Why Podcasting For Business Needs To Be In Your Content Marketing Strategy

Podcasts have been around for some time, but podcasting for business is just now starting to get the recognition they deserve as an effective content marketing tool. Too often, they’re overlooked for the more common options of blogging and social media. In doing so, businesses are missing out on a fantastic opportunity to reach a large audience. According to PodcastHosting.org in the U.S.:

• 75% is familiar with the term “podcasting”
• 50% of homes are podcast fans
• 55% (155 million) has listened to a podcast
• 37% (104 million) listen to podcasts at least every month
• 24% (68 million) listen to podcasts weekly

As you can see, there are millions of people who listen to podcasts on a regular basis. Even gaining a small percentage of loyal listeners can have big benefits for your brand’s content marketing efforts. Keep reading to learn more about why you need to include podcasting for business as part of your content marketing strategy.

4 Reasons To Invest In Podcasting for Business

If your business is new to the podcast craze, you may not see why they are necessary when you have social media or blogging. But there are some great reasons podcasting for business should be used alongside visual media to expand your company’s brand.

1. Accessibility– You can’t beat the versatility of podcasting for business. Listeners are able to consume content from anywhere at any time. Podcasts require passive listening, which means people don’t have to stop what they are doing to hear your brand’s message. Whether they are working or completing everyday tasks like cooking, cleaning or even while driving, they can listen to your podcast. The easier content is to access, the more likely consumers are to invest their time in it!
2. Audience– Podcasting for business perfectly complements your brand’s marketing efforts to increase visibility with your target audience. They focus on topics people are interested in learning about or discussing. Creating content that educates or provokes a discussion about your brand is easier when you’re not fighting for space to be heard. Since there are fewer podcasters than there are bloggers, YouTubers and traditional media, your podcast has a significant chance to be found by your target audience.Podcasting for business is also a great opportunity to gain publicity for your brand. Working with other podcasters who have an established audience to promote your business and podcast can increase your brand’s visibility and draw in new listeners. Look for podcasters who align with your target audience for the best chance of success.
3. Loyalty and Trust– With all content, posting consistently is key to success. With podcasts, this is especially true. Just like your favorite TV series, you expect new episodes to appear at the same time every week. The nature of a podcast’s episode-based structure encourages people to anticipate and come back for the next installment. As you develop loyal listeners you begin to build trust with them. It is no wonder 65 percent of fans say they are more willing to buy services and products that they hear about on their regularly listened to podcast.
4. Emotion – When it comes to getting someone excited about what you have to offer, hearing the enthusiasm in your voice is a powerful tool. The emotion you feel when you’re talking is projected to your audience. While you can convey feelings in social media, blogging and other forms of content marketing, it’s more difficult to achieve and does not have the same draw as hearing the eagerness in someone’s voice.

Podcasting For Business Goals

Just as you should do for social media marketing, blogging and other forms of content marketing, it is vital you take the time to determine what you hope to achieve with creating and maintaining a podcast for your business. These goals will help guide you along the way. When considering the objectives of the podcast, make sure they are specific, measurable, attainable, reasonable and timely (SMART). What are some goals you could have for your podcast? Here are a few ideas.

1. Increase brand visibility. How many listeners do you hope to gain in the first six months, year, etc.? The more listeners you have, the greater your brand’s visibility.
2. Monetary gains. Do you hope to increase your sales by podcasting for business? How much of an increase would you like to see? Eventually, once you have a large following you can use it to make money through advertising and sponsorships.
3. Rise in website traffic. How many people do you hope will visit your website every month because of your podcast?
4. As your business podcast grows so will opportunities such as being invited onto other podcasts, sponsorships and more. Think about what doors you would like to open because of your podcast.

Don’t forget to review goals regularly to adjust your strategy. Over time you may notice your goals change from when you started. That’s okay! Just remember to keep them SMART.

Podcast Intentions

Now that you have your goals set, how can you use podcasting for business to achieve results? I’m glad you asked. There are three main objectives of podcasting for business– advertising, influencing and educating. I break down each one below.

• Advertising – Companies with their own podcasts have an easy way to share their products and services at their fingertips. They naturally promote business offerings in their episodes without having to pay for it.Even though managing your own podcast comes with the benefit of promoting your business, you do not have to create one to advertise on one. Many sell advertising spots to companies. If this is a route you want to pursue, don’t forget to carve out funds in your content marketing budget.As advised by Three Girls Media’s CEO, Erika Taylor Montgomery, when determining if a podcast is a good fit for your message, pay attention to:

• • The listener demographics
  • The purpose and theme of the show
  • The topic of the episode
  • The show’s popularity and reach

• Influencing – A well-liked podcast is a source of expert information for a listener. When establishing your own podcast, you give your business an opportunity to become experts as well. Listeners become loyal to podcasts that prove they know what they are talking about, and with loyalty comes trust. As you grow your audience, you increase your influence through your expertise and trust.

