How (and why) to start a Podcast - The Ultimate Guide
Podcasting can offer a huge number of benefits for your personal brand or business. Podcasts have developed into useful sources of learning and entertainment in equal measure and therefore afford many businesses with perfect touchpoints through which to engage with their target audience.
In this in-depth guide I will delve into the key reasons why podcasting can help your business in marketing and customer acquisition and the reasons you should be doing it, together with a “How to start” guide with helpful hints and tips on how to actually go about it.
If podcasting is something you have considered then this guide can help you to launch an important new content stream for your busines sor personal brand.
Here’s what is included:
The benefits of podcasting for your brand or business
10 x your online visibility with a podcast
Audio content is portable and convenient
Build an Audience and a Community
Access a wide network of talented people
Be an authority in your field / industry
Podcasting is an affordable way of marketing
A Podcast isn’t too much work
Tips on how to start a podcast
Benefits of podcasting for your business
1. 10 x your online visibility
A podcast is more than just a podcast. Depending on what your starting point is you can actually cover a wider variety of media, from video to blogs. And this short cut to more online content can simply be done by making a video recording as your starting point.
By recording your podcast on video - or recording your video call when interviewing guests - you automatically add a channel of content for your brand. If you were not used to video calls, you surely are after Coronavirus accelerated changes in the way we work (it was going to happen anyway).
Then, when you consider that you can use software to pull out the transcript and create long form written content as well, you begin to realise that what started out as a one thing can translate into an integral part of a bigger content marketing strategy - with minimal extra work.
Podcast, video and blog post all come from the same source. Here at bizee we have worked with a number of clients to maximise exposure from podcasting and a video acts as a perfect starting point.
Here is how it works:
You record you podcast on video or video call;
Edit to eliminate the bits you don’t want (remember it doesn’t have to be perfect to begin with) to share YouTube;
Extract the audio file to share on podcast platforms;
Use the transcript as the basis for a blog article;
Cut bitesize content to share on social channels (Promo posts, Stories, IGTV, teasers, Facebook, LinkedIn).
TOP STAT: It’s growing. Along with on-demand music, podcasts are the growth channels amongst audio services, with a weekly reach of 10.1 million in the UK (Spring 2020). Here’s how the audience breaks down by age group:
2. Audio content is portable and convenient
We are constantly being reminded that attention spans are getting shorter and easily digestible, bitesize information is the only way to gain meaningful access to your audience.
Whilst this is true it must be acknowledged that it’s really hard to create the same value with an Instagram or Twitter post as you might with a long form blog post.
Podcasting can be the answer to this dilemma. With such massive volumes of information immediately accessible and competing for our attention, audio remains in somewhat of a privileged position.
Through podcasting you can engage with someone over a longer period of time, whilst they accomplish something else. It doesn’t necessarily require 100% of the listener's attention in the way that an article or video does. Your audience can be commuting to work, driving to a sales meeting, out for a run or even doing the vacuuming. Loyalty and engagement levels are higher with podcasts than they are with other formats.
TOP STAT: Podcasting is mobile. According to recent data 79% of podcast listeners in the UK do so on a mobile device (Spring 2020), making podcasting an ideal way to grab attention on consumer’s devices with the added advantage that they can look at your website whilst listening. Here’s the device breakdown:
3. Build an Audience and a Community
Blogging became essential for building an audience. Platforms like Medium attest to the power of communication via the written word and the ability of interesting people to create a following and a community within their specialism.
This is potentially even more pertinent in podcasting.
Hosting your podcast on the major platforms such as iTunes or Stitcher can bring you to a wide audience as they are effectively also search engines for easy consumable content (see above).
I have been a regular listener to certain podcasts for a long time now and they create an extraordinary loyalty - the kind of loyalty which, if I am honest, I do not feel for the written word and the reason is simple; it is easier to be a loyal audience member when I don’t have to stop what I am doing.
I listen to podcasts whilst I am out hiking, in the gym or preparing dinner - it is that much easier to find time to do it.
