I created my first podcast years ago with a show called “Denver Urban Lifestyles”. Along with a marketing friend, we featured neighborhoods in Denver and area events. It was a lot of fun, but a lot of work! However, I’ve had the podcast “bug” ever since. More recently I’ve created and hosted an ongoing podcast for Denver Parent Magazine. It’s a magazine format and I’m in the process of cutting it up and re-releasing it in a different format. It’s a fun way to connect with an audience and I’m looking forward to the Podcasting year ahead.
Podcasts can be informative, entertaining and enlightening and they offer creators a chance to connect with their audiences, build valuable connections and maybe eventually make money selling ads or promoting your product.
According to Edison Research and Convince & Convert, 67 million Americans age 12 and older will listen to a podcast on a monthly basis, and 15 percent of the U.S. population will tune in weekly. Podcast followers will listen to five shows per week, and 85 percent of listeners will hear all, or at least most of, each episode.
So, is a podcast right for your business?
The following questions should help you answer this. Probably content and whether podcasting fits your personality is the biggest issue, but there are other things to consider.
What is my podcast about and will it benefit my business?
Many podcasts feature hosts interviewing other experts in their niche. This is a great way to learn more about your industry as well as tap into your guests’ audiences. If you interview an influencer with hundreds of thousands of followers, you will attract this audience when you promote the interview.
Podcasts are all about storytelling and personality. They are about engaging your listeners and connecting with them. Think about what stories you can tell and whether you would have fun telling them. I think one of the keys to a successful podcast is enjoying it yourself!
Focus on great content
You will need to get a following before you can even think about getting sponsors. Spend some time figuring out how you’re going to build up an audience and how you’re going to keep creating new episodes before you start getting excited about making money from this.
You can leverage your expertise to use the podcast to get new clients and business so it can just be about promoting your company – but think about whether you would listen to you! 🙂 Are your podcasts entertaining enough to warrant someone listening to you on an ongoing basis? Most podcast listeners won’t be engaged by your ongoing commercials about you.
What do I need to get started?
Despite information you may find, you don’t need to have top-notch equipment to create a podcast. Most free conferencing software (Zoom or Free Conference Call) lets you record calls which you can easily turn into a podcast interview.
You can use also use the internal microphone on your computer, your iPhone, iPad or an inexpensive microphone you can get from an office supply store or Amazon.
Most website hosting services can handle podcast uploads, but it’s good to check before you start recording. There are also podcast hosting services out there – be sure to check out what they offer and compare pricing to your normal hosting services before you shell out a lot of money.
Finally, find sponsors!
When you’ve built up enough of a following, it should be easy enough to find sponsors. However, this is a subject for another blog post!
Have fun and create your podcast! Enjoy it and it’s likely your audience will as well!
