Did you know that podcasting is still a huge part of marketing? While podcasts were the precursor to live video, there is still demand for podcasts. Many people still enjoy listening to them and if your audience includes them, podcasting can be a valuable tool for you.
Podcasting is a way to reach people who are more invested in listening to you. These can be joggers, drivers, or people trying to get in the zone. People who listen to podcasts are listening to you when they are not in front of a screen. It’s purely uninterrupted time that they spend learning and listening to you.
It all comes down to your digital strategy. Working within the marketing funnel, podcasting is a great way to offer value and expertise, sharing specific content with your audience with the ability to attract and engage. Just like your blog content, podcasting is another way to get content out there. It’s attracting an audience who is interested in the topic. You can use podcasts to bring people back to you website and down your marketing funnel.
While podcasts are often a more intimate way of communicating with your audience, you can use it to bring them deeper into your other content by repurposing podcasts into blogs or another form or content.
Why Podcasting?
So, what else can podcasting do for you? Well, if you are an individual brand, it can get you speaking gigs. It’s an opportunity for an audience to hear from you, receive from you, and get to know you, through audio means, while you create evergreen content that can be used for years. People may begin to pay attention to you, bringing opportunities for you to speak to a live audience.
If you are a sell products or services, it can be a way for you to show that you know what you’re doing. You can combine your expertise with your personality, which builds your relationship with your audience. You can talk about the industry or about the application of your products, which can be very valuable for your audience.
Want another reason to podcast? Think of what means of communication is relevant to your audience. Does your audience comprise of people who would enjoy listening to podcasts? It’s important to reach people where you can, so if your audience is searching iTunes for podcasts, you should be there.
Who is your podcasting audience?
There is a broad range of people listening to podcasts. These include the young, the old, and the tech savvy. There is also an older, mature audience who have transitioned from talk radio to listening to podcasts on their on time. This, of course, is a benefit to them. Old talk radio you had to turn in at a certain time. Now people are free to cue up episodes, play them back to back, or save them for long drives.
With that in mind, what will your message be to that audience? What are you trying to get out there? Think of a style that will go with your message and stick to that.
How can you make it accessible to your audience?
Be on iTunes! For people who are listening to podcasts, this a major way people find new shows. It’s important you find those key places to make it accessible to the masses. So make sure you put your podcast on iTunes, then in other places (like the Google Play Store) so a range of people can find you.
You’ll also need to find a podcast host, preferably one that allows you to host your podcast on your website. You could use:
- Libsyn
- Podbean
- Soundcloud
You’ll also need to take into consideration your storage space. This can include spending some money, and of course, the more you want to store the more it will be. How often will you record and upload and how long are you planning on your podcast to be? That will be the main factor in how much storage you want. It’s also important to look for a smooth process. You want it to be easy to convert it to play on your website and to put them on the Google Play Store, iTunes, etc.
If you are using your podcast as a way to interview others, you need to make sure everyone has good connection and bandwidth. This will require a wired connection. Secondly, you’ll need good audio as does your guest.
Think of how you will record interviews as well. Skype calls using recorder works well. Make sure wherever you are there is no background noise. Remember, this is an audio podcast, so audio is the most important thing. People want to hear you clearly. You can use Audacity, an open source recorder, to edit.
Want to learn more about where to start? Podcast Answer Man has an entire series on how to launch a podcast. See more here.
If you missed out on our Magnet Marketers session and want to hear more of the conversation, replay it here. And, join us next Tuesday at 4 p.m. EST for our next Magnet Marketers.
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