Even before the stay-at-home order was in place, I was an avid listener of podcasts. I subscribed to a few and frequently explored new podcasts as they became available. Podcasts were my go-to source, fulfilling my quest to learn more even when I didn’t have time to sit down, read books, or jump on the internet. They fit in when and where I need them, whether during my morning walk, while I’m cleaning the house, or when I’m in the car.
I have learned how to be better at my job, about new tools and software for efficiency, communication technique, parenting teenagers, and gained additional life wisdom and encouragement to try something new.
Maybe podcasts similarly fit in your life, but why keep podcasts tucked away for personal use only? What about developing podcasts to grow your business or to put yourself out there and be found?
Before we dive into how you can integrate podcasts into your business, let me share a couple of fun facts, because if you get nothing else from this blog, I hope you learn something new.
Did you know the term or word “podcast” came together from “iPod” (a popular Apple media device) and “broadcast”? The first podcast was said to have been created in 2004 by MTV personality Adam Curry, otherwise known as the “Podfather”.
Initially, people used podcasts to spread a message and create a niche for like-minded people. Podcasts have evolved since then. Now there are over 850,000 active podcasts produced by corporations, small businesses, radio stations, television networks, comedians, pastors, talk show hosts, athletes, teachers, and so many more spanning numerous industries and interests.
And who listens to all of these podcasts? According to Edison Research, over half (51%) of all US consumers above the age of 12 consume this audio content.
Now, does this pique your interest? Wouldn’t you like to tap into this potential? Maybe you’ve already thought about it, but you aren’t entirely convinced that it’s for you, or you aren’t sure the work to put into it is worth the effort.
If you want people to find you to learn about you, to engage with you, then you need content. Podcasts are a form of content. Let’s uncover a couple of ways to leverage podcasts to grow or build new content.
- If you already have an abundance of great content on your website, turn those expertly crafted blogs into a podcast. There are a couple of ways to do this.
- There are many tools out there that help generate audio files from your existing content like WordPress plugins. You can easily use these if you don’t mind the lack of personalization that comes from an auto-generated voice.
- However, keeping it genuine and creating engagement and sustainability my mean turning those blog posts into a guided script while you do the talking.
- Maybe you have very little, if any, content, and you or a member of your team loves the spotlight and can tell a great story. Share your voice, talk about your product, provide a solution, or describe your business. Fill in your content gap with a podcast, and transcribe the audio version into content for your site.
- Like the tools that convert text into audio, numerous transcription services are available to transform your podcast into a great blog post.
- Podcasts don’t have to be solo experiences. Get creative and bring in others to interview. Encourage listeners to provide comments and ask questions that can be turned into additional topics for future episodes.
As the world evolves and the amount of time and attention people have become shorter and more sporadic, it’s essential to reach people where they are and when they need it. Extending your content by repurposing blogs into a podcast or turning your existing podcasts into blogs could mean all the difference in your reach.
If you would like to discuss how to make your content work harder, let us know, start with a content audit and develop a strategic approach for sustainability and growth.
