Podcast as a marketing tool: why and how to use it
For those who are not yet familiar with the term, podcast is an audio file made for the purpose of commenting and discussing a topic.
Simple and inexpensive to produce, the podcast gained fame through websites that started using the tool as a medium to talk about subjects of interest, being widely used today as a means of marketing and communication.
6 reasons to use a podcast as a marketing tool
Although podcasts are not exactly new, they are growing in popularity as people and companies realize the power to connect audibly with the public.
More than one in five Americans listen to podcasts every month, and that number continues to increase, which makes one thing clear: people want to hear what others have to say on topics of interest to them.
The podcast as a marketing channel is an increasingly used strategy and with good reason, because in addition to their popularity, they are practical to produce and disseminate.
Professionals from the most diverse areas have been relying on this resource for some time, and companies and organizations are also turning to customers and stakeholders with an open podcast.
– Why Content Marketing is fundamental to your business
See six reasons that show why a podcast is a good idea for you to promote your brand.
1. Relationship
You need to create a relationship with your audience if you want to retain customers successfully. There is no better way to do this than by “showing up” more. Your audience has a chance to get to know you better by listening to you regularly. Thus, they are able to identify themselves and create a deeper connection with your brand.
2. Accessibility
Podcasts can be heard anytime, anywhere. Podcasts accompany listeners while exercising, driving, on public transport or cleaning. Therefore, it is an accessible and advantageous service for your current and potential customers.
3. Authenticity
Addressing your listeners directly creates trust. Therefore, you should take the microphone and speak without a filter, with transparency and authenticity. To make the podcast more varied and interesting, invite employees, customers and colleagues to participate. Give your listeners a behind-the-scenes look.
4. Assertiveness
Only those who are interested in the subject you discuss will hear and subscribe to your podcast. Therefore, it is anything but broad-based marketing with high waste. You can be very specific about the topics discussed, addressing the desires, problems and needs of your target group. In this way, it retains existing customers and attracts new ones with high conversion potential.
5. Scope and sustainability
The distribution of a podcast and its marketing are possible on a large scale and its use has no expiration date. Some new listeners can discover your podcast and access older audios. Regular listeners can review a program to find information they have forgotten or want to understand better. A podcast can be published in parallel on multiple channels, from iTunes to Spotify, increasing its reach.
6. Exclusivity
Creating a podcast can be that extra in corporate communications. It differentiates you from your competitors and attracts attention. Make your network more visible with little effort. Use your experience and let your creativity take over to create unique and attractive content for your audience.
Podcast Best Practices
The advantage of podcasts over files that contain images, such as videos, is that it is lightweight, easy to be processed by any device and you do not have to keep your eyes on the screen.
The production cost also ends up being lower, in addition to dispensing with all the preparation that a video requires in order not to appear amateurish.
– How to record videos at home
To get your podcast right, check out some tips:
Talk to a niche
Just like your brand and your blog, your podcast should also be targeted to a specific audience. To find out more about your audience and what they want to hear, answer the following questions:
- Who is my audience?
- What do they want to know?
- Which posts are most successful on my blog?
- What questions do I get repeatedly?
- Which social media posts receive the most shares?
You can be as specific as you like and reach a highly engaged audience. Have a goal in mind and determine what you would like to achieve with your podcast.
– How to use your Blog as a marketing tool
Invite others experts
Not only will your podcasts be more interesting to hear when there are two (or more) voices talking, but you will also have a great advantage: this expert will also share your podcast with his public.
What does that mean? More reach for your content and better marketing results. Whether your specialist has an audience of 1,000 or 10,000 people, you will definitely be exposed to a new audience of potential leads.
Discuss current and important topics
Podcasts are a great way to discuss the latest news in your area. Probably, if there is significant news related to your niche, your audience wants to know more about it. Enjoy the microphone and share your ideas.
Position yourself as an expert
Use your podcast to prove your authority. If you know enough about a specific topic to fill out a series of 15 or 30 minute podcasts, you are already an expert. But because you are giving your valuable insight for free to others, they will come to see you as an authority.
Advertise on all social channels
Be sure to inform your followers on social media about your new podcast. Create content and calls to action that direct the user directly to the channel where they can access the material.
– 7 Ways to increase your social media authority
Seek sponsorships
As your podcast grows in popularity, look for the best ways to monetize it. Hire a sponsor that makes sense for your brand and is useful to your audience. Sometimes, the podcast host will approach you with sponsorship opportunities, but you can also contact companies and request this assistance.
Look for companies that already advertise in other podcasts, as they are more likely to consider sponsoring you than a company that is unfamiliar with the subject.
Make periodic broadcasts
Do not post on an irregular schedule. People like to plan their podcasts. If you broadcast every Tuesday or Friday, your listeners will be able to organize their schedule so as not to miss any updates.
Another good idea is to create a short series of episodes (10 or less) on a specific topic. However, be sure to schedule them consistently as well. For example, schedule your 10-episode series to go out once a week, always on the same day.
Monitor your audience
You can track your audience through downloads and subscriptions. Do not confuse the two, however. People can subscribe to your podcast, but they rarely, if ever, take the time to listen to it. For this reason, downloads are a more valuable metric than subscriptions.
Use the podcast to advertise your online course and sell more
Recording a podcast is quite simple, all you need is a cell phone, a voice recorder or a simple microphone connected to the computer.
– 4 Audio Recorders Great for Your Business
For editing you can use one of the numerous software available for free on the Internet. One of the most used programs for this purpose is Audacity, that gathers a community of users around the world. With it, it is possible to “marry” the voiceover with effects and background music.
Before you start recording, plan and create a structure of what will be presented with a beginning, middle and end. It is important to insert an introduction explaining which topic will be covered.
The recordings should preferably be short, with a maximum duration of 20 minutes, as more time does not serve the purpose of maintaining the listener’s concentration.
In the case of online courses, if the episode is necessarily long, a good alternative is to break it into parts, modules, which encourages the student to continue with the classes and helps to stay focused.
Remember to constantly check the sound quality during recording. Currently, there are countless free software that fulfill this function very well.
– 12 apps to record quality video
Finally, upload the podcast to the platform on which your online course is hosted. If you use Coursify.me, this process is quite simple, just upload the material directly from your computer, Dropbox or any other platform.
In the educational field, this tool represents an additional support for teaching the most varied disciplines. With the podcast teachers can provide audio recordings of classes that can be accessed when the student has doubts, misses a class or wants to reinforce their studies.
The purpose of using this tool is to present the content in a more impactful way, attracting attention, facilitating the understanding of the subject and stimulating reasoning and debate.
Delivering the material in audio format also allows you to convey proximity and affection through intonation. For this, it must be recorded spontaneously, as in a conversation, with a natural and humorous tone.
– How to better communicate with the student in online classes
In online classes, the podcast can be used in two main ways:
- Complementary: the teacher makes materials available in audio format in order to complement the training;
- Auxiliary: the teacher selects a certain content / theme for students to research and study and then asks students to record podcasts summarizing what they have learned.
In short, it is a practical and simple teaching method that brings several advantages for learning.
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