What is a podcast? Why are people after podcasts so much? How to use a podcast? These are the most frequent questions which arise when people hear the term “Podcast.” Not everybody knows what they are. A podcast is a new age source of information where people and experts in specific fields discuss various topics. It is a free flow discussion shared without any limitations. The only restriction is time. You can say whatever you want without offending the emotions of the audience.
Today, most people prefer podcasts over many other forms of communication such as articles and books. A growing number of individuals find it better to listen as they can close their eyes.
The podcast was co-invented by Adam Curry and Dave Winer, who were software developers. Ben Hammersley coined the term in an article in the Guardian newspaper. It is a combination of two words, iPod and broadcast. The iPod is a small, portable MP3 player, a music-playing device produced by Apple Inc. Between 2001 and 2014, the company sold over 390 million iPods. To broadcast means to transmit information or a program, most typically by radio or TV.
Podcasts differ from radio conversations in many ways. Most radio shows, for example, are live, i.e., the speakers we listen to are talking there and then. Podcasts, however, are mostly pre-recorded, which means that they can be edited or modified.
Podcasts have a lot of advantages::
- They are cost-efficient, which means no need to print or any other type of marketing is required to set it up.
- It is the best alternative to a video broadcast. The speakers do not have to dress up and sit properly, which is not the case when recording just sound.
- They are straightforward to make. There are literally hundreds of thousands of podcasts available online today.
- The engagement rate is higher in podcasts than in most other forms of communication.
- For schools, colleges, and universities, they are an excellent source of gaining knowledge about specific topics.
The list of benefits could go on and on. We use podcasts for several different purposes apart from imparting information. They are popular among marketing professionals, i.e., businesses use them to promote their goods and services.
What is podcast monetizing?
The term refers to earning money from podcasts. Since the advent of the Internet near the end of the last century, how people work, play, study, shop, and communicate has changed significantly. The emergence of podcasts has made it possible for many of us, especially experts, to use podcast technology to earn money.
You are probably wondering how to monetize podcasts. There are several factors you need to consider. Let’s have a look at some of them:
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Target audience
Who are you going to target? What age group(s), socioeconomic levels, geographical areas, etc. should you focus on? Your target audience for a podcast on, for example, gardening will be completely different from people who might be interested in listening to a chat about online games.
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Content
Choose topics according to the target audience. Attract them with the content. Choose items that they will listen to and understand. Do not select dull themes for teens and children.
Your content needs to be interesting and engaging. Remember that you have two objectives during your talk: 1. Attract as many people as possible. 2. Make sure they want to listen to you again. If your content does not excite, interest, or engage them, your venture will be doomed from day one.
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Time limit
Do not talk about a topic for more than 40 minutes. In today’s online society, people seek information quickly and in short bursts. Make sure, apart from keeping your talk relatively concise, to use simple language.
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YouTube
YouTube is the most used application today. People watch anything they see on their feed. Try to associate your podcast on YouTube. Put creative captions that will appeal to the eyes of the audience. Captions can make them curious to know what it is all about.
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Sponsorship
Try to get relevant brands to sponsor you. Support can be beneficial. The sponsor wants good content, and they will even pay more if they see creativity and potential growth.
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Guests
Once your podcast gets famous and receives sponsors, you can invite influencers and celebrities. It will help you gain more mileage. Entrepreneurs who are starting a business will be interested in paying or investing in promoting their start-up and talking about it. It will be a win-win situation.
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Expanding
When your podcasts starts growing, listeners will naturally respect you and look up to you. It this point, what you say and broadcast begins to have power. You are on your way to becoming an important influencer. The more listeners you have, the stronger your influence will be.
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Investing in an event
Investing in an event is a great way to meet your audience. Organizing one can cost a lot, but think of it as an investment that might work in increasing growth. Talk about the good stuff, and remember to be pleasant to listen to. In the world of business, an unpleasant personality can be the kiss of death.
- Marketing
Promote newly launched products. If you have a strong following, companies will pay good money for you to promote their goods and services. If you can, get people to review products on your podcast.
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Grow your channel
You can try experimenting in various ways. Share your podcast information with people you meet. Ask close friends to tell other people to subscribe to your channel. Do whatever you can to increase your number of listeners.
Conclusion
These are a few tips that can assist you to monetize a podcast. There is no right or wrong way to do it. Choose whatever way suits you. Stay consistent with it. Perserverance is one of the keys to success. Remember that for good, solid growth your number one component is top quality content. If your content it right, your chances of success will be excellent, especially if you work hard. Choose topics you know a lot about.
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Interesting related article: “What is a Podcast?“