There is a power to the spoken word that surpasses other forms and helps to build a community which is what many of us are after. By connecting with other people in your industry and clients you can share experiences, answer questions and help to give others a voice. This kind of openness can help you rapidly tap into an audience and build community of interested people.
This last point is a key factor in creating something of value also to yourself. Remember that people will seek out your podcast so if you do look at them as potential customers at some later stage, consider the fact they are already advanced in the sales funnel.
TOP TIP: Here are 5 top tips to help build that audience.
Invite listeners / customers to rate you and leave feedback.
Make sure you publicise your podcast on a landing page and/or enable people to subscribe through your site.
Focus on getting people to subscribe as this ranks higher with podcast platforms.
Don’t forget SEO. The title of your podcast is important so do your research and help the audience find you when searching.
Make podcasting part of your overall content strategy, by sharing clips and asking people to engage with (or maybe appear) in your podcast.
Be yourself. Your podcast needs to be authentic and honest to resonate with other humans!
4. Access a wide network of talented people
One of the most natural results of hosting a podcast in which you interview guests is the organic growth of your network.
Every person you speak to has their own network and through podcasting you can grow your network more rapidly as each guest broadcasts to their own network.
There are not many people who would not want to share the fact that they have been on a podcast which enables you in turn to access a much wider audience in less time than you might, for example, with written content. It is also worth noting that some 94% of podcast listeners in a US study are active on social media, which helps to increase your reach.
From a personal perspective you also get to keep in touch with some interesting and talented people from whom you can keep learning and collaborate again in the future.
5. Be an authority in your field / industry
A podcast has the ability to set you up as an EXPERT, build AUTHORITY and create TRUST for you or your brand, and it is not just Google search engine that cares about "EAT".
Your customers and your potential customers alike need to feel they can trust you when buying a product or service from you. The kind of rapport that can be built by listening to someone's voice is unique in its ability to engender trust and promote their authority on a subject.
Hearing your voice makes it personal. It make your business personal and helps to create a bond between your organisation and your target audience. Naturally there are good ways and bad ways of doing things so remember you are not actively trying to sell, but instead you are gaining a reputation, a following and becoming someone your audience (potential customers) can connect with and trust.
The selling part will happen more organically and this will be easier when you ave established your credibility and gained a reputation for thought leadership.
You have the freedom to choose who will the voice of your brand, and if appropriate this can be numerous people. If you do not already, listen to a few episodes of podcasts from people you respect. It doesn’t take long before you feel you have been drawn into their world and have a close connection - almost a friendship at times. This is the power the human voice, the power of podcasting.
But what should I talk about?
Easy! What are your customers problems? What are your target audience’s pain points? These are the things you should be addressing, by talking to guests or speaking from your own expertise. In fact it is probably good idea to interview customers.
Podcasts also offer you the chance to ask your audience what they would like to hear about or what topics you should tackle in future episodes. This can be a valuable learning experience for you and your small business.
TOP STAT: You have your audience's attention. Only 11% of readers finish an article to the end, whereas 60% of podcast listeners in the UK listen the whole way through to the end!
6. Podcasting is an affordable way of marketing
Finding affordable ways to market a service or business is important for small business owners and personal brands alike. A podcast enables you to access wide audiences through content marketing.
Although this has changed hugely in recent times, especially with more people working from home and increasing numbers starting out on the entrepreneurial journey, podcasting remains an area which is under-represented. It is unquestionably a grow medium, but you can still get higher engagement with lower competition when compared to other forms of content marketing.
As part of your research before starting you should look at how many people in your sector are podcasting - you may be pleasantly surprised to find out you had relatively little competition which naturally enable you to access a wider audience and become an authority in your field.
Statistics demonstrate that podcast listeners tend to have higher levels of disposable income from from a simple sales perspective you are talk gin to people more likely to spend money with you. Certainly in the US they are also more likely to be college graduates with a greater likelyhood of making more involved buying decisions.
But what about the equipment?
