Can a podcast help your business?
“Podcasts are the fastest-growing video medium, with over 62 million podcast listeners tuning in monthly as of 2021.”
And that’s not likely to change anytime soon. As the traditional media landscape continues to fragment and new platforms emerge, consumers are looking for more personal and intimate experiences with their favorite content. A business podcast may seem like a strange fit for your brand, but it’s actually a unique opportunity to humanize your company, demonstrate your expertise in your field, and establish yourself as a thought leader. In this blog post, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about creating your own business podcast and give you the resources to get started.
What is a podcast?
A podcast is a series of audio or video episodes that a person, organization or brand creates, records, and publishes. Podcasts are a great way to share knowledge that informs your audience, build relationships with your listeners, and grow your community. When people think of podcasts, they typically think of audio. But there’s a growing number of podcasts that are recorded in front of a camera, offering viewers an additional way to consume content. Podcasts are a massively popular medium that has been growing steadily since 2005. In fact, there are now over 650,000 podcasts available on iTunes. According to Edison Research, one-third of American adults have listened to a podcast in the past year. And that number is expected to keep growing. Podcasts are an excellent way to grow your business and connect with your customers on an intimate level, especially if you’re in a niche that lends itself to long-form content.
Why Create a Podcast for Your Business?
Podcasts are a highly accessible medium that can expand your reach. While creative video content may be more engaging, video podcasting is a much more scalable approach. Podcasting is also a great way to establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry. By interviewing other industry leaders and experts, you can learn from their experiences and build your credibility as an authority in your field. Many people tune into audio podcasts while they’re driving, cooking, or doing other activities, so you may even be able to reach a new audience you wouldn’t have been able to previously.
The process of creating a podcast
First and foremost, you need to determine the purpose of your podcast. Are you hoping to share your expertise? If so, what are the specific topics you’d like to cover? Are you hoping to build relationships with your audience? If so, what topics do you think will help you accomplish this goal? Once you’ve figured out your goals, it’s time to start thinking about your topic ideas and how you want to structure your podcast. Now, you have a few different options when it comes to how to structure your podcast. If you’re hoping to use your podcast as a way to inform your audience and share your expertise, you may want to consider a teaching format. In this format, you would select a topic related to your industry and create a series of episodes with a central theme. If you’re looking to build relationships with your listeners, you may want to use a more conversational format. In this format, you would select a few topics to discuss and invite a guest on to your podcast to help you with the discussion.
Strategies for marketing with podcasts
Create a Squatting Domain. First and foremost, you’ll want to squat on the domain for your podcast. You’ll want to find the .com address for the title of your podcast and register it so that no one else can take it. You can also squat on variations of the name if you’re concerned someone may try to snag the same name in the future. If you’re hosting your podcast on a third-party platform, you may not be able to register the domain. In that case, be sure to use the title of your podcast in your social media content so that it’s easy for people to find it. Create a Thumbnail . A thumbnail will help your podcast show up in Apple Podcasts when people are browsing topics they’d like to listen to. You can create a custom thumbnail using Canva by uploading an image from your podcast or creating a new image that reflects your brand. Be sure to add text to your image to make it easy for people to understand what your podcast is about. Create a Social Media Presence. Your next step should be to build a social media presence. You can start by creating a Facebook page and an Instagram account. Facebook is a great place to post a summary of each new episode and allow your followers to interact with the content, while Instagram is a visually-focused platform where you can share images and video clips from each episode. Create an Email List. Finally, you’ll want to create an email list. This is an easy way for you to collect emails from interested listeners and follow up with them in the future with relevant content. You can create a free email list at places like MailChimp or Constant Contact. Paid Advertising. If you’re looking to boost your initial download numbers, paid advertising is a great option. You can create Facebook ads, Google ads, and even Pandora ads if you’re hoping to reach a broader audience. Be sure to select a goal that’s in line with the number of downloads you hope to receive from your ads.
Wrapping Up
Podcasts are an excellent way to communicate your ideas and engage with your customers in a personal and authentic way. When done right, your podcast can attract a loyal following and become a key part of your brand identity. Remember to start small and create a consistent schedule so that your podcast grows over time. By putting in the time and effort to create a great podcast, you can reach an entirely new audience and strengthen your relationship with your current customers.
