We’ve become accustomed to having the old and traditional replaced by everything digital. Digital platforms replaced printed magazines and newspapers, texting apps and cell phones replace landlines, and, for the most part, podcasts replaced the radio. Amid the overload of digital information, it’s quite surprising how downloading audio files and listening to them is just as popular as other forms of content – but that’s how great podcasts are.
In a world where everyone in the marketing scene is racing to enjoy the benefits of podcasting, you don’t want to be left behind! If you’re still skeptical, here’s how your business can benefit from a podcast.
Improve Brand Authority and Credibility
From a professional point of view, starting a podcast is similar to starting a blog about your business or expertise. You have valuable information you’ve gathered throughout the years and you want to share your insights with a loyal audience. Whether you start a blog or a podcast, the result is the same: you’re establishing your credibility as an industry expert. However, podcasts have an upper hand over blogs in how they can be downloaded and listened to on the way. In short, podcasts help you improve brand authority and credibility while being more convenient to your target audience.
Repurpose High-Performing Content
Just because you decided to start a podcast doesn’t mean you’re limited to it. In fact, you can share your content through different means. If you’ve already started a blog, you can turn it into a podcast, and vice versa. The same goes for other valuable content you create, such as videos. The ability to repurpose your high-performing content into podcasts and the other way can help you reach a wider audience since everyone has their own preferences in the way they like to access information. On the plus side, you won’t have to spend any extra time or resources on creating new content: your past self has already taken care of the job.
Podcasts Are Easy to Create
Speaking of convenience, podcasts are relatively easy to create. You’ll indeed spend some time crafting new content to make it valuable and interesting, but the technicalities behind creating the podcast are relatively easy. As the podcasting experts at wiredclip.com point out, you just need to choose the right podcast hosting platform and you’ll be set to go. The right platform will help you do more than just create episodes; it’ll give you the tools to promote, share, and access advanced analytics to improve the performance of your podcasts. Other than that, you’ll just need a good mic, headphones, PC, and internet connection.
Podcasts Help You Drive Traffic
Podcasts are a great way to expand your reach and engage with new listeners. You can make good use of podcasts to introduce your business to new customers in an untraditional way. Instead of front-up sale-pitches and direct advertising, you’re showing your audience proof of your credibility. By giving them something valuable, you can be sure to drive more traffic to your website and online platforms.
In fact, surveys show that about 63% of listeners will purchase what the host promotes. Alternatively, you can create a podcast to engage with your current fanbase and customers. Even though it’s mostly one-sided, a podcast will help you open a more authentic method of communication with your customers.
Podcasts Improve Your Public Speaking Skills
As a businessman, you know well enough how public speaking is a skill you need to polish. However, training your public speaking skills is not always feasible in the middle of daily business affairs. If you’re looking for a way you can hit many birds with one stone, then you definitely have to try podcasting. While you work on your content creation skills, you get to improve your presentation skills, unwind from routine, and improve your business all at the same time. In this way, you’ll be more confident whenever you’re in front of a crowd.
Podcasts Give You a Chance to Expand Your Network
Finally, starting a podcast will help you connect with other professionals in the field. You’ll get the chance to invite industry experts on your show or guest-star on other podcasts. These cross-promotional efforts will help you expand your network and, likely, open new business collaboration opportunities.
From a business perspective, there are a lot of reasons to start a podcast. Any marketer would tell you how popular and effective podcasts are, whether it’s in reaching a broader audience, driving sales, or positioning your brand. If anything, starting a podcast can help you expand your professional network and build more mutually-beneficial collaborations. However you look at it, the return on investment is way greater than the cost of creating a podcast.