Should Podcasting Be A Part Of Your Business Marketing Strategy?

While podcasting is the newest marketing trend being embraced by marketers, you may be wondering whether it’s the way forward for your business. A podcast can be a space to create something your business truly loves and share it with your community.

So, how can your business capitalize on this new marketing tool?

According to WebFX, “podcasting is the radio of the digital era,” and we couldn’t have put it better than that!

A podcast is an audio program which users are able to subscribe to on their devices and listen to on the go.

Podcasts have grown exponentially in popularity in the last few years. The latest IAB FY 2018 Podcast Ad Revenue Study finds that podcast advertising revenues will exceed $1 billion in 2021 in the United States. Further, Podcast Insights finds that there are currently over 1,000,000 podcasts with over 30 million episodes as of April 2020.

These stats show that if done right, podcasting can play a huge role in boosting your business’ popularity.

Create an interesting podcast

The first step in your podcasting journey is to create an amazing podcast.

This means talking about a topic that your business is passionate about and creating engaging content that adds value to your customers’ lives.

Producing interesting content starts with in-depth research. Any content can be considered credible only if it is well-researched. Well-researched content ensures that you are able to sound knowledgeable and position yourself as a thought leader in the field.

Know your audience and hook ‘em

Another equally important facet is knowing your audience. Even the most informative content can be lost on someone who is not interested in a particular topic. Therefore, it is important to define your target audience and ascertain their interests. Then, ideate what topics your listeners will tune into and give them something new each week.

Once you have your audience’s interest, Buzzsprout recommends a “Hook Them in First 60 Seconds” strategy. The first minute can make or break your podcast. It will determine whether the listener will continue listening or tune into the other ten million podcasts out there.

Remember not to create a podcast about your company’s products and services. Your website and other marketing efforts can take care of that. Your podcast should aim solely to inform and entertain. This will automatically attract attention to your brand.

Develop a plan and build an audience

Once you have developed a great podcast, it’s time to tell people about it!

There are a variety of ways to market your podcast. To start with, never underestimate the power of word-of-mouth. Be bold and seize the opportunity to pitch what you’ve worked so hard to achieve! If the person you’re pitching to loves it, they will be sure to talk about it.

The next step is establishing an online presence. This means using SEO, Facebook Ads, GoogleAds, EDM, social media, influencer marketing and even creating a website for your podcast! Not to mention promoting your podcast on all the best platforms – Apple Podcast, BuzzSprout, Podcast Addict, PodNova, Podbean, Podcast Republic, Castbox and others.

Advantages of podcast marketing

You will be heard: Podcasts are growing in popularity and will continue to grow. With a variety of audio and video formats to explore, they present a new and creative source of entertainment for listeners. Plus, as it can be enjoyed passively – whether it’s while cooking, on a walk or while driving  – allowing listeners to absorb your content while already engaged in an activity.

Increased popularity: Your podcast can serve as a window for people to visit your website, learn more about your products and services and even interact with you on social media. Once users start liking and sharing your podcast, this will not only build a loyal customer base, but will also attract new listeners. This directly leads to a much better brand visibility.

Boost your SEO: Yes, podcasting and SEO go hand in hand. WebFX finds that podcasts serve as a form of search saturation on Android devices. This means that you are in total control of the search results that more than 1 million Android users are able to find, therefore, increasing your popularity.

Collaborate: Podcasts provide a space to collaborate with a variety of businesses and market leaders in discussing a mutually beneficial topic. Featuring guests allows your business to network and expand your customer base by being promoted on another company’s website.

Parting words

Forbes’ interview with Seth Greene reveals some tips towards making a successful podcast including, coming up with a catchy name, creating cover art which includes the title of the show, a picture of the host, “some clean images that give a good idea what the show is about” and ensuring that every episode is transcribed and edited, so it can be transformed into social media content, blogs, or even eBooks and books!

Most importantly, have fun with it!

It is your space to be bold, and get creative and if something doesn’t work, there are a million other ideas to try!