A Voice-Driven Marketing Strategy
Interest in podcasts continues to gain momentum. In fact, more people know about podcasts than can name who our current U.S. vice president is. While that’s somewhat of a sad statistic, it’s good for podcast marketing.
Edison Research looked into the growth of interest in podcasts in 2018 and found that people are listening to podcasts 300% more than they were in 2006, which is an equivalent of around 73 million people each month in America alone.
The interest is part of what has driven people to produce podcasts, and today there are almost half a million shows from which to choose. That’s a lot of competition for you, so how do you cut through all the noise?
Be Authentic and Build Trust
Because podcasts are a voice-driven medium, you can be personal and have an impact on your listeners. By being authentic and offering something of value, you stand out from your competitors.
When your audience discovers that you’re offering something of value, they talk about it with their friends and business associates, which positions you as a go-to authority within your niche.
Plan Ahead
Content is king. That statement is true in marketing as a whole, but it’s certainly true in podcasting. You have to plan ahead and ensure that you’re developing an action plan that delivers serious content that your listeners are going to appreciate.
Write down ideas for shows as they come to you. It could be something small at first, like an item that came up in a conversation with a work associate, but it could be part of a larger topic/talking point later.
Don’t be afraid of developing a script for your show, or an outline of important points to make if you’re just trying to keep it “conversational” and informal. Just be sure to cover everything you intended to cover.
Make Quality Audio
The bulk of your time producing podcasts will be in the planning and development stage, but don’t forget that you need to sound professional if you’re going to attract an audience.
Here are a few points to think about as you set up your podcast studio:
- Microphones
Avoid speaking too closely into them as that causes a popping sound. It can also max out the volume and cause your audio to sound fuzzy and overdriven. - Headphones
To better understand how your audio is turning out, use headphones. Also, they’re important to have when you include multiple people in a podcast. - Software
Once you’ve recorded your podcast, you’ll want to go in and edit it so the content flows. You can use GarageBand, which comes standard on all Macs, or try Adobe Audition, which is another quality editing program.
If you don’t have the time/energy to get into the technical aspects of creating a podcast, contact us at SJC Marketing. We have the expertise to help you record a quality podcast, but we can also assist you in the planning stages.