Podcasting 101: The What, Why and How

What Exactly is a Podcast?

THE AUDIO FILE OF AUDIO FILES

Like a radio talk show, a podcast episode is recorded as an audio file and hosted online by a hosting service where it can be downloaded. Podcasts can be listened to ‘on demand’ which simply means you can listen to it anywhere and anytime – as long as you have a smart device and an internet connection.

DON’T LET THE TERMINOLOGY CONFUSE YOU

Most podcasts release an episode a week, although it’s not set in stone. Some podcasters prefer to share their content daily or even more than once a day, bi-weekly or monthly. Together, a collection of episodes form a season. Available episodes and seasons combined make up the podcast.

How do podcasts work?

IT’S SUPER SIMPLE

You can start listening in three easy steps:

Your podcast listening app will keep track of the podcasts you subscribe to and automatically download new episodes as they are released.

Why People Love Podcasts so Much

IT’S NICHE

Podcasts are usually created around a particular topic or theme. Michelle Ruoff of live365.com, an online radio broadcast platform, says there are podcasts for just about anything you can possibly be interested in, no matter what the topic is and whether you are looking for pure entertainment, inspiration, education, advice, or something else.

Examples of popular, mainstream podcasts you may have heard of include This American Life, Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations, The Joe Rogan Experience, and Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend. These are pretty big names, but there are also plenty of smaller and amazing podcasts like The Dollop, The Adventure Zone, and Stuff You Should Know.

A good quality podcast has two distinctive features:

IT’S CONVENIENT

We live in a very busy and hectic world. People are using every minute they can to multitask and learn to stay competitive. Listening to podcasts allows people to learn and catch up on things they’re interested in while on the go, working out, driving, waiting or doing practically anything else.

BECOME PART OF A COMMUNITY

The typical podcast audience is a niche group and presumably much more targeted and interested in the content of the particular podcast they’re subscribed to. Internationalpodcastday.com explains how podcasts can build communities:

“Because podcast websites usually have ways for listeners to leave comments about each episode, and literally enter into a discussion with other listeners, podcasts are like a community of individuals sharing a common interest.”

Podcasts also offer intimacy and connection that goes beyond other forms of media thanks to the freedom listeners have in choosing where and when to consume your content. Podcasters are privileged in the sense that they are invited to speak to listeners in the privacy of their homes or cars.

If You Have the Guts, we Have the Shortcuts

Depending on the quality you’d like to achieve, starting your own podcast can be relatively cheap and easy. Whether you’re an individual, a small or medium business, a big company, an NGO, or a startup – anyone can do it.

DO IT ON YOUR OWN TERMS

There are no rules for making a podcast. Your podcast can be recorded in a studio and meticulously produced, or recorded at home and a little rough around the edges. You don’t need expensive podcasting equipment to produce your own podcast. You can choose to release it at any frequency – daily, weekly or monthly, as long as it’s consistent.

That said, Call for Content can also help you get your own podcast off the ground, within your budget. Contact us now for more information.

BE SOMEONE’S GUEST

If you’re weary of starting your own podcast, you can always try to get into the swing of things by featuring as a guest in an industry or niche-related podcast. It also provides an opportunity to build authority in your niche. Listeners are consuming a lot of content through audio, which makes being a podcast guest an effective way to reach your ideal customer and grow your audience.

To curate a list of podcasts that your ideal audience may follow, start with the following steps:

Once you have your list of target shows, it’s time to get booked as a podcast guest. If the process seems overwhelming, don’t worry.

What’s in it for You?

YOU CAN WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE

One of the most effective ways to get in front of, and build relationships with potential clients is to be interviewed as a guest on podcasts. There are many aspects that go into getting booked on podcasts, being a good guest, and turning those efforts into revenue.

At Call for Content, we’ve refined the strategies, processes, and best practices for getting booked on podcasts and making the most of every interview. Download our Podcast Guest Playbook and get the exact formulas, templates, and checklists we use to book ourselves and clients on podcasts.

BECOME THE GO-TO PERSON IN YOUR NICHE

With so many people listening to podcasts, it’s become effective to build your authority by appearing on podcasts. Some of the ways in which you can build authority through podcasts include:

AN OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN THE REVENUE CREW

Starting a podcast is a long-term strategy that can generate revenue in a variety of ways. Your podcast can generate revenue from ads and sponsorships or use the show to increase authority and attract new customers. Monetizing a podcast includes any potential revenue-making opportunity that comes from running the show.

Monetizing with subscriptions, also known as premium content, is another way to make money from your podcast. As a monetization strategy, this requires consistency, commitment, and continuous implementation. Whatever monetization strategy you choose (more about your options at this link), it should be top of mind from the beginning.

GENERATE LEADS WITH A B2B INTERVIEW PODCAST

A good interview is about quickly building rapport and diving into who a person or company is. Relationships built through interviews can easily turn into new leads. That’s why a podcast is effective as part of a lead funnel via referrals, partnerships, or even for direct sales.

Our B2B Podcast Playbook will help you find out if a B2B podcast is right for your organization. If you discover that a podcast is worth the investment, you’ll learn what type of guests to get for interviews and how you can turn your podcast into a lead generation machine.

Conclusion

Podcasts are growing in popularity right now – and all signs point toward that trend continuing. Whether you’re a listener or podcast creator, it’s definitely worth considering for your marketing strategy. Anyone can publish a podcast, but it takes experience to systematically create, monetize, and grow a successful show. We help businesses generate revenue using podcasting.

Each of our playbooks gives you step by step instructions on how to execute a successful content marketing strategy using podcasts. Access them for free and start planning your podcast today.