Whether focused on business, educational, or just plain entertainment, podcasts have become one of the most popular content mediums in recent years. Businesses can take advantage of the podcast format to connect with their customers in new and exciting ways, but they have to do it right.
There are already plenty of popular podcasts out there, so your brand needs to be able to stand out from the crowd. Below, 14 Fast Company Executive Board leaders share their top tips for launching a successful podcast to increase brand exposure.
1. FIND A NICHE.
Leaders must find a niche and focus on creating a great show. You’re not just competing with other podcasts in your category, you’re competing with all other podcasts (and audiobooks, radio shows, YouTube shows, and more) because people only have a limited amount of time in their day to spend consuming. this type of content. Get guests who are fun to listen to, joke around, and offer a unique point of view. – Tucker Callaway, Mezmó
2. SHARE UNIQUE CONTENT.
When you share unique content about your domain, your audience will find ways to connect with you. Send teasers, sound bites, and rich media content to engage your listeners and potential brand consumers. Lastly, make sure you stay true to your brand; this will bring much-needed visibility and exposure to your offerings. – Irfan Khan, CLOUDSUFI
3. KEEP IT COOL AND STEADY.
Fresh means maintaining a strong editorial calendar and related guest bookings that deliver relevant and timely content, ideas, and conversations. The best way to maintain consistency is to create a backlog of episodes in a recording session and then post them on a schedule. Build a solid bank of content as you brainstorm and book guests for the next round. – Leigh Dow, Identiv
4. MAKE IT ENTERTAINING.
Don’t just interview people. That is boring and not valuable. The more fun and wild you can make it, the more likely people will tune in. Also, make sure your podcast is aligned with a business goal or point of view that the company has so that the content you produce is relevant not only to listeners but also to your non-active listeners. Remember that not everyone listens to podcasts but they watch the content. – James Gilbert, RedRoute
5. PRODUCE RELATED CONTENT.
People want related content. We’ve found that the best traction we’ve ever had for our podcast is when we discuss things that affect our employees and not just our industry. – Mark Bryan, Master of Design
6. UP FREQUENTLY AND USE ACTS.
The easiest and most effective way to get more brand exposure is to focus on creating a high-quality video podcast on Youtube. Upload frequently and be sure to include CTAs that encourage viewers to also subscribe to the audio-only podcast. Once you learn how to use Youtube SEO keywords, the views will increase. This is how I ranked my podcast in the Top 100 Business Podcast chart on iTunes. – Josh King Madrid, NFT Magazine — NFTMagazine.com
7. REMEMBER THE ‘WHY’.
Nobody wants to be hit over the head with marketing, especially on a podcast. If you’re going to launch a podcast for your brand, you need to have a strong “why” to exist. The most successful podcasts I’ve been interviewed on were casts that focused on real, authentic, and applicable content. They talk about the secrets, the mistakes, the victories, and the actual journey of how I got there. – Beau Oyler, enlisted designer
8. DO YOUR RESEARCH FIRST.
The best advice for podcasting is to just do it! When we started The Combustion Chronicles, our team knew nothing about podcasts. We investigate and launch. We have learned and adjusted, but the exposure and credibility it has given has been valuable. Don’t be afraid to take the risk! – Shawn Nason, MOFI
9. HAVE A CONSISTENT EDITORIAL SCHEDULE.
Consistency with an editorial calendar and timely launches are priorities when making the commitment to produce the podcast for your brand. Posting verified claims is what also contributes to success, trustworthiness and credibility. Telling the story authentically and genuinely, and staying on track with your experience is a great way to gain an audience. – Goran Paun, ArtVersion
10. BE A GUEST OF THE PODCAST.
I am not a podcaster, but rather an avid podcast listener. What I can say from the listening that I’ve done 12 hours a day for eight years is that if you want to launch a podcast, you need to be on a podcast…or 100. They don’t have to be yours, just a good one with enough listeners who want hear you speak The rest is simply having something meaningful or entertaining to say and some microphone etiquette. – Wyatt Clouse, Rearden Consulting
11. CREATE AN AUDIENCE.
Podcast apps themselves are not discoverable, so it’s important to have external sources to drive traffic to them. The best way to successfully launch a podcast is to have an existing following in your niche through other social media platforms or your email list. A podcast serves as a means of going deeper with your current audience and potential new audience rather than reaching more people. – Royston G King, Royston G King Group and companies
12. COLLABORATE WITH OTHER HOSTS.
A podcast can only be successful if it really has listeners. Consider collaborating with an already successful podcast host so you can cross-promote. Host a contest on social media to gain followers organically. Identify your audience to create paid ads targeted to that demographic. – Kelley Higney, The Bug-Bite Thing
13. ACCEPT PODCAST REQUESTS.
Accept unsolicited podcast requests and learn about the host’s audience, forum, caliber and reach. Podcast hosts socialize topics and dates across multiple social channels and provide shareable live recordings. – Britton Bloch, Federal Navy
14. CONNECT YOUR BLOG TO YOUR PODCAST.
Leverage your other content channels to increase subscribers and generate content ideas. If you have a blog, you can use the blog topics as the basis for your podcast. Most importantly, use your proprietary email list obtained from your website or blog to promote your podcast. The best way to attract new listeners to a new podcast is to actively let them know that the podcast exists. – Tyrone Foster, InvestNet, LLC
Source: www.fastcompany.com