As companies of all industries are vying for the attention of potential customers, it’s surprising how largely untapped the podcast remains. In our society, multitasking is practically a requirement. The average consumer will quickly jump on every opportunity to make life more convenient. With a podcast, you are able to engage a customer’s attention at times when social media sites and web videos cannot – in the car, on a jog, etc. Streaming audio or video files can now of course be done through an iPod or smartphone.
A Few Useful Tips
So how can you market your products and services through this convenient outlet? Well, it’s not exactly rocket science. As simply stated by producer and host of Six Pixels of Separation Mitch Joel, “If people like your content they will download it.” But when it comes to podcasting, there are certainly things to do as well as things not to do. If you’re considering integrating a podcast into your inbound marketing strategy, here are a few useful tips to make sure you’re producing great content.
Have a clear focus – Regardless of the purpose of your podcast, it’s essential that you pick an angle and stick to it. Listeners will begin associating you with this theme and will trust you to provide them with that insight. Our own Jimmy Donnellon of the Inbound Show provides listeners with the latest news and tips on inbound marketing strategy. If one day Jimmy D began focusing instead on sports, you can bet he’d lose the majority of his listeners.
Stay consistent – Listeners will drop like flies if you’re not there when they expect you to be. Hubspot has set a high standard for consistency with their weekly podcast report Marketing Update. Though it may seem simple, podcasts require a time commitment. Do yourself a favor and make sure you are willing to invest the time before launching.
Engage with listeners – Though it may seem old-fashioned, giving your listeners an opportunity to call in and engage with you is a great way to boost your following. Being reader-driven has earned John Wall and Christopher Penn a great reputation with their show called Marketing Over Coffee. They save a designated slot of time each week to thoughtfully answer these questions.
Though these are just a few beginner tips, they’ll go a long way toward your success if you decide to take the leap into podcasting.
