and should respond personally to certain messages that call for it.
• Don’t overwhelm: Avoid spamming your audience. While it’s tempting to send frequent messages, too many can backfire, leading to unsubscribes. Stick to meaningful updates, and avoid over-communication. 
• Monitor analytics: ManyChat’s analytics dashboard offers stats on open rates, clicks, and subscriber growth. Regularly review this data to track how users are engaging with your content and fine-tune your approach. 
• Regular maintenance: Audit your ManyChat ecosystem from time to time to ensure your automations are up to date and functioning properly. A ManyChat strategy can be highly effective, but needs to be maintained for a positive consumer experience.

ManyChat offers podcasters a powerful platform to automate promotion and engage listeners in new ways. Whether you’re just starting or looking to grow your podcast, ManyChat can streamline your marketing efforts and let you focus on what you do best—creating great content.