Podcasts have limitless potential to help boost your business’s visibility. One of the biggest perks of podcasting is that it’s a much more cost-effective marketing channel compared to other alternatives. Investing in podcasting only requires a microphone and a media distributor, meaning that you can start a podcast for less than $100 upfront.
Growing up in Australia, Ginni Saraswati, founder of Ginni Media, first found a passion for radio that soon developed into a passion for podcasting and helping others maximize their potential in the podcasting world. Saraswati works with people who have a fresh, authentic perspective along with some of the world’s leading brands and thought leaders. She believes that, so long as the essential elements of your brand and its messaging are present, you have the opportunity to start a podcast that will boost your company in ways you wouldn’t have otherwise known to be possible.
1. Develop an authentic voice
The first thing that anyone needs to do to succeed in starting a podcast is to find their voice. Some have argued that the podcast is oversaturated, and while there are millions of podcasts available to listeners, approximately eighty million Americans are podcast listeners. The podcasting industry is always in demand for high-quality content. When it comes to podcasting, quality means bringing something unique to the table that makes your podcast different from the other options that listeners have.
Authenticity will go a long way in ensuring that your podcast stands out. Listeners want to hear someone talking about topics they are passionate and knowledgeable about. If you are starting a podcast about the field in which you do business, being passionate and knowledgeable should be no issue for you. “The main thing to keep in mind is that you need to offer your listeners something of value,” says Saraswati. “Be informative, entertaining, and authentic. Your podcast has to be worth your listeners’ time, or they will not continue to tune in.”
2. Create your image
When it comes to helping build your business, podcasting should be another tool to help you create and refine your image — be it your personal image or the professional image of your brand. Podcasting enables extraordinarily intimate storytelling because it allows you to tell your story in your own words. If you don’t take advantage of this and fail to infuse your podcast with your personality, you are wasting the potential that the podcast medium can offer. “The content may be what initially brings listeners to your podcast, but your personality and image will be what keeps them around to form a community,” says Saraswati.
3. Connect with your target audience
Podcasting is an excellent way to connect with a specific target audience. No matter how specific the topic — as long as there are people who are passionate about it — there will be a niche for you to fill. Some podcasts try to target as broad a range of people as possible when they begin, but they often find little success in casting wider nets. These podcasts try to please everyone, but ultimately tend to satisfy no one because they lack the level of detail and passion that makes them (and their podcast) unique.
Once you find this target audience and begin engaging with them through high-quality podcast content, you can easily turn them into loyal listeners. This will enable you to use your podcast in promoting products and pushing more views to your website because your listeners’ interest in the topic of your podcast will extend to the products and services you offer. In this way, starting a podcