Podcasts are a great way to connect with customers and increase engagement for your products and services. A podcast is an audio broadcast that you can create to talk about any topic that you feel will appeal to your target market. Many people enjoy podcasts because they can download them to their iPod and listen to them at convenient times without being glued to their computer.
If you feel you have a compelling topic to create a podcast for, do some research to find the most popular podcasts that are closely related to the topic you want to create a podcast for. Review them for what makes them successful so you can remember to use those elements in your own podcast. Remember to create something unique as well because potential listeners will want to know why it is worth their time to listen.
When creating a podcast, consistency is key so listeners will get used to knowing when to expect something new from you. Create a calendar that will list the topics you will cover, special guests you will have and promotions you will introduce into each podcast. Letting your audience know what to stay tuned for will help to keep them coming back. When you are in the planning phase for your podcasts, also determine the format of your podcast, including the length and how often you will produce your podcasts. Weekly or once a month is ideal.
The equipment you need in order to produce a podcast requires very little investment. You want a microphone that will offer a good quality, but it does not have to be the highest priced microphone. Many lower cost microphones provide a great sound. There is free recording software you can download that will easily walk you through the entire production process including recording, editing and publishing the final copy of your podcast.
Once you have organized your podcast schedule, including length and format of your broadcasts and you have the equipment in place, you are ready to record. You will find that podcasts will help increase activity at your website and social media sites when you posts links to the podcast there. Remember to write a compelling description of the podcast and it will be a marketing tool you can use for any variety of campaigns. The more podcasts you produce, the easier the process will become, making this an effective marketing tool for your online success.
