Podcasts are popping up like daisies everywhere you turn. Want to know how podcasting can transform your business?
No longer just for the media powerhouses – we are seeing more and more small businesses with podcasting visions. The world of podcasting has given marketers and business owners everywhere a new way to reach their audience.
Podcasting continues to grow at a rapid rate, and 2023 is looking mostly positive. According to Burrelles, there are 464.7 million podcast listeners globally as of January 2023, with Gen Z making up the largest percentage of Podcast listeners. According to Buzzsprout, in 2022, 62% of the US population over 12 years old has listened to a podcast, and over one third of Americans listen to podcasts regularly. People are hooked.
Here’s why you might want to consider launching a podcast for your business:
Audience Connection
Many entrepreneurs and businesses are tuning into podcasts, not only for its educational value, but to connect to like-minded people. Podcasting opens up more avenues of communication between you and your audience. Audio allows you to inject your enthusiasm into your message and demonstrate your expertise with flair. Most importantly, it’s human to human – a chance to spotlight your personality which is often lacking in the written word.Authoritative Presence
By simply bringing your knowledge to the microphone, podcasting helps you craft a positioning in business as a thought leader. To generate more credibility, you need to offer valuable content while demonstrating your industry knowledge, perspective, and personal power. A podcast provides a format for sharing your expertise in your field, and by sharing your expertise you become helpful.Feels Good
Some consumers listen to podcasts for a mental break. It only takes a couple of seconds to stream one while you are bouncing from meeting to meeting, exercising, or cooking. Listening to a podcast can quite literally cause a beneficial chemical reaction in your brain. Scientifically speaking, consuming information can activate your mesolimbic pathway, releasing dopamine throughout the brain. Your listener will step back and let go, giving you their innate focus. Who wouldn’t want their audience’s full attention?Boosts Traffic
Your podcast plays an important role in your digital marketing and its ability to boost traffic to your website. Whenever you host a podcast, make sure it has a transcript. Your transcript is an opportunity to use keywords, enhancing your SEO. Most people probably don’t realize that iTunes and Google Podcasts are search engines. Keyword management can be done with the Podcast titles and descriptions. More on SEO here: https://brightcompany.me/how-to-improve-your-websites-seo/. You can also publish the episode’s transcript on your blogs so that it can direct people to your website. Here are 5 easy steps to get started:1 Test the Mic.
You can start a podcast with just a microphone and hosting. A basic mic costs around $60. While you might be tempted to use your computer’s or phone’s built-in microphone, consider investing in an XLR or USB mic with better sound quality. If you’re just starting out, opt for a dynamic mic that’s less sensitive to ambient noise. If you have a studio set up, a condenser mic might be better. A few recording tips:- Position your mouth about 4 inches away from the mic.
- Watch your breathing.
- Keep your body still.
2 Choose your host.
A podcast host is a platform that stores and distributes your podcast to publishing platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google podcasts. As soon as you upload your audio file to your hosting platform, it creates an RSS feed and sends it to various directories. The most commonly used podcast host platforms are Casted, BuzzSprout, Captivate, Libsyn and PodBean. Hosting can start from $20 a month (not including editing and production).3 Plan it.
Plan your content. You need to research your potential listeners to really get to know them and what they want to hear, and then decide on your format. Keep in mind that your audience consumes audio a lot differently to written, so get creative with it. For instance, your format could be interview-based and conversational with one or several hosts, or it could be focused on fictional or non-fictional storytelling. And don’t forget the power of inviting guests and other podcasters over to your show to discuss topics relevant to your listeners.4 Show up and talk.
The fun part. Although it can be slightly nerve wracking for some, this is your chance to educate, story-tell, and offer a new perspective. If you broadcast regularly, your listeners will start to trust your voice and become your community. A few tips:- If you’re not a smooth talker, not to worry – you can work out any kinks while editing.
- Be consistent – your audience likes routine. Reliably releasing new content will help set your listener’s expectations.
- Humour goes a long way – don’t hesitate to drop in some chuckle-worthy content – your audience will love you for it.