Podcasting in business is one of the most underrated forms of content marketing. While it’s been around for years, many business owners are still hesitant to start a podcast because they’re not sure what the benefits are. In this blog post, we will discuss the benefits of podcasting for businesses, as well as some interesting stats about podcasting that might surprise you.
Podcasting is an excellent way to connect with potential and current customers. It allows you to share your story in a unique and personal way, which can help build trust and rapport with your audience. In addition, podcasts are a great way to position yourself as an expert in your industry. By sharing your knowledge and insights regularly, you can establish yourself as a thought leader, which can lead to new business opportunities. What most people don’t realize is that a podcast is one of the most effective business development tools on the market.
Do you want to create strategic relationships and drive revenue? You should absolutely consider creating a branded podcast. Here are some additional benefits of podcasting for businesses:
Podcasting builds your brand
According to a study by Edison Research, 64% of podcast listeners have made a purchase after hearing an advertisement on a podcast. Industry experts love branded podcasts because they reach a different audience than a traditional marketing plan. You have to put out content regularly and a podcast episode is a great way to get that done.
A branded podcast can help drive traffic to your website or blog.
A branded podcast can drive website traffic and boost SEO. Hyperlinked show notes and transcriptions can create backlinks to your website and content, therefore, making it visible to an audience outside of your typical pay-to-play arenas. This is important for every business as the cost of advertising is rising and the effectiveness seems to be diminishing.
By simply creating a blog post for each new episode you are creating fresh website content that search engines view favorably. The Google machine loves fresh web content and a blog for the podcast is a really easy way to get that done.
Podcasting generates leads
A branded podcast can be a great lead generation tool. In fact, one study found that branded podcasts generate 50% more leads than traditional marketing methods. According to a study by Edison Research, podcast listeners are more likely to purchase items from the brands they know and trust. To increase loyalty among customers, businesses should consider sponsoring podcasts that align with their brand values. A podcast is an intimate form of media, which allows for two-way communication with customers. Industry insights are constantly informing us of the stickiness of branded podcasting.
Podcasting educates your audience
If you want to educate your audience about your products or services, a podcast is an excellent way to do it. In fact, according to a study by the Content Marketing Institute, 60% of respondents said they were more likely to consider buying from a company after listening to a podcast. You will need to create excellent marketing campaigns for your podcast to make sure you hit your target audience and the right listeners tune in.
Podcasting builds relationships with customers and prospects
A branded podcast can help you build relationships with your customers and prospects. According to a study by Social Media Examiner, 70% of respondents said they were more likely to do business with a company after hearing the CEO or another representative on a podcast. Small business owners can find tremendous value in podcasting for business, especially when it’s a high quality podcast. I am a firm believer in podcasting for business because I have seen it work for countless clients and I know it can work for you too. Forget traditional media advertising, this is the wave!
Podcasting creates loyalty among customers
A branded podcast can help create loyalty among your customers. In fact, according to a study by Edison Research, 43% of respondents said they were more likely to be loyal to a company after hearing it on a podcast. There is something about those meaningful connections that present numerous benefits for any marketing plan. From the first episode you create an intimate relationship with the listeners, not only do they know your business name but they love you too!
Being a guest on other podcasts is a great way to expand your network but there is a real advantage to having your own podcast that you can control.
When you create a podcast, you are creating a unique content asset that can help to differentiate your business from the competition. Podcasting also allows a personal connection with your audience on a more intimate level, which can help to increase loyalty and trust. In some cases, those podcast listeners are potential customers and the podcast is considered to be part of a larger marketing strategy. Even if you don’t want to be the podcast host, there is so much value in stepping outside of your comfort zone and putting yourself out there. Even paid interviews can have value but nothing like having your own podcast.
Relationships are all about personal connection
Create strategic relationships that generate revenue by getting in front of exactly who you want to do business with. Podcasting is one of the most intimate mediums available and not just for the listeners. There are a lot of reasons to start a branded podcast for your business this year. Do you want new clients? Maybe you want to retain current clients or be seen as a thought leader. Whatever the goal is there is no wrong answer, only bad strategy or even worse, none at all. If you want to create a more personal relationship with current or potential clients, a podcast is an excellent way to do that.
Why is podcasting good for business?
Boost the number of people who visit your website. Unlike most forms of media, podcasts can provide a platform for business development to grow its credibility. The best podcasts are reaching customers effortlessly. Listeners typically subscribe to an interesting podcast to keep up to date. As long the audience stays constant, the audience may listen more often. Podcast episodes are consistent and readily available to the world for on demand listening, its the perfect way to reach potential customers.
Tell me the best place to start?
So it seems like podcasting fits your business goals for the year and you are ready to get started, sort of. You have heard that podcasts are a ton of work and you are already feeling overwhelmed, we get it. The best place to start is always going to be the strategy. Why do you want to start a podcast, what is the desired outcome?
Microphone- You will need a microphone to record your podcast. There are many different types of microphones available, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs. If you are just starting out, we recommend using a USB microphone. This is a great option for beginners because it is easy to use and affordable. To get the cleanest audio files you need a high quality microphone, period.
Podcast Hosting:
If you are ready to start podcasting, you will need to find a podcast hosting service. There are many different options available, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs. We recommend using Spreaker, which is a great option for beginners. We love working with them because they have really great stats and we think that’s very important for measurement. The RSS feed is how you get onto all of the podcast directories like apple podcasts. You simply upload your audio files and they take care of the rest.
Podcast Artwork:
To create a professional-looking podcast, you will need some artwork. You can create your own artwork or hire a graphic designer to create it for you. I always recommend hiring someone to do what they do best, you stick to the strategy. And there’s the thing, if you are creating a podcast to represent your business the last thing you should do is skimp on the design.
Buy a microphone, no seriously:
I know I already said this but some of you are not understanding the assignment and my audiophile self is really struggling with your bad microphones, or none at all. eYour podcast content needs to sound amazing, it’s an audio-first platform so make it count and get a mic. I even put together a great resource for that, check it out. Whatever you do, don’t buy a Yeti.
So here’s the deal, there is a ton more that goes into creating a branded podcast and it starts with strategy. If you don’t know what the goal post is then you will never hit it. There are a lot of reasons to start a branded podcast but they all have a different trajectory. Knowing exactly what you want to accomplish with the podcast is the very first step and the most important.
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Formore information on branded podcasts and how to get started, check out our website at Heartcast Media. We are a podcast production company that specializes in branded podcasts. We would love to help you get started with your own branded podcast.
