8 Ways to Create a World Class Podcast

Content marketing is considered, by far, to be the best new strategy for generating interest

in a brand, developing an audience of loyal customers, and controlling a brand’s image and reputation throughout a specific industry. While most marketers think of content marketing as article writing or search engine optimization writing, there are many other types of content that can be effective at driving traffic to a site or increasing brand interest. Creating web videos, interacting via social media, and hosting a conversational blog are a few examples. One way that is beginning to increase in popularity is podcasting. A podcast is an audio file created by a brand and hosted on an Internet site. The term is popularly associated with Apple’s music software, iTunes; however, the term has expanded to reference any audio content made available online.

As far as the podcasting world is concerned, Daniel J. Lewis, the author and developer of The Audacity to Podcast, a online article source, is considered one of the premier creators of helpful information about running a successful podcast. In early February, 2013, Lewis released an article entitled “How Will You Podcast Differently in 2013?” that lists some developers’ intentions regarding new podcasting strategies for the new year. This helpful article is filled with great suggestions and ideas for incorporating new marketing strategies and production strategies into an ongoing podcast.

If you’re just getting started in the podcast world or hoping to revamp your current podcast in order to attract more listeners and devoted fans, there are some great suggestions that can help you create a powerful podcast with huge potential. To get you started, here are 8 ways to create a world class podcast. Following these simple steps will dramatically improve your reach.

1. Research Your Target Audience

If you want your podcast to be informative and relevant, it is very important that you spend some time researching your target audience. Your audience of consumers is filled with people who have very busy lives. Schedules are filled with work, school, family time, running errands, managing social media accounts, and browsing the web. Your podcast needs to be relevant and interesting enough to demand audience members’ attention. This can only be accomplished by effectively researching your target audience’s desires, needs, and interests. It is also helpful to subdivide your target audience into smaller niche groups. The smaller your target group, the more effectively you will be able to generate podcast content that is relevant and interesting to that group.

2. Use High Quality Recording Equipment

While it may sound simple, using a higher quality brand of recording equipment can make a huge difference in the powerfulness of your completed podcast. Consumers are quite adept at perceiving cheapness or unprofessional podcasts. Any static, ambient noise, or feedback in your podcast can be very distracting for audience members. If your audience perceives that a podcast has been poorly made, they may be inclined to simply close out of the podcast. This means that they won’t be able to access the content you’ve created. Use high quality recording equipment and consider hiring a professional to mix and adjust the audio of your completed recording. These tiny details can make a big impression on an audience.

3. Interject Humor

One easy way to captivate your audience and keep them coming back for more is to interject subtle humor into your podcast. Many businesses and brands take themselves too seriously when creating podcast content. You can still present your brand as a serious and respectable force while interjecting lighthearted moments that will keep your audience’s attention affixed on the content of the podcast.

4. Keep it Current and Relevant

Harping on about the past is a great way to completely lose your target audience and generate only negative results for your brand. Consumers listen to podcasts because they are convenient ways to gather relevant and current information about a brand, market, news topic, or social concept. If your podcasts are filled with dated material or are filled with repetitious dialogue, your consumer audience will quickly lose interest.

5. Post Podcasts Regularly

A podcast marketing strategy is only effective if you plan on teaching audience members to expect regular updates from your brand. Just as a social media strategy is only effective if content is updated on a regular basis, your podcasting strategy must involve the creation of new podcasts on a regular basis. Choose a schedule and rate at which you will create new podcasts: weekly, biweekly, or once monthly are the most effective rates. When you’ve decided on a content creation plan, stick to that plan.

6. Advertise Via Social Media

Your podcast will only gain consumer interest if it’s advertised well. You can easily use social media to advertise a new podcast. Be sure to create interesting social media posts with keywords and phrases that are captivating and engaging to your target audience. Compose a brief summary of the podcast, but don’t give away the content contained in the podcast. For examples, check out movie trailers and teaser posters to see what kinds of language are used to pique customer interest.

7. Invite Special Guests

Another way to keep a podcast fresh and engaging is to invite special guests to join you in your podcast. The inclusion of a special guest adds variety to a regular podcast. Customers will be more likely to check in and listen to your podcast if only to see who is voicing their opinion in the current episode.

8. Don’t Lecture, Converse

Above all, remember that a successful podcast is never a platform for an individual to lecture or wax poetic. The most successful podcasts use conversation and dialogue to keep customers interested. Even if both sides of the conversation are scripted, many consumers find it easier to follow along when two distinct voices are presenting the content.

Following these eight simple steps can help your brand create a world class podcast that will be very effective at increasing brand loyalty.

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