The Power of Podcasting: A Digital Revolution

Do you have a message you want to share with the world? Are you passionate about your business, your hobby, or your lifestyle? A podcast is the latest way to bring your enthusiasm to a global audience. If you haven’t listened to a podcast recently you are in the minority. It’s the hottest scene within the digital world now and its potential is still rising. Here are some ideas on how you and your business can leverage the powerful world of podcasting.

Why Everyone Loves Podcasting

Whether you like learning about the latest technology, enjoy hearing true crime stories, or simply love laughing along with your favorite comedian, the realm of podcasts has an option for everyone. Some people listen while falling asleep, others multitask and enjoy their podcasts as they commute, do housework, exercise, or bake. There are many possibilities, but there is one consistent factor: the number of people listening to podcasts is growing.

Podcasting for Individuals

Everyone loves having a creative outlet. If you have an interest in a specialty subject, sharing it with the world can bring great satisfaction, and there’s bound to be other people looking for that same information. If you feel you are alone in having an interest in a niche topic, a podcast will quickly assure you there are many others you can relate to.

After starting a podcast, one of the unexpected benefits that some individuals are finding is that sharing their interests with the world has led them to become celebrities within their field of expertise. Hosting a podcast lifts you to authority status amongst your listeners. This could lead to speaking at virtual conferences and may even provide opportunities for being hired as a coach or consultant.

Podcasting for Businesses

Advertising agencies, non-profit organizations, educational institutions, and public relations firms can use podcasting to their advantage. The big jump in the number of podcasts available these days is driven by the growing demand for them.

Podcasting is a flourishing industry, but there are still plenty of opportunities to make your own mark. Compared to blogging, it’s less crowded and you will have deeper engagement with your listeners. People who tune in to podcasts feel they are part of the conversation, so they tend to develop a relationship with the host. This intimacy means they are more invested in your brand and will readily share your message and promote your services.

Podcasting is the ideal way to promote your goods or services, and to attract more customers. Every episode is an opportunity to explain why your products are better than anything supplied by your competitors. Each time you are on air you can talk about your latest offers and direct your listeners to your website to learn more about your business.

Building an audience through a podcast has a great return on your investment and is the perfect way to generate leads through website traffic. But it’s not all about attracting customers. Podcasting is also an effective way to stay connected with your workers. With so many employees working remotely, an internal podcast helps them to stay connected and feel valued. It’s the perfect way to share new developments, reveal new products, and introduce new staff. It’s easy to create these short-form podcasts in an informal manner that is relatable and exciting for your staff.

Tips for Starting Your Podcast

  1. Starting a podcast is easier than you think, especially when you team up with a company like RaffertyWeiss Media who can assist with scripting, recording, and music. We work with businesses across all levels of industry and produce high quality content for projects large and small. Having professional audio quality is so important in podcasting. Having an interesting interview or story is paramount, but you will only keep people listening if they can hear the broadcast clearly.
  2. Talk about your own interests and passions. Tell the listeners why you became involved in your topic and use stories to take people on a journey that outlines the discoveries you made as you explored your subject. Make sure you have an exciting opening that captures their imagination and provides a teaser that’s going to keep them listening until the final reveal. Use descriptive words to keep the listeners entertained as this will help them to visualize what you are talking about.
  3. Unless you decide on an interview-style podcast, pair up with a friend or colleague to host your show. Having two people chatting to each other provides a casual conversation that is relaxed and natural.
  4. Keep it simple. Don’t be too elaborate with lots of sound effects. Your ideas and the story you weave are the main reason people are going to listen to your podcast. Pick a subject and keep to it, don’t wander too far off topic. The ideal length of a podcast seems to be around 20 minutes. Listeners have short attention spans and often find it difficult to maintain interest beyond that time.
  5. Record at least 3 episodes before you launch your podcast. This helps with rankings and gives your listeners a chance to get to know you while you are preparing your next episode. Producing weekly editions of podcasts seems to be the most desired frequency.
  6. As each episode is launched, make sure you have a transcript available on your website. A podcast transcript holds a lot of content, providing useful SEO exposure and backlinks for your website. This results in more listeners being directed back to your podcast! The transcript also represents a vault of content you can use in other forms of marketing such as social media posts, or blog articles.

Conclusion

Listeners have many reasons for tuning in to podcasts. Some want to be entertained, others want to learn a new skill, and many want to feel inspired. As an individual you can provide that service while sharing your ideas with the world. Podcasting is also for business leaders who can combine this popular form of broadcasting with their marketing and public relations plans. There are no limitations on the style of shows you can create, so let your imagination run wild and express yourself through the power of podcasting!