It is not expensive to start podcasting. You can record a call with a half decent microphone and you are good to go. Of course the more seriously you decide to take this then the more you may want to spend on the gear you use, but in this it is like any other aspect of marketing, the more success you have - the more you will spend. You can simply scale up in line with your success and your growing audience expectations.
TOP STAT: Podcast fans can afford to buy your product. 45% of US podcast listeners have household income of 75,000 USD or more with 68 million people listening to podcasts on a weekly basis in the US alone. Furthermore they belong to a younger target group, used to making informed decisions and purchasing online.
7. A podcast isn’t too much work.
Any new initiative is going to take up some of your time but if you already producing written content for your small business or considering how best to invest your time in order to acquire customers in an organic way then you should seriously consider starting a podcast.
As you can see from the first reason in our list, there are ways of limiting the amount of work whilst gaining the maximum amount of traction and the potential results from podcasting can seriously raise your business to a new level.
Planning is probably the most important part but this can be part of your everyday business. You need to be authentic to have success and to resonate with your existing and potential customers (see above) so as you speak with clients or go about your daily work you can always be considering, in the back of your mind, which of your experiences can be turned into podcast episodes.
Each episode doesn’t need to be too long either so don’t get bogged down with the idea of creating huge 3 hour life-changing interviews to begin with. The best way is to make a plan off 6 - 10 episodes that would pique the interest of your target audience and then commit to doing them all. You will learn fast as you go along and things will evolve, but that is part of the process and important in improving what you do and generating a following.
TOP TIP: Podcasting is a great way to improve yourself. Don’t look at it only as a tool for promotion or audience engagement, although it will be both, but also take into account how much you can learn from others and from yourself in the process.
It is not as expensive as you might think.
Tips on how to start a Podcast.
1 Choose a niche for your podcast
What do you want achieve with your podcast? This is crucial in understanding what you should do and is also related to the format discussed in the next section.
Are you looking to create leads to whom you can sell or simply become a though leader (as discussed earlier). It could just be for fun or to inform people as in the case of a news podcast.
It could be any of the last three and generate leads for your business. Whatever it is make sure you know what you want so you have something to work towards and remember that the selling process will also happen organically once you are established and have a following.
2. Decide the format that works for your sector.
Theme:
Interviews – typically this type of podcast would have one or two hosts and interview people from your business sector / target audience interests.
Educational podcasts – these type of shows obviously focus on teaching. If this is your format make sure it resonates with your target audience and deals with the issues that they are interested in. Feedback is essential here to keep you pushing out content that answers your audience questions, queries and pain points.
Scripted podcast – This would normally be a podcast in which you (or whoever the host is) read a script. In business this is closely linked to the Educational format.
News-based podcast – Being consistent with podcasts is crucial and never more so than in this format. It is fair to say you may also need to do it every week if it is news, but this varies from industry to industry. If you are a genuine authority and can comment on the news in your sector this is a great way to set up a podcast that runs for a long time and can create a regular audience.
Length:
I mentioned earlier not needing to feel the pressure of creating huge long-form interviews, but rather to do your research and think about what your brand’s target audience is interested in.
I think 20 minutes is a minimum but rules are there to be broken if you get the format right. The shorter versions, such as a brief news catch-up, could be short and more regular for example.
Interviews of up to one hour are a great way to get started. Now there is going to be editing of course, so in truth you will speak for quite a bit longer, but this is also part of the learning process. It is better to be short and packed with interesting information than long, rambling and full of waffle.
To this end, get some friends to listen to it and give you honest comment.
When to publish?
This is important for yourself and your listeners. Making sure you create a habit of downloading and listening to your podcast is really important. I know which day my favourite podcasts come out and I cannot wait for that day of the week!
At the same time this schedule is vital for the creative process as it means you have goals to work towards.
3. Choose a name, theme music and design.
This is a really fun bit of the process so if you have some creativity about you will enjoy it. Alternatively you can outsource the elements you are not so good at.
Name: I think the key here is to choose a podcast title that accurately reflects what you talk about. It is tempting to go for some witty play on words but in truth your title needs to include the most relevant keyword. Below is a client of ours who has ticked all the boxes in ensuring his podcast does exactly what it says on the tin. If your podcast is about Serviced Accommodation it should say so.