• Educating – Many people listen to podcasts to learn more about their own passions and industries. From explaining a product to teaching how to perform an activity, you can be a source of information listeners use to increase their knowledge and meet their personal or professional goals. Using a podcast to educate your audience will also establish yourself as a thought-leader and the go-to person in your industry.

The goals you want to achieve will help you determine if your podcast will use all three functions, or if you will focus on one more than the others. Are you sold on podcasting for business as part of your content marketing strategy? Keep reading to learn how to get started on your new adventure!

8 Steps to Create Your New Business Podcast

Creating a podcast for business is fairly simple, however there is more to it than just pressing record and posting online. Follow these eight easy steps and you’ll be on your way to achieving your brand’s goals and developing your listener base.

Step 1: Pick Your Podcast’s Topic

Choose a topic that is complementary to what you do and that you are passionate about. Your podcast’s goals can help guide you. Your topic can be broad like content marketing strategy, or more specific like video marketing.

For example, Three Girls Media has its own podcast called Two Minute Marketing Tips hosted by CEO, Erika Taylor Montgomery. In this podcast, Erika shares quick marketing tips to help brands grow and evolve. This aligns with our brand’s core values and shows off our expertise in this realm.

Once you have your topic in order, you can start brainstorming some ideas for names. Try to choose something creative and catchy to entice new listeners.

Step 2: Establish Your Target Audience

Regardless of how good your business podcast is, if no one listens to it, it doesn’t matter. According to the Podcast Host:

“The thing is, unless you know exactly who you’re making your show for, and why you’re doing it, you’ve got no chance of growing an audience. If you’re coming at it from a business point of view, and you’re (for example) a personal trainer who wants to make a health and fitness podcast, then your target audience might be people who are interested in healthy eating, weight loss, exercise, or bodybuilding.”

Step 3: Develop Your Strategy

The third step in creating your podcast for business is developing your strategy, which includes the format, length and schedule.

According to Buzz Sprout the most common formats are:

• Interview: These podcasts interview individuals within a particular industry.
• Scripted non-fiction: A serial podcast with one theme for a full season.
• News recap: Summarizes the news within a specific industry.
• Educational: Focuses on teaching their audience.
• Scripted fiction: These podcasts are similar to radio dramas and are often scripted and highly produced.

After you decide on what type of podcast you want to produce, the next thing you need to ask yourself is how long you want each episode to be. Some formats will naturally have longer episodes than others, but ultimately the decision is up to you!

The last thing you need to consider when it comes to your strategy is the schedule. Just like with everything else you post online, you need to be consistent. Create a schedule you will be able to follow through with.

Step 4: Get Your Equipment

While you can start a podcast with just your phone and a pair of headphones, that won’t give you the best quality final product. For high-quality audio, you will need to purchase a microphone. There are many affordable microphones that will produce better audio than what you can get with your phone. Check out this article by The Podcast Host for a list of options.

Step 5: Choose Your Software

To create the best podcast, you will want to invest in recording and editing software. While you can edit on your phone, we highly recommend using dedicated editing software. The good news is that editing software for audio is relatively cheap and easy to find.

A personal favorite for recording and editing is Adobe Audition. It is easy to use and doesn’t require a lot of experience to master. Another benefit of Adobe software is that you record and edit in the same program, making it is easier to keep your files organized. Erika, our CEO, uses Audacity to record her Two Minute Marketing Tips podcast. It’s free and easy to use.

Step 6: Create A Script And Record Your Episode

One of the most important pieces in this process is your script. Taking the time to write a script, or at the very least a well-planned outline, will keep you focused and on track while recording. According to Buzz Sprout, “Rambling is one of the most common mistakes new podcasters make, and the best way to fight this tendency is by writing a podcast outline.” Writing a script will also give you an idea of how long your episode will be – which you should have determined in step three.

After you write your script and are happy with the content and length, you’re ready to record! Grab a glass of water to sip on when your throat gets dry, find a quiet spot, set up your equipment and press the record button.

Step 7: Edit And Upload Your Podcast

Once you have completed recording your business podcast it’s time to edit and upload the final product. Editing can be a time-consuming project, but the effort you put in here will pay off in the long run. To begin, organize your files accordingly, edit for content flow and finish with distractions. Once you’re happy with the final product, export it and upload it to the platform of your choice. Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud and Spotify are three well-known platforms that are relatively easy to use. If you want to create a video file to complement it, you can also upload the recording to YouTube.

Step 8: Optimize Your Podcast

The last step in the creation process is optimizing your business podcast. All your podcast’s key pieces need to be optimized for reach and engagement. Creating artwork, hashtags and categories that align with your messaging will help your podcast grow and thrive.

Congratulations! Your podcast for business is now out there for the world to discover.

As you start your new adventure as a podcaster, it’s important to stick with it and don’t give up. As with all content marketing, podcasting for business is a marathon not a sprint. With time and effort, you will reap the rewards and develop loyal listeners who can’t wait until your next episode. Still not ready to start a podcast for business on your own? Contact us today to learn how we can help!

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