What is a Podcast?
A podcast is a great digital marketing tool consisting of free audio, (and at times video), digital media files delivered in an episodic format.
How are podcast stored and delivered?
Podcast are hosted on a server similar to your website. You can download or stream them to your computer, tablet, or mobile device.
Where do people consume podcast?
Most podcasts are downloaded from podcast directories such as iTunes or directly from a website.
Why should podcasting be part of your digital marketing strategy?
Today people consume their information through various media platforms. One of the most important concepts to understand about digital marketing is that the content you create should be available on every digital media platform. Podcasts are a great relationship-building tool for the audio consumer. People who listen to podcast are often on the go and download new episodes via their mobile device. There is a huge demographic commuting in their cars, riding the metro, working out, doing laundry, cutting the grass, and even laying in bed streaming podcasts right now. This is an enormous opportunity for you to grow your audience and define yourself as a respected authority in your industry.
How do you create a successful podcast?
A great podcast starts with detailed preparation before you press record. Initially the goal is to research your industry, to see what content currently exists and then decide how to apply your expertise for fresh new content. Creating a name for your podcast is more then a clever brainstorming session. You will want to do keyword research to find out what keywords people search for the most when exploring podcasts directories. Each directory such as iTunes is like any other search engine, and similar SEO rules apply for returned search results. After the research has been complete, the objective is to outline your podcast to develop the appropriate structure for your show.
The next step is the process of producing the podcast. It is important to use the best quality equipment for production. You will need a microphone, headphones and recording/mixing software. The better the sound quality is for your podcast, the more likely people will be inclined to listen to the entire show. Now that you are ready to record you will need to select the best talent from your company to host the show. Choosing someone who is genuine and passionate about your products or services is an ideal criteria for making this decision. For most companies, this would be someone who is in charge of marketing or sales. With valuable content and professional delivery, your audience will grow. Valuable content can come from your expertise in your business, or interviewing other inspiring people in your industry. Create multiple podcasts with each show addressing different topics about your business.
The final steps in this process will be publishing and promoting your podcast. Before you upload your podcast make sure to include the ID3 tags with your podcast file. These tags add metadata to the file to incorporate information like title, artist and other information about the podcast. Most ID3 editors allow you to add an image to the file as well. This is important for branding your show, as this image will appear on the mobile device or car console when the podcast is playing. Now that your files are complete and fully optimized for the podcast directories it’s time to implement a launch strategy. Similar to blog posts, you will want to decide whether to release a new episode weekly or monthly. Each directory is different so you will want to make sure the podcast RSS feed is properly submitted. Each directory will provide a link to your website. Ideally it is recommended that you create a landing page specifically for the podcasts so you can track the results of your audience. Once you establish a link to your landing page, you can add SEO analytics such as Google analytics to monitor your traffic. Then identify online publications or blogs within your industry and contact them to inform them of your podcast. In addition, email current clients to let them know you are launching a podcast. This is an effective means to engage them on a reoccurring basis.
For more information about creating a podcast or other effective digital marketing strategies, fill out the form on our contact page. One of our experienced marketing consultants is available and ready to help!