If you are very well known in your niche or industry then of course leveraging your name can be very valuable (see The Joe Rogan Experience or The Tim Ferriss Show).
Music: Having a musical intro and outro goes a long way to making your podcast more professional and there are many sites offering royalty free jingles, such as Bensound and Purple Planet. Check out also Premium Beat for some quality, subscription-based sounds.
Artwork: When it comes to creating your logo / artwork Canva is an amazing resource which helps the amateur create professional-looking graphics.
Below are Apple’s requirements when it comes to artwork and you can find in-depth guidelines here.
Size: square; minimum 1400 x 1400 pixels and maximum 3000 x 3000 pixels (preferred)
Resolution: 72 dpi
File type: JPEG or PNG
Colorspace: RGB
Again, if either the music or the artwork are not something you are comfortable with, it is very cheap to outsource to an experienced editor / designer.
Description: Remember the importance of keywords also when entering the description of your podcast as you want the right people to find it. Flowery language might sound great, but it won’t count for anything if you are not clear about what you do.
4. Select a hosting provider / publishing platform.
I am not going to give any real comparisons in this section because I do not have direct experience of each and my opinion of Free vs Paid options is from wider experience of using any free and paid tools business. The list is from speaking to podcasting buddies.
I think it is worth spending some money on hosting your podcast if you are doing so for your brand or business. Although solutions such as Anchor now offer free hosting and a myriad of available possibilities paying for a podcast hosting service ensures full accountability and certain guarantees.
In no particular order here are a few you can check out and compare.
Buzzsprout: industry leader, with many resources and videos to help you along your way
Captivate: Industry veterans - new platform.
Libsyn: One of the first to offer podcast hosting, a relative veteran.
Castos: Easy integratioon with WordPress.
Blubrry: Easy integration with WordPress.
PodBean: Good pricing for newbies.
Soundcloud: you will doubtless have heard of Soundcloud, but you may not know it is also podcast hosting option.
SimpleCast: A simple way to create your first podcast
When it comes to publishing directories the most famous is iTunes but you also have Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn. In order to get listed on these you need to create an account and enter your podcasts RSS feed – supplied by each of the above hosting platforms.
5. Recording your podcast.
What equipment you use will probably evolve as you get into this. I would suggest that using a good quality microphone is a good idea, but if you are interviewing you have to consider that your counterpart may not have it and you are unlikely to send out a microphone to someone each week.
As I write this at the end of an eminently forgettable 2020 (I am sure we will never forget it) few of us are doing anything face-to-face so recording online is almost mandatory now.
I think you can get the most from recording a video as I mention earlier on, because it gives you the option to also cover YouTube, in fact more and more podcasters are also doubling up their content by publishing parts on YouTube and other video media, such as IGTV.
6. Editing your podcast.
In this section I will highlight a few things to look out for, then ow you go about it is a personal decision. Buzzsprout’s video below is a great pace to start as is of course our own podcast virtual assistant service.
Don’t overthink it. Audiences want good quality content, something they are interested in and in the age of TikTok and IGTV they will also accept something that is authentic if not too polished.
Edit to be interesting. If you can use separate audio tracks it can be a bonus because you can edit out blemishes on each, however if you have recorded over Zoom or Skype for example then focus first on editing the content you have created and not the small glitches or coughs. It is important to make it first and foremost interesting, then try to clean it up.
Eliminate clicks. Use fade-in and fade-out where you have cut together clips to avoid any clicks or pops that can sometimes occur.
MORE RESOURCES: Check out this Complete Guide to Editing a Podcast and watch the video below.
So are you ready to start your own podcast? Comment below with your thoughts or any other tips that may be useful.
Author: Thomas Smallwood is an outsourcing specialist. Having worked in companies around Europe, from the support desk to the boardroom, he founded bizee.co to help small businesses grow through efficient delegation to skilled virtual assistants. He is an award-winning blogger and a passionate advocate for mental health awareness.
Connect with Tom on LinkedIn.