Is your business thinking about starting a podcast? As of 2019, 55% of Americans listened to at least one of the 500,000 active podcasts, and it’s predicted that a whopping 132 million Americans will be podcast listeners by 2022. So there’s no doubt that podcast marketing is becoming a great way to communicate directly with your target audience and build authority in your industry. Here’s what you need to know…
- Why Your Business Should Start a Podcast
- Determining Your Business Podcast Strategy
- Getting the Right Podcast Setup for Your Business
Why Your Business Should Start a Podcast
It’s good to consider the benefits of podcasting for business and how those benefits can align with your business marketing goals before launching your podcast. A few ways a podcast can help your business:
- Connect with Your Audience: With podcasts, consumers are intentionally seeking you out and giving you their valuable free time. This makes them much more likely to pay attention to what you’re sharing.
- Develop More Credibility: When people listen to and learn from your podcast, they grow to respect your business as an authoritative resource and thought leader in your respective industry.
- Give Your Brand a Voice: Businesses often seem like faceless entities. The host(s) of your podcast can act as a brand personality, making your organization more relatable and trustworthy.
- Increase Ad Recall: Most consumers are bombarded with ads throughout the day, so being noticed can be tough. But podcast ads are different because they seem more authentic. In fact, consumers are 4.4 times more likely to recall a podcast advertisement than other digital ads.
Determining Your Podcast Strategy
You can’t just flip on the mics and expect to have an engaging podcast for your business. You need a carefully crafted marketing plan that addresses the following questions.
Who Is Your Target Audience?
No podcast is made for everyone; each attracts listeners interested in a specific niche. Identify your target audience and what problem your podcast solves for them, then focus on speaking to that specific group, as they’ll be passionate about your podcast topic. Over time, you may gain additional listeners and expand your audience.
What Will Your Podcast Topic Be?
Your podcast topic shouldn’t be centered around selling products or services. Listeners aren’t tuning in for an extended ad read. They’ll move on if you don’t educate or entertain them. Your podcast should focus on a topic that’s important to your target audience. Conduct research by looking around social media networks and listening to other podcasts in your industry to get an idea of what information consumers are searching for that they’re not finding, and then build your podcast idea around that.
How Long Will Your Podcast Be?
Podcast lengths vary greatly. Some last several hours, while others are just over in a few minutes. How long your podcast should be largely depends on the content, but it’s generally advised to fall between 20-45 minutes, as this allows listeners to digest your podcast during their daily commute.
How Frequently Will You Release Podcasts?
It’s good to establish podcast frequency so listeners know when they can expect more content. That may be once a month, biweekly, weekly, etc. Set your podcast schedule around the amount of content you have and time you have to work on the podcast each week. Whatever schedule you set, be consistent. Missing a podcast deadline could disappoint your listeners and hurt your credibility.
What Will the Format of Your Podcast Be?
Will your show have a single host that shares their thoughts? Or maybe the host interviews other industry leaders and guests on relevant topics? Perhaps you’ll have two hosts that banter back and forth about industry trends and current events relevant to the target audience. These formats (and more) all have their pros and cons, so choose the one that will best engage your audience and deliver your message.
Getting the Right Podcast Setup for Your Business
You can have the most informative, engaging content on the market, but if it doesn’t sound good, your business podcast won’t gain traction. Remember these elements as you construct your podcasting setup.
Podcasting Equipment
Depending on the podcast format you choose, you’ll want to invest in 1-4 podcast microphones that produce crisp, clear audio. Plug the mics into a high-quality digital podcast recorder to hold the audio files. Also, you’ll want to select the podcast recording software that best meets your needs—GarageBand, Audacity, and Adobe Audition are popular choices!
Podcast Hosting Site
After you record and edit your podcast, you’ll need a place for it to live online. Each hosting site offers unique features and advantages, so do your research to find out which might be right for you. Do you want a free or paid service? How much content do you plan on uploading? What level of sound quality do you require? Answer these questions to identify your ideal hosting site.
Dedicated Podcasting Studio
Designate a room or closet specifically for recording your podcast episodes. To ensure the best sound quality, you’ll want to avoid outside voices or noises interrupting your audio. Pad the walls with dense, sound-absorbing materials, such as curtains, pads, and blankets to block out unwanted noise and reduce echoing.
Executed correctly, a business podcast can be a critical piece of your small business marketing strategy. But as you can see, there’s a lot that goes into starting your own podcast, much less maintaining it and growing an audience over time.
Need help getting started with your business podcast? Hurrdat Media can help you with hosting, production, advertising, and more! Learn more about our podcast services and our media network today!