If you’ve had conversations with professionals about their subjects of expertise, you likely noticed that these individuals provided honest and informative answers that were extremely useful to hear. That’s because these unique experiences are what makes talking to industry professionals so rewarding, and sometimes relatable.
Imagine sharing these conversations with your own fanbase in the form of podcasts, while increasing your audience building efforts at the same time.
Podcasts fit into the lives of listeners because they aren’t a demanding form of media. People can tune in whenever is most convenient for them. They don’t need to dedicate their full attention, like they would do when watching videos or reading blog posts.
Whether someone is driving to work, going on a hike, or folding laundry, podcasts can promote a brand without demanding too much of an audience member’s time and attention.
Here are three ways that you can use podcasts to build your business and grow a fanbase.
1. Produce your own podcast
Podcast creator Jesse Kay told Entrepreneur that, “Having someone with hundreds of thousands or millions of followers on your show will both give credibility and increase your audience.”
Featuring great voices on a podcast can attract a massive following overnight, but getting to that pivotal moment takes hard work. The time and energy that you invest into creating a podcast pays dividends along the way: weekly or biweekly episodes can sustain your existing audience. Encouraging word-of-mouth recommendations and social sharing can help you attract new listeners, as well.
As with any social media collaboration, reach out to other influencers or industry professionals who have followings comparable to your own. With every podcast episode produced, you’ll gain more experience and subscribers. Once you’ve amassed enough of both, higher-profile guests are more likely to agree to appear on your podcast.
2. Be interviewed
This is somewhat akin to guest blogging. While some bloggers restrict who can publish content to their websites, podcasters who host interview-style episodes are always looking for guests with new or unique perspectives to present.
Reach out to podcasts that are relevant to your industry or niche. If you effectively pitch a story that includes your biography and any unique information that you can provide, you might secure a guest spot on a show. Opportunities like these give you the chance to attract new listeners to your own podcast.
3. Advertise
If you don’t want to contribute to someone else’s podcast, you can still use this medium for audience building. Most podcast producers are open to the idea of sponsorships in exchange for brief mentions or commercials during their episodes.
Make a list of popular and growing podcasts in your niche, and reach out to their producers to inquire about advertising opportunities and rates. You might choose to place an ad within an episode that’s more relevant to your business, or over a few episodes to ensure that your ad is heard by more listeners.
This does require an advertising budget, but it can be a great investment. Most vocal ads are recorded by the podcasters themselves, effectively serving as testimonials for your brand. Unlike banner or television ads, your commercial will remain to be heard on the podcast episode, even if listeners download it years later.
You have their attention — make the most of it
No matter what method you choose, you’ll want to provide listeners with a way to find your business online. Direct them to your website, where you can win them over with more content and eventually turn them into loyal customers.
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