When I was little, and my dad wanted my brother or me to do chores, he would yell, “What are you waiting for? An engraved invitation?” Yes, dads were different for GenX kids. But my dad’s exhortation echoes in my head when I see good independent podcasts getting dismal numbers. People need a direct invitation to start listening to a new podcast, but engraved invitations can cost thousands of dollars. Fortunately, WhatsApp can shrink the gap between you and people interested in your podcast with features such as status & profile, broadcast lists, and group chats.
What is WhatsApp?
This messaging software has 2 billion monthly active users. WhatsApp claims more privacy than other messaging apps (such as Signal). Each message uses end-to-end encryption to prevent interception by an outside party.
A cellist friend of mine travels extensively with an orchestra and uses WhatsApp to confirm travel details and tour operators where he might be unable to use his phone. You can set your messages to be viewed once or to disappear after a set period. This way, his information reaches the intended recipient while remaining secure.
No, I’m not telling you who it is. All right, fine. It’s Yo-Yo Ma. We’re buddies from way back. See why I didn’t want to tell you his name?
WhatsApp is a free platform owned by Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. As a result, WhatsApp’s reputation for privacy goes hand in hand with that of other Meta products. Since WhatsApp depends on users’ phone numbers for account setup and to find contacts, this platform has been a playground for scammers and spammers. However, this app has the right price tag for many podcasters. It’s a Meta platform, so you pay with your attention span, just like Facebook and Instagram.
Currently, you can cross-post from Instagram to Facebook and Threads. It’s unclear to me if one can cross-post between WhatsApp and other Meta platforms, but apparently, Meta is working on cross-posting for WhatsApp. This could be a time-saver for podcasters.
WhatsApp started as a private, inexpensive way to exchange messages without leaving a trail. Today, professional organizations such as CBS News, The BBC, and the New York Mets all use WhatsApp to share updates and links with their followers. It has also been used infamously by people such as Jared Kushner and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.
Who Uses WhatsApp?
According to The Pew Research Center, in 2024, WhatsApp was the top social media platform in middle-income nations. As of May 2022, 56% of social media users surveyed under age 44 had a WhatsApp account. If your podcast is meant for Gen Z and Millenials, WhatsApp may be the platform to reach them.
The Pew Research Center’s Social Media and News Fact Sheet indicates that Americans who regularly get their news from WhatsApp tend to be Hispanic, aged 30-49. According to Edison Research’s 2023 Latino Podcast Listener report, this demographic is:
“more likely to have an annual household income of $75K+ than U.S. Latinos who are not weekly podcast listeners. They are also more likely to be employed part-time or full-time, and to own their own business or work as a full-time freelance contractor. One in five U.S. Latino weekly podcast listeners pays to subscribe to a podcast.”
As Juleyka Lantigua, CEO of LWC Studios, contributed, “There simply isn’t a more desirable digital audience out there.”
Since WhatsApp’s following is so massive, and the platform involves personal phone numbers, the opportunity for scammers and spammers is ripe. Meta has launched an AI scam detention tool to tackle fraud, but as new online scams proliferate, the AI will have to keep up.
How Can WhatsApp’s Features Promote Your Podcast?
Again, WhatsApp is a messaging software; it lacks a public feed like Facebook or Twitter/X. Communication happens through status updates, chats (one-on-one or group), or Communities. Let me show you how WhatsApp’s features can promote your podcast.
Status Updates and Your Profile Picture
Most users set their profile picture as their face or an avatar. WhatsApp can guide you through creating a cute, bouncy cartoon persona that fits into Meta’s user interface for stickers and other interactions. You can use any picture you like, such as your podcast’s cover art. I promote multiple podcasts, so I used one picture for my profile, and podcast art for a Community. We’ll get to that feature later.
Unfortunately, since WhatsApp lacks a public feed, like other social media platforms, your status messages are visible only to your contacts, and only if they go looking for your status message. But, this is a good place to talk up your show.
Broadcast Lists
You can use Broadcast Lists to send messages to multiple people simultaneously. However, only users with your information saved in their device’s contacts can receive your messages this way.
Broadcast Lists are good for more private communication, like planning a surprise party. But, if you don’t mind letting anyone in your audience have your personal phone number saved in their contacts, you can use this to chat with your audience. Or, maybe you have a separate smartphone that you use only for podcasting business. If you plan to use Broadcast Lists, ask your followers to save your information in their Contacts.
Community
This feature’s interface may be more familiar to WhatsApp users who use Facebook. It has moderators who can facilitate discussions and allow new members to join.
Communities don’t require users to exchange as much personal data. This is a good place for podcast topic discussions, Q&As, and the like. You can have groups within a Community, like nesting dolls.
WhatsApp Is as Good as the Company You Keep.
To this day, the phrase “engraved invitation” fills me with dread (and fills my head with the phantom smell of dry leaves waiting to be raked). But, there’s no doubt that a direct offer is the best way to request that people pay attention to your podcast.
WhatsApp is much like sending text messages, except this platform includes a global following. Think of it as sending text messages to your potential audience, and don’t spam them. It’s never a good look.
Promoting your podcast on a messaging app isn’t the most scalable way to reach scores of potential new listeners, but it may foster deeper more meaningful connections. And those connections might lead to growth and opportunities without your direct involvement. In podcasting, it’s not always about sheer volume of numbers.
WhatsApp podcast promotion is just one of countless other ways to get your show out there and reach more people. If that’s your biggest podcasting pain point right now, be sure to check out our Growth Mastery course inside the Podcraft Academy!