I have a lot of podcasters as subscribers to the Mac MediaCast. One common question I get from them is “How do I get more people to subscribe to my podcast?”

I’ve had the privilege over my years (!) podcasting to have had a lot of subscribers, get featured in iTunes on many occasions, and, most importantly, to befriend and interview fellow podcasters.

Here’s a list of some ways to kick your subscribership up a few notches:

1. Network with other podcasters

I firmly think the best way to get more subscribers is to network with other podcasters. Find the most popular independent podcasters in your subject area and befriend them. There is also a fine line between befriending and spamming - I would advise against begging for plugs on their website - I get requests like this all the time - it puts me in an awkward position and irritates me. Find creative ways to cross-promote on multiple podcasts. Create a group or network of similar podcasts. Get your promo played on a popular podcast (see next tip). Do interviews, guest appearances, call-ins on other shows.

2. Make a Good Promo
Many podcasters are happy to play your promo. A few tips:

Keep it short! No one wants to sit through many minutes of information. 30 seconds (60 max) is ample time to get your point across.
Be Clever - a funny or clever informational promo will get people checking you out. You have to grab their attention.
Make it high quality! (more on quality in the next step) - a high-quality promo will get played more often and will grab more subscribers. If you don’t have the equipment to do this, consider hiring someone or, at the very least, educate yourself in audio or video to get the best quality out of your current podcasting rig. Listen to other promos in podcasts or even on regular radio to get an idea of the best format.

3. Improve the Quality of Your Podcast
In spite of podcasting being the great media liberator for the masses, I am a firm believer in doing whatever you can to improve your podcast quality. Learn about audio production basics. Learn some ways to shoot better video. It’s amazing what can be done with inexpensive equipment and little (or no) budget.

4. Improve the Content of Your Podcast
Content is King. The other side of the coin of the previous tip is that exceedingly engaging, creative, emotional, hilarious, inspiring, informational content will draw more subscribers. If you’re podcasting your passion, this will come through. Additionally, good pre-production, scripting, and planning will help improve your content as well.

5. Get Featured in iTunes
This is a tricky and fickle task. I’ve been featured in iTunes a bunch of times, and my tips are these:

Get a good logo. You have to look good to Apple to be featured on their front page, hands down.
Keyword your shownotes. Apple is searching for buzzwords of the hour. As of the writing of this article, I’d assume iPhone and Apple TV will have some legs. I’d also recommend current events, seasonal items, etc.

Apple also watches out for bursts in subscribership. Utilizing these other tips will help your chances of getting featured in iTunes, as well.

6. Real-World Marketing
Did you know there is a big real world of potential subscribers outside of the podcasting community? Here are some great tips to get more subscribers in the real world:

Press Releases are still a great method to reach lots of people. There are great tools on the internet, such as PR Web, that can help you write and release your news to the world.
Email and Forum Signatures including your podcast’s taglines, web addresses, etc. are a nice way to have your friends, family, and colleagues check you out.
Get featured in newspapers and magazines in your area of the world or your area of expertise.

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I hope you use some of these tips and get more subscribers to your podcast. If you have any additions to my list, I welcome your comments below.

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