As business owners, we’re always looking for fresh new ways to promote our business. We have this great product/service so it’s reasonable to want to share that with as many people as possible! However, especially in a saturated industry, how do we ensure that we are reaching a new audience?
Technology is always changing so keeping up with the latest trends in technology is a great way to start! Podcasting, for example, has been a force that has taken over the internet. This SEO tactic is a convenient, intimate and engaging format so it’s no wonder 58% of listeners spend one to 5 hours listening to podcasts per week!
You might be wondering if a podcast is right for your business. After all, if you’re going to invest valuable resources and time into making one, you want to make sure that you truly reach a new audience! So what’s the big deal with podcasting? And how can it help elevate your brand?
Convenience
One of the most appealing parts of podcasts is their convenience. According to a report, more than 60% of people listen to podcasts at home or while in the car. People are busy and podcasts can be easily intertwined into their lives without disrupting them. The pure audio component makes it possible for people to consume your content even while they drive, workout, cook, etc. After all, reading an article or watching a video isn’t necessarily the best idea while driving. Another appealing aspect of podcasts? They come in a variety of lengths. You only have 5 minutes during lunch or maybe it’s Sunday and you have an hour? There’s a podcast for that!
Intimate
Podcasts are more intimate than other modes of communication and give people another way to engage with you. Ideally, listeners will connect with the podcast host and will continue to come back regularly to listen to your podcast. Through the stories you tell and the conversations you have, your audience is more likely to relate to your brand. You are able to build stronger relationships with your audience because you’ve introduced a human element to your brand. In addition, the presence of audio allows you to have more control over the interpretation of the subjects and stories you dive into. With text, a reader can interpret the tone of a sentence differently than you intended. Podcasts are great because the audio component allows people to clearly hear the emotion behind your words.
Community
It also allows the creation of a community around your brand. You want people to get invested in your brand and feel like they are a part of something that goes a purchase. People are choosing to listen to your podcast weekly because they like the content you’re putting out. By building a loyal following, you’re surrounding your business with people who will share your content and ideas with others. Shared content leads to more exposure which can help you reach a wider audience of people!
SEO
Podcasts are a great SEO tactic but what exactly does that mean? SEO, search engine optimization, is the set of activities that you do in order to improve the ranking of a website on a search engine results page. The goal is to be one of the first results in order for your website to get more clicks. How can a website’s ranking be improved? You can start by using a keyword research tool to determine which keywords people are already typing to find you. After that, you can incorporate those keywords into the content you create.
Where do podcasts come in?
Podcasts are still a growing platform compared to video and blogging. According to research, there are about 200,000 active podcasts compared to 19 million active blogs and 1 billion YouTube users. To improve your website’s ranking, you should create content around your podcast, such as a blog post, and incorporate keywords and external links. In addition, being a guest on other podcasts that align with your brand is a great way to generate additional traffic for your website!
Ultimately, the power of podcasting gives you the ability to incite conversation, connect and enrich the lives of your users. Will you take a leap and start a podcast? If you have, how has it improved your business?