Podcasting – a powerful marketing tool!

Because we like to practice what we preach, you can listen to this post instead of reading it! 

I can’t remember the exact moment of realisation, but ever since I was a young boy in short shorts I’ve been obsessed with radio as a communication medium.

I was the odd kid who wouldn’t listen to the radio for the music, instead I’d be tuning in for the announcers, trying to decipher what made them so good at their craft. I would record radio shows and re-listen to the talk breaks, with a desire to one day be behind the microphone, connecting with the audience.

If it wasn’t already obvious, I’m passionate about radio – to me there’s no other medium that can reach a large audience, both collectively and individually. It’s intimate, personal and I believe delivers an emotional connection more than other communication mediums. It’s the reason radio is a traditional media that continues to thrive.

And the audio evolution continues with podcasts. Just like radio, podcasts can connect intimately and are becoming a valuable marketing tool to promote business. They’re perfect to educate, entertain and engage with your audience. It can position your company as a thought leader in your industry and elevate your brand. And you don’t have to rack up millions of downloads to create an impact. Plus, they’re more convenient than blogs because people can multitask and listen at the same time.

Image: You too can be as cool as Christian Slater in Pump Up The Volume…well, maybe not as cool, but close!

Podcasting is also brilliant for generating cost-effective content. You can repurpose your podcast to create additional content across your digital platforms, including the podcast itself, video highlights for social media, blog posts and more.

Before you dive into the world of podcasting, there’s a few itsy-bitsy things to consider:

Commitment to the cause

The first…consistency is key. Podcasting is a marathon, not a sprint. Building an audience takes time and if you aren’t willing to commit to releasing episodes on a regular schedule, you should hold off jumping in. Whether you release episodes weekly, fortnightly or monthly, you want to provide certainty for your audience so that when they go looking for a new ep, it’s ready and waiting.

Who’s listening?

Who do you want listening to your podcast? Defining your audience makes things so much easier when deciding on what content to include and plan for. As a business you may already know the traits of who you want to speak to. But if not, get brainstorming with your team!

Determine the format and length

Is it a solo show? Interview-based or multiple team members presenting? There’s no right or wrong answer, it will be determined on what is more suited to your industry and business. But whatever the format, a conversational approach is best. No-one enjoys a sterile, ‘reading from a script’ delivery.

The beauty of the podcasting world is there is no set length of time episodes should go for. Ten minutes or an hour, it’s all determined by your content and audience. There’s one thing to keep top of mind, leave your listener wanting more. You’ve all been at a party stuck talking to someone who has no sense of brevity. Don’t let you podcast be ‘that person’!

You should map out how you want your show to run and plan batches of shows in advance. Trust me, it will make not only recording your podcast easier, but will reduce the panic when life and work takes over and you’re short on time to put together the latest episode.

I won’t go take you through the technical aspects of setting up a podcast (in this post, anyway!), there’s plenty of time for those considerations after you’ve decided to proceed with a podcast.

For me, commitment is the biggest consideration. However, there’s plenty to be excited about when thinking of podcasting as an additional marketing tool, including the opportunity to:

• Talk one-on-one and create deeper connections with your customers
• Build credibility and industry authority
• Increase exposure and brand awareness
• Improve networking opportunities
• Include the whole team in the creative process.

Kevin Rigby
Account Director

If you are thinking of adding a podcast to your marketing and communications arsenal, C7EVEN has some pretty talented people who can help with the whole podcast process from design, recording, editing and scheduling. We’d love to talk more about what you have in mind to make it a reality.