Do you have a face for radio? Or we should better ask Do you have a voice for radio?
Podcasts are the new big thing. Around 50% of the population in the USA listens to podcasts, and 80% of them subscribe to channels that deliver content they’re interested in.
So, if you want to reach more clients and grow your company give podcasts a chance. When you think about online marketing, podcasts probably don’t pop into your mind. But considering that 1 in 5 Americans listen to them monthly and their number is slowly increasing, you need to find your podcast voice because your public wants to hear from you.
You should thank comedians like Joe Regan and Marc Maron for building podcasts’ popularity because now everyone knows what they are, and would like to subscribe to a channel that provides interesting information.
Why are podcasts great marketing tools?
It’s easy to reach on-the-go clients. People lose a lot of time in the daily commute, so they don’t have time to read your blogs. But they can listen to what you have to say when they drive, walk their dog or jog. Audio materials are convenient and portable, and people love them.
Everyone who has a smartphone and a steady Internet connection can access a podcast. They can download it or listen to it online, no matter where they are.
Think about this. How much does it take to write a 1000-words blog? Around 2 hours if you’re a professional writer. But how much does it take to share the same ideas, through speaking? Less than 15 minutes. Speaking is a lot quicker. Instead of spending 2 hours writing a blog, you can take 15 minutes of your time and speak to your audience. Of course, blogging is still important because it influences your website’s ranking, so you shouldn’t abandon it in favor of podcasts. You should do them both, along with social media posting. This way, you reach a broader audience.
Audio appeals to both women and men.
And it’s affordable. You need a decent mic and a few editing tools, but the entire process is more affordable than working with a marketing agency.
Should you integrate them into your marketing strategy?
Podcasts are enhanced forms of content, more engaging than text. Because they offer heaps of value to the listener, they grew massively in popularity over a short period. At first, no one understood what type of content they are. They looked like radio shows, but they were something else because there was no radio to broadcast them. Now, they are driving loyal listeners, and 80% of people listen to most episodes, a channel they subscribe to produces.
There are plenty of reasons for leveraging podcasting for brands.
- They attract new clients. A podcast that delivers informative content helps you address to a worldwide audience through podcasting services and libraries.
- They build loyalty. Once public subscribes to your channel, you get a loyal fanbase that listens to all your episodes.
- They build trust. They provide valuable information to the listener through interviews, insights, and commentaries. Expertise builds more than trust; it establishes a reputation.
- They attract new clients. Companies turn to business podcasting because it attracts clients like a magnet.
- They allow a more specific niche. Podcasts are different from radio advertising because they target listeners based on their preferences and interests. And podcasting services don’t limit materials to a particular area. Anyone in the world can listen to it.
Is business podcasting for you?
Have you ever used a podcast service like iTunes Podcast Store? If you did it, you know podcasts are about everything, from cooking to art, cars, news, music, and business. Podcast marketing is useful for varied industries because it’s an educational tool, companies use to show the ropes.
For example, if you sell chocolate, you can create a podcast to teach your audience how to use it to make brownies. Or you can discuss how you made certain varieties of chocolate, and what your inspiration was.
If you have a tailoring atelier, you can use podcasting to share stylish models of dresses you created for your clients.
Basically, any business can leverage podcast marketing and use them to build loyalty and trust, and reach new clients.
Why do you need to produce podcasts? A piece of educative information you want to share with your public, and royalty free podcast music to play on the background to create an engaging atmosphere.
Practices to practice
Go niche. Similarly to your blog, your podcast should be niche and target your public. The following questions can help you identify the topics you should discuss.
- What is my target audience?
- What do they need to know about my brand?
- What blog posts did they like?
- What social media posts engage more users?
Having a goal in mind helps you determine what you’d like to talk about.
Interview experts
Not only you create a more interesting podcast when there are two voices in the podcast, but you also reach a broader public because the expert will also share the podcast with their audience. How successful this method is, no one can tell because it depends on your expert’s audience. They can address to 1000 or 10000 people. But this strategy exposes your brand to a new public that may not found out about your products otherwise.
Be confident because even big names appear in podcasts. It’s a matter of luck. Don’t be afraid to ask someone to appear in your podcast because the worst-case scenario is, they refuse your offer.
Find sponsors
Only because you sell fruits, it doesn’t mean you cannot get other companies to sponsor your podcasts. If you have loyal listeners, other brands may want to take advantage of your popularity and associate their name with your podcasts. Take on sponsors that make sense for your company and are useful to your audience. Often, podcast hosts approach producers with sponsorship opportunities, but you can also contact organizations to ask for it.
Final thoughts
Podcasting is a great marketing tool for companies that want to access new public and engage them with their brand.
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Interesting related article: “What is Podcast?”