Podcasting 101

Audio content has quickly become the newest trend. So, it’s likely that you’re aware of podcasts by now. Celebrities, influencers, and businesses alike all seem to be involved in some way, and they have been pushed hard across radio, social media, and other channels. You may wonder why, and it’s because podcast advertising is now in!

Even Spotify has changed its description from “music” to “music and podcasts.” They provide our ears with a chance to listen to pretty much anything from comedy to movie reviews, sports roundups, news stories, or the outright weird. For example, here is an episode that is dedicated to the history of gnomes.

Podcast advertising isn’t just another way for celebrities and the media to push out more content. They offer significant benefits to small and medium-sized businesses. And, there are several ways that you could get involved.

If you’re want to make a big commitment, then you can start your own show. Whereas, if you’re looking to dip your toes in the water first, then you can try guesting on an existing show. Both options will allow you to reach a new audience and make new connections across different industries, which could be extremely valuable in the future.

A great thing about podcast advertising is that it’s free. You don’t even need to spend money on a microphone, hosting site, or editing software. There are plenty of options that are free of charge, which we’ll cover shortly.

The only commitment that is required is your time, and you can give as much or as little as you think is appropriate. You could release episodes on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, and there is no correct or incorrect release pattern.

Then, once you’re done, you’ll have some great new content to share with your followers while developing yourself as the expert for audio content in your given field.

Here are some great stats that may encourage you to consider using podcasts, courtesy of Podcast Insights:

• 32% of US population listened to a podcast in the last month
• 22% of the US population listen weekly
• 94% of podcast listeners are active on at least one social media channel
• 80% of people will listen to all or most of each podcast episode
• 50% of all US homes are podcast fans

Starting a Podcast Advertising

Getting started

If you are willing to commit long-term, then you should try to start your own podcast, which is actually much easier than it sounds. By hosting your own show, you’ll become an influencer in your specialised field, and you can build a network of devoted followers that will be regularly exposed to your brand.

Plus, if your competitors are yet to start a podcast advertising, then you’ll be able to establish yourself as the industry leader in audio content. Remember, no matter what you are talking about, there will always be someone that is willing to listen to your episodes. It doesn’t matter whether you speak for five minutes or an hour; there is an audience out there for you.

Understandably, the thought of starting your own podcast advertising could seem quite daunting. There are several key steps involved, and every episode has to be at a level of quality that will attract listeners. You’ll need to search for guests (or record alone), plan out each episode, and promote them on different channels.

Then, there’s also the editing part, where you have to painfully listen to your voice back. However, you shouldn’t be discouraged as things definitely get easier after the first episode is out of the way, and you’ll begin to pick up techniques that speed things up.

When you are ready to get started, you’ll need to select a hosting service to record your episodes on. There are many to pick from, and they all have different advantages. Here are some of your best options:

• Skype is one of the easiest ways to host remote podcast episodes. All you need to do is call your guest and hit record. Then, once the call ends, you’ll both have access to the audio files, and you can edit using a free online tool. It’s worth noting that sound quality isn’t the greatest, though.
• Anchor (owned by Spotify) is a great app for recording on your smartphone. You can record alone or invite multiple guests and record remotely by using headphones. Once your episode is complete, you can edit the recording and add transitional music within the app. Once you’re ready to publish, you can upload the episode directly to major platforms like Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Music really quickly. It’s the winner for accessibility.
• SquadCast allows you to record episodes via desktop and is best suited when you have a high-quality microphone that you’d like to use. It is the clear winner of the group for sound quality.

Video tutorial:

Anchor: The Easiest Way to Start a Podcast

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5P1eQV7LKs&t=3s

Networking

One of the major benefits of starting a podcast advertising is that it opens up many networking opportunities. Your show gives you a way of interacting with new connections that you may have not previously considered speaking to.

By using the podcast, you’ll be selling to them without them even knowing. Every guest that you invite onto your show will go away knowing that you are an expert in a particular business area. Should they need something later down the line, then it’s likely that your name will jump out first.

Additionally, your guests will want their featured episode to be a success too. Most of your guests will be happy to share the podcast with their own followers across social media and particularly on LinkedIn. This provides you with a great opportunity to increase brand awareness because your show will be exposing your business to an entirely new audience.

For example, if your guest has 500+ connections on LinkedIn, then that is 500+ new people that will become exposed to your business at no cost other than the time it took to create the episode. Plus, if your guest is well-respected in their industry, then their followers will value their opinion.

One way that you can start looking for guests is by taking advantage of a service like Spot A Guest. The website provides a free service that connects podcast hosts to potential guests, and all you need to do is fill out a quick description of your show and the type of guest that you are looking for. Then, they’ll include your show in one of their upcoming emails that are sent out to over 3000 people weekly.

Content

Another benefit of starting a podcast advertising is that it will provide you with some great content to share with your followers. As well as written content, you’ll be able to share episode previews and streaming links across your social media channels. This means that you can mix things up and keep your followers engaged with a new type of content.

Your previews will show as a video on social media, and you can also run paid advertisements on them to promote your podcast. Did you know that videos generate twelve times more shares than images and text posts combined?

A great way to share your episodes is by using an audio snippet that reveals 60-seconds or less of your episode. This gives your guests a teaser and helps them to determine whether or not it might be of value to them.

If you are using Anchor, then they will allow you to create a short audio snippet that is shareable on social media for free. If you are using another recording tool, then you could use a site like Headliner or Wavve to design your snippets.

Video tutorial:

Creating an Audiogram with Headliner

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1mfeuAu5BQ

Guesting on a podcast

Being a guest on existing podcast advertising is another way to increase brand awareness.

As you’ll be seen as the expert, your opinions will add value to the show, and you’ll be able to share insights and tips to a new audience. You shouldn’t be surprised to know that there are thousands of people out there that are on the daily hunt for guest to feature on their shows. So, if your skills match the ideal guest profile, podcast hosts will be jumping at the opportunity to start recording.

Being a guest on other shows also means that you’ll have fewer time constraints. You won’t need to spend time editing and creating promotional content, which can often take several hours. Instead, all you’ll need to do is be present for the recording.

Since most podcast hosts will allow you to join the recording remotely, you won’t even need to leave your house or workplace. Once the host has finished editing, you can then share the episode with your own followers to increase exposure!

A new audience

Being a guest on other shows allows you to broaden your exposure and build a reputation as an expert in the industry. First off, the host will endorse you as an expert in your given field. Secondly, your episode will be showcased to a new audience.

While you’d still achieve this by starting your own show, the benefit of guesting is that the host will have already built a subscriber list across multiple audio platforms. Additionally, if the show has been going for a while, the host is likely to have a loyal follower base that listens to new episodes regularly.

Developing connections

As well as increasing exposure, you’ll also be able to develop personal relationships with the host of shows that you have featured on. There may be an opportunity for you to work closely with each host by referring new customers to each other when applicable.

You’ll also be able to increase your network, particularly on LinkedIn. They may also engage with your content and comment on your future posts on the networking site, which is excellent for increasing organic reach.

Podcast advertising

One marketing platform that is yet to be utilized to its fullest potential is podcast advertising. There are two ways that you could approach podcast advertising. You can either create an advert that will run during an intermittence in shows (like on the radio).

Or, you can have podcast hosts discuss a particular topic that results in them mentioning your brand as the best product or service available. There is no right or wrong option, but it’s certainly worth trying both and seeing which one generates the best results.

If you are still reluctant to try out audio advertising, then here’s a great example of how effective it could be. Imagine there is a podcast that covers the various professional sports teams in any given major city. Then, imagine you are the owner of a clothing store that sells retro sports items in that city. What better way to advertise your store than to have an audio ad during an episode of the sports podcast?

Listeners of the episode would immediately have a vested interest in checking out the items available at the store. Therefore, allowing you to get your company directly in front of an audience that has an interest in your product or service offering.

Research shows that podcast ads are extremely effective. A Nielsen report found that 69% of podcast listeners agree that podcast ads made them aware of new products or services.

Additionally, a recent study by the Interactive Advertising Bureau and Edison Research found that podcast listeners are highly likely to take action when hearing ads during their favourite shows. The report found that 45% of listeners will visit a website, 42% will consider purchasing the new product or service, and 37% will gather additional information on the product or service.

Go time!

It’s understandable if podcasting is a little out of your comfort zone. At the same time, you shouldn’t let your nerves hold you back from a huge opportunity. Getting involved in the industry has never been easier, and there is a large community out there that is willing to help you get started and answer any lingering questions that you may have.

Then, you’ll be able to watch as your company becomes exposed to an entirely new audience, leading to new connections and potential sales. And, at the very minimum, you’ll strengthen your brand and have a lot of fun in the process.

 

 

About the author:

Liam Quinn is a Marketing Executive at Reach Interactive, a cloud-based SMS provider. Liam is also the host of the 20 Minute Marketing podcast, where he speaks with industry experts about current marketing trends. You can get in touch with him here.