Imagine creating content that was accessible on desktops, laptops, smartphones, tablets, and didn’t require anyone to do more than hit play. That’s the power of a podcast. The number of Americans who have ever listened to a podcast has risen to 45%, which is approximately 70 million Americans. That’s a lot of listening power.
Over the years there’s been a shift in listenership from “early adopters” to more mainstream media consumers. Furthermore, according to a report (no longer available) put together by Edison Research, podcast consumers rank highly in their usage of social media. This gives the podcast access to a market of willing and waiting listeners, and a community that will share your podcast with others.
Podcasting offers a variety of benefits for business owners that others forms of content don’t offer, so including podcasting in your mix of content creation can help diversify your interactions with your community, and perhaps attract new folks.
Benefits of Podcasting
1. Beneficial for Content Marketing
Repurposing content is key for any business’s content creation process. Ideally, a topic lends itself to a blog post, infographic, podcast, and social media posts. Everyone consumes content differently, so distributing the same ideas in multiple ways allows you to give all of your followers useful content without working twice, thrice, etc. Different media allows you to include new information, and allows individuals ways to absorb the same information in the way they prefer. A podcast offers a way to breathe life into a topic by hosting a discussion. This discussion can be with an expert in the field, a fellow co-worker, or even with peers who could join the conversation.
2. Beneficial for Brand Expertise & Leadership
Don’t wait for permission. If your business has an idea for a podcast to tackle issues in your industry, get to it! A common fear is that someone is already talking about your topic. While that may be true, listeners are attracted to the personalities that host the podcast and the value and depth of the discussion. Even if the information is available elsewhere, people want to hear it in an entertaining way. Produce a quality product, then share it with your clients, your contacts, and your entire company. Establish yourself as the go-to resource for the topic you know best!
3. Beneficial for Brand Reach
Having a podcast is like hosting your own radio show, but without overhead or expensive equipment to purchase. A podcast, as part of a well-rounded digital marketing strategy, is a great way to extend your brand’s reach. If you can’t normally reach your audience when they’re on the go or when they want to relax and listen to a good story, distribute a podcast that they can listen to during those times. The podcast can be hosted and uploaded on a variety of audio networks previously untouched by your content distribution plan.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY…
4. Beneficial for Your Listener
Our favorite thing about podcasts is that the audience can listen to your show whenever they’d like. People with long commutes are always looking for ways to fill that time with something productive and fun. This is where your podcast fits in. Your audience can enjoy your content when they are ready. This is a big departure from a typical talk radio broadcast that depends on listeners to be at a certain place at a certain time to listen to their show.
Do you have a podcasting success story? Would you like to try it? We would love to hear your stories, so leave us a comment and let’s discuss!
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