The world has gone digital. The problem is that most small business owners believe that “digital” begins and ends at websites, social media pages and email marketing.
Wrong.
There are a wealth of other digital marketing strategies, included – but definitely not limited to – webinars, virtual events and even podcasts.
Podcasts?
Yep. Podcasts.
We get it. You’re just a small business owner trying to do the best you can with the limited marketing budget you have. But here’s the good news:
- Podcasts are inexpensive to produce, generally not requiring much more than a decent laptop, mic and script.
- They’re more engaging that your website, emails, or even your social media pages.
- Podcasts allow you to reach a different subset of your audience – one that doesn’t open their emails, won’t visit your website and doesn’t care much for social media.
- They allow you to put yourself and your team front and center, even if some (or all) of you are a bit too camera-shy for video.
Need more convincing? Here are some cold, hard stats:
- As of 2021, there were 850,000 active podcasts, accounting for more than 48 million episodes.
- 51% of Americans have listened to a podcast and 37% listen to at least one per month.
- 45% of those who listen to podcasts have a household income over – wait for it – a quarter of a million dollars.
Are you sold yet? Fantastic. Here are our best tips to make your business podcast shine.
Best Practices for Business Podcasts
Be the Star of the Show
Think about the radio stations you play in your car. Why do you listen to 100.2 FM rather than 105.3 FM? They both play the same Top 40 country/rock/classic rock/whatever it is you listen to. The same songs played in the same rotation every single day.
Chances are, you listen to 100.2 FM because you like the DJ better. You connect with them. You like the chatter between the songs.
The DJ carries the show – and that’s what you need to do, too. Be engaging. Find a schtick if it works for your brand. Either way, you need to be front and center of your own podcast.
Figure Out Your Format
Some podcasts have one host, while some have two or more. Some regularly invite guests to record with them (which is especially helpful for co-marketers!) and some just keep the same revolving cast on a weekly/bi-weekly/monthly basis.
What are you trying to do? Who are you trying to reach? What are your short- and long-term goals? The answer to those questions will help you determine what sort of format you need to develop for your business podcast.
Nail Down the Length
According to Buzzsprout, the average length of a podcast is about 38 minutes. Depending on what you have to say, it could be longer or shorter. There’s no need to ramble on about refrigerator repair for 38 minutes if you can sum it up in 15, and there’s no need to rush through your firm’s cryptocurrency strategy because you don’t want to go over the “magic” 38-minute time frame.
What your audience is looking for is consistency. If you have five weeks’ worth of 25-minute episodes, don’t hit them with a 90-minute episode out of the blue. There’s no harm in splitting a lengthy podcast up into a series if you find you need more time to address the topic.
Build Your Audience Prior to Launch Day
Is it really a podcast if no one is around to listen to it? While you’re free to record your podcast in advance, it’s advisable to hype it up before you throw it out into the ether.
Promote your podcast far and wide before the first episode drops, and consider putting together an exclusive team of “early listeners” who can act as beta testers/guinea pigs. They’ll be glad for the opportunity to be the first ones in the know. And you’ll be glad that the glaring mispronunciation of some obscure word was brought to your attention by a sliver of your most devoted fans rather than your entire audience!
Are You Ready to Rule the Airwaves?
Podcasts are a fantastic way to branch out in your digital marketing strategy and capture an audience that isn’t connecting with your other mediums. You don’t need to hit the top of the charts on day one, but it’s definitely something you should consider adding to your marketing arsenal!
Need some help developing the script? We might not have a podcast (yet!), but Mischa Communications is holding the mic you need to make your voice heard. We’ll be waiting.