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Podcasting Is Exploding. How Do You Know If It’s Right For Your Brand?

Forbes Communications Council

Elizabeth Shea is EVP, Public Relations at REQ, an award-winning marketing, brand management and PR company.

Podcast-listening has skyrocketed over the past couple of years. In fact, it’s quickly becoming one of the fastest-growing mediums, with forecasts predicting the number of podcast users to exceed 160 million by 2023.

It may be tempting to jump on the bandwagon and launch your own podcast for your business or personal thought leadership, but what should you consider first before diving right in? There’s no doubt podcasting can be an excellent way to communicate more intimately and informally with your customers, and you can do it relatively inexpensively, but there are still many things to consider before you start purchasing fancy boom mics and recording equipment. 

Let’s take a look at some of the things you need to think about before you hit record.

Do you have a niche?

Podcasts that focus on a specific niche or subject matter tend to perform better and garner more regular listeners than those covering broad topics. That makes sense. When people look for podcasts, they tend to search specific categories in places like Spotify or Apple Podcasts or on apps like Pocket Casts or Overcast. Plus, narrowing the focus generally means you’re going to continue to provide in-depth expertise on a targeted topic that is interesting to your listeners. 

That’s why it’s important to figure out what you want to focus on before you begin. The topic should be something you’re highly qualified to address, have a unique perspective on and are passionate about. If you and your company specialize in artificial intelligence, for example, talk about what you see in AI, machine learning, deep learning and related subjects. Don’t stray from that path. If you can keep things focused, you’ll have a much better chance of establishing a consistent and reliable listenership. 

Do you have the time?

Although the best podcasts come off as being off-the-cuff conversations, the truth is that a lot of time and commitment are involved in bringing them to life. For example, writing scripts — or, at least, talking points — is important to ensure you remain focused and sound professional yet conversational. There are various formats to follow, including narrative (a monologue on a particular topic); interview style; and educational, which is more informational and “how-to.” 

You also need to follow a regular cadence. While there’s no hard and fast rule about the cadence you need to shoot for, you’re not going to gain much traction if you’re only recording once every other month.

You might feel compelled to cut corners and take the webcasts or videos you’ve already posted on your YouTube channels and turn them into audio broadcasts, but that doesn’t gain you as much value. Podcasts are typically an audio-only format. Slides and images don’t translate, and you may lose your audience’s attention. If you’re going to do a podcast, do a podcast. If video is appealing to you, record each conversation to complement and promote the audio production. 

Do you want to raise your profile or make money?

Podcasts can be great tools for raising your thought leadership profile, but if monetization is your primary goal, you’ll probably want to invest your time and money somewhere else. While B2C podcasts can generate significant revenue through sponsorships, most B2B podcasts aren’t really set up to make money, and listeners seeking information probably won’t respond well to blatant product pitches. 

That’s not to say you can’t generate some revenue from podcasts, but whatever revenue you make will likely be derived indirectly from your audio efforts. People will get to know you and your company a little better. You’ll become a trusted source, and your expertise could push people to visit your website or contact your organization for more information about its products and services. But don’t expect the podcast itself to be a significant revenue source.

Do you know how to get your podcast to your listeners?

Assuming you’ve decided podcasting is the right path to take, then think about how to get your podcast to your intended audience. You’ll need a distribution plan, as it’s not enough to simply put an audio file on your website or social media and call it a day. It can also be time-consuming and confusing to submit your podcast to every podcast platform.

Fortunately, there are many hosting companies that can help you create, promote and submit your podcasts to the most widely used podcast networks. We currently use Buzzsprout, but most of these companies, such as Libsyn and Anchor, offer subscription plans that are relatively inexpensive (or even free), and just about all of them are happy to provide guidance on how to get started with minimal investment. They can also make sure you get in front of the right audiences and syndicate your content for podcast platforms. Using them is highly recommended, especially if you’re just starting to find your voice.

Do you like to have fun?

One of our clients who runs a successful podcast once remarked that it’s the hardest thing she’s ever done, but she also said it’s the most fun. While creating a compelling podcast takes effort, it is undoubtedly fun. You’ll be able to chat and learn from other people in your industry and share your unique perspective on topics that are important to your customers. You can be informal, let your personality shine through and be as engaging as you would be if you were having a conversation with a friend. 

You can forgo a lot of the corporate sheen that typically accompanies other marketing efforts and present your customers with something truly authentic. Authenticity is in great demand, especially now when people are craving straight talk and a break from their Zoom meetings. A podcast is like delivering a personalized TED Talk or conversation straight to someone's earbuds and can help you become a voice of experience that literally speaks to your customers. 

Are you ready to be that voice?


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