Top Five Signs You Need to Start a Podcast

Podcasting, once the domain of hobbyists, has grown into a massive industry. Despite being a relatively recent phenomenon, podcasts were incredibly quick to rise in popularity after the audible revolution in 2004. 

Today, there are 750,000 podcast shows available across many different streaming services; that’s over 30 million episodes available for download. In recent years, podcasts have also outdone written content in terms of popularity with everyday audiences, and it’s estimated that 50% of all homes – 60 million homes – are podcast consumers.

With these numbers, podcasting has naturally become an excellent way for businesses to put themselves in front of their target audience. On top of that, creating a podcast is fairly easy to do, doesn’t require much of an investment to get started and can pay dividends in unexpected ways. 

Here are five signs that your company should be in the podcast game.

You Want to Position Yourself as a Thought Leader in Your Industry

If this sounds like your brand, then there’s a very good chance that starting a podcast would be a smart move for you. Podcasts are a long-format, informational medium that requires a thorough knowledge of the subject matter covered, and audiences know this. They generally view podcast creators as subject matter experts, and this is exactly how you want your target audience to view you.

This is true whether you’re a B2C or B2B business. Even if your customers are other businesses, those businesses are run by people, and people listen to podcasts.

Even if your customers are other businesses, those businesses are run by people, and people listen to podcasts.

This medium attracts repeat engagements at a much higher rate than blogs and other textual marketing formats do. Podcasts can be enjoyed passively. They can be listened to in the background. As a result, podcasts can bring your message to more people, more consistently, establishing you as a thought leader in your industry far more readily.

You’ve Identified That Your Target Audience Consumes Podcasts Avidly

If you already know that the people you’re trying to reach are listening to podcasts regularly, then it only makes sense to create your own. That’s Marketing 101 – you go where your audience is. If they listen to the radio, you buy radio ads. If they spend the bulk of their time consuming social media, you advertise on Facebook and generate content for social channels. If your audience listens to podcasts, and you aren’t engaging with them through that medium, you’re missing out on a major marketing opportunity.

Research the sorts of podcasts your target market listens to. Do they follow a narrative format or are they recorded interviews? Are they informational, entertainment or something in between? Do they have a news slant or do they skew editorial? Knowing the style and format your market commonly enjoys will help you create a podcast that fits neatly into their preferences.

You Have Limited Time for Content Marketing

If your window for content creation is small, podcasts are an excellent choice to fit into your available time. For one, they can be generated relatively quickly. An interview-style podcast requires very little editing. You only need to record a conversation with some notable person at your company or in your industry, sculpt it a bit, add some music and release it to your listeners.

As a result of podcasts being more effective at reaching a wider audience, the limited time you have for content creation is better spent creating a podcast. All it takes is one episode a week to build a consistent following.

You’re Looking for a Competitive Advantage

Consumers today do their research. They’re savvy about price, features and positioning. In a highly competitive market, knowledge can be the advantage you need to boost yourself over your competition.

Podcasts educate potential customers. They help them get acquainted with the specifics of an industry they might not know enough about to make informed decisions. And they frequently reward that free education with their business.

In a highly competitive market, knowledge can be the advantage you need to boost yourself over your competition.

Podcasts offer two advantages: 

• They let you control the message that your prospects hear. You can inform consumers about the challenges they face while simultaneously positioning yourself as the solution. 
• You don’t have to do this explicitly. The sheer fact that the podcast is coming from you creates the impression that you are the answer to the issues raised.

If your podcast becomes the go-to source for industry information, your company becomes the go-to business for industry solutions.

You’ve Maxed Out Other Opportunities

If your website is fully optimised, you maintain a popular blog, have an active content program for every major social media platform, you’ve sculpted the perfect Google MyBusiness presence and maxed out all of the other available options, then a podcast is the next logical extension.

Having a podcast that’s hosted on iTunes and other platforms offers you the ability to generate new backlinks to your website and social media platforms. It also increases your presence on the web in general, extending your reach beyond standard SEO strategies. Sometimes, a podcast is all it takes to push you up above your competition in the search rankings.

So why not give a podcast a try? It’s fun, simple and can give every part of your business a boost.