What comes to mind when you think of podcasting? Do you imagine a vengeful geek complaining about the newest tech gadget failing to meet his standards? Or is it a comic book nerd narrating his newest fiction novel?
Thanks to the innovative design and distribution of the iPod, what was once reserved for technical individuals with the financial means to hire an expert, podcasting has now moved on to become more mainstream. In fact, it can even play a part in a business’s marketing strategy. Using programs like Audacity and investing in a quality microphone are all you really need. The rest depends on whether you, as a voice of your brand, are able to offer value to the audience.
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How can podcasting help grow a business?
It all really comes down to how your can retain the attention of your target audience. In an ideal world, podcasts are able to create brand fanatics. A podcast is a simple way of placing ideas and expertise that will help establish a brand as an authority.The more time you can get your audience to spend with your content, the more authority you’ll have as a content marketer. This is why podcasting is often viewed as a viable content marketing strategy, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s right for every business.
If you build it, they might come…
Unlike most marketing strategies, podcasting isn’t all about acquiring massive amounts of traffic or new clients. With podcasting, you are about providing your target audience with an alternative means of gaining access to your content. After all, not everyone has the time to read a blog or watch YouTube videos. Over time, it’s possible that listeners will become loyal customers. If you’re all about the numbers, then podcasting may not be the best strategy for your business.
Furthermore, offering a podcast involves much more work than simply reading a script. In order for your podcast to gain even the smallest amount of traction, it is crucial that you’re able to translate your enthusiasm and command for your niche through nothing more than a microphone.
What do you hope to get out of podcasting?
As mentioned before, if your primary goal of podcasting is to drive traffic, then this might not be the best solution for you. Instead, a brand will want to utilize podcasting as a VIP offering. Providing your subscribers with a behind-the-scenes-look at your business will do a great deal to help build those relationships you want with your customers.
While there are some who might say that podcasting can benefit every business, it really all depends on whether the format is aligned with your brand’s marketing goals. It’s true that written content will always be the bread-and-butter of a successful content strategy, but if it happens to work for your goals, creating at least occasional podcasts or audiocasts can be a simple way to generate guest content in a quick-turnaround format.
Overall, in addition to serving as great training tools, podcasts also help you reach new audiences. And in the tech-savvy world we live in today, subscribers can easily access them through their mobile device, which is good news if a business is trying to launch a new product. Additionally, depending on what kind of angle they have, podcasts also offer a higher level of customer support and may even reduce the amount of support calls.