While podcasts aren’t exactly new, they have surged in popularity over the last few years. What are some characteristics of the average podcast listener? Here are some interesting facts from Podcast Insights:
- Podcast listeners are much more active on every social media channel (94% are active on at least one).
- Podcast listeners are more likely to follow companies and brands on social media.
- 17% (48 million) listen to podcasts weekly.
- 56% of podcast listeners are male.
- 45% of monthly podcast listeners have a household income over $75K.
- 27% of U.S. podcast listeners have a 4-year college degree.
Interesting, right? For those of you who are not familiar with podcasts, here is a brief introduction.
What Is A Podcast?
According to International Podcast Day, the word podcast was “first mentioned by Ben Hammersley in a 2004 Guardian newspaper article in which he rattled off possible names for this booming new medium. The “pod” of podcast is borrowed from Apple’s “iPod” digital media player, and the ‘cast’ portion of podcast is taken from radio’s ‘broadcast’ term.”
The dictionary defines a podcast as, “A digital audio file made available on the internet for downloading to a computer or mobile device, typically available as a series, new installments of which can be received by subscribers automatically.”
Why Your Business Needs To Podcast
There are a variety of reasons you should start a podcast for your business.
At this point, podcasting is much more than a trend. Podcasts have become a form of media that provides entertainment, information and education, and with their growth each year, it’s clear podcasts aren’t going anywhere. Here are “5 Reasons Your Business Needs to be Podcasting” from Inc.
1. Podcast Listeners Are Engaged
Inc. notes, “An Edison Research study on the audio habits of Americans found that podcast listeners are actually ‘super listeners,’ consuming more than one hour and 45 minutes of audio per day, and they spend more than 25% of their total audio time listening to podcasts.”
Podcasts give your business an incredible opportunity to reach out to clients and customers and really connect with them.
2. Starting Is Easy
This is a marketing tactic where you really just need to take the leap and start doing it. You can podcast from studios, home offices, garages or even in the street. Additionally, the software needed to podcast is relatively inexpensive.
3. Ads Are Effective
Unlike standard television, podcast listeners don’t seem to skip over and ignore advertisements. Inc. notes a study from Fast Company that reports, “A recent survey of 300,000 podcast listeners found that 63% of people bought something a host had promoted on their show. When asked if advertising within podcasts had affected their behavior, 71% said they’d visited a sponsor’s website, while 62 percent said they’d considered that new product or service.”
If your business is looking for a new avenue to invest in advertising, this is a great place to start.
4. Podcast Are Great For Sharing Content
Along with blogging and writing social media updates, podcasts are a great addition to your marketing and social media strategies. Like the more common methods, you can talk about your industry and company news in a new and interesting format.
5. Listenership Is Growing
As I mentioned before, people are listening to podcasts at exciting rates. You can also encourage your current customer base to listen by sharing your thrilling new venture on social media and providing a link.
Are you ready to get started on your own podcast?
Three Tips for Creating A Podcast
It’s relatively easy to start a podcast for your business.
1. Get The Equipment
The cheapest option is to use your computer’s built-in microphone. If you choose to purchase an external microphone, a decent model costs around $30. You’ll also need some kind of editing software. You can get this for free by using Garage Band or Audacity, however for businesses, it’s worth paying a little more to use Adobe Audition.
2. Create Interesting Content
Podcasts are a crowded market, but the best ones survive by knowing their audience and giving them relevant material. If you want to drive customers to your company, focus more on issues related to your field than on yourself. If you’re a restaurant owner, talk about different recipes or food history. Podcasts allow you to delve deeper and connect to your audience in a way other forms of social media can’t.
3. Advertise
Use social media sites to promote your podcast. Make sure to tag your podcasts and upload them to different directories like iTunes and visit different sites on the web that pertain to your topic. A pet groomer, for example, could visit pet forums and make an announcement. Finally, join a podcasting community to keep up with new and fresh ideas. A group of like-minded folks invested in podcasts will help inspire new ideas to get the word out about your podcast.
Participating In Podcasts
The flip side to running and hosting your own podcast is to be a guest on someone else’s. If you’re about to spread the word about your product, service or yourself via a podcast interview, it’s important to be prepared. For those who aren’t used to live interviews, brush up on these five tips before you begin.
Five Tips For Preparing For A Podcast Interview
- Read All The Fine Print: Before conducting the podcast interview, you’ll want to read all the material provided by the show and make sure you know when the program will be aired, who owns the rights to marketing the content and who is expected to promote the show.
- Research Your Host: Your interviewer has likely researched you and is preparing to ask engaging questions, so you should do the same! Visit the podcast’s website, listen to a prior show or two and do some research on who you’ll be speaking to. Try to find something in common just in case the interviewer’s questions fall flat.
- Guess The Questions: You know your story better than anyone, and chances are you can predict the questions your host will ask. Determine what you want the takeaway message for your audience to be, and stay on that message. It helps to write down bullet points you want to cover so you can refer to them during the interview. If the host asks questions you aren’t comfortable with, it’s okay to politely decline to answer.
- Promote the Show: It’s a great practice to promote the show you’re about to be featured on through all of your social media accounts and other online channels (like your blog and an e-newsletter). Spreading the word about when you’ll be interviewed will help your fans tune in when it’s live, and it’s a nice thing to do for the host who is likely promoting the show through their own channels.
- Eliminate Background Noise: Too often podcast interviews are derailed by faulty hardware, a quiet microphone or construction noise in the background. If you’ll be calling in from home, make sure to eliminate all background noise like the TV, radio, running of the dishwasher or a barking dog.
Reading up on the show and researching the host, trying to determine the questions in advance, promoting the show on your own channels and getting rid of background noise are all great tips to make sure your podcast appearance goes smoothly.
Do You Want To Learn More About Marketing Your Business With Podcasts?
The only way to have a successful podcast is to start one. Podcasts are a niche heavy market and there is a group of people out there waiting to learn about your business and industry. If you’re struggling with where to start, contact us at Three Girls Media. We offer a 30-minute no-obligation phone consultation to discuss the specific needs and goals of your business.