Podcasting 101: Everything you need to know about podcasts

How can a podcast benefit my business? 

Like any content, podcasting has the ability to expand your audience and create brand familiarity. People buy people, and by letting your audience get to know your personality through the podcast, your business is humanised and becomes more approachable. 

There is also the added benefit of improving conversation. You may wonder how a one-sided medium like podcasting can improve what is commonly perceived as a two-person activity. However, podcasting regularly helps maintain a communication channel between you and listeners by building relationships from the feeling of knowing the host intimately. This helps toward eventually improving conversion rates. 

What are the main differences between podcasts and radio? 

Perhaps the most obvious difference is that radio is live and podcasts are pre-recorded and edited down. A radio segment is much like a show at the theatre, your audience listens on as a third party, whereas a podcast is more like a conversation in your living room, where your listener feels as much involved as the host and guests themselves. 

Another notable differentiation is the target demographic. Radio is made to appeal to a mass audience with varying interests, whilst podcasting is targeted towards a more niche audience with consolidated interest in a particular topic. 

That particular topic is likely to be whatever your business specialises in in order to align with what expertise, passion and knowledge you can share with the listener. 

What are some of the key elements of a successful podcast?

This might seem obvious. A host, a guest and a topic. But podcasts are a lot more complex than this, and whilst there is no magic recipe for success, there are other factors that come into play to create a well-received podcast. 

Quality sound

Audio quality is an often-overlooked factor that needs attention, nobody wants to listen to a podcast that sounds like you’re shouting down the handsfree in your car. 

Video recording

Now I know what you’re thinking, podcasts are audio based, surely if I introduce imagery, it becomes a video. Video podcasts are a thing. As long as your audio can stand alone, adding that video element acts like the cherry on top. Sixty-five percent of the general population are visual learners, and tapping into that demographic only adds to the chances of your podcast being a success.

Niche topicality relevant to your target audience.

Podcasting skyrocketed in popularity after it was discovered as a medium to facilitate conversation about topics that were otherwise being neglected in mainstream media. Since that time the subject matter of podcasts has only continued to diversify and dig deeper into the more niche topics in life. As such podcasts have been able to serve as not only an outlet for an interest in specialty subjects but also as a platform to learn and expand horizons without ever having to leave the comfort of your own home should you not wish to. 

Passionate hosting

Podcasts are passion projects, and this is a huge contributing factor to their increasing popularity. If you have the ability to articulate a subject, navigate a content-rich conversation and convey your own passion about a topic, others are bound to get on board. Even more, this is more likely to encourage listener loyalty which is frankly priceless when it comes to developing a successful podcast. 

Whilst there are tips and tricks that could be advantageous to your building a podcast, ultimately there are no rules. Enjoy the process, and focus on talking about what interests you, good content speaks for itself

Article by Abi Turner, Digital Marketer at GIANT. Interested in being in All Things Business The Podcast? Contact us online or give us a call on 01604 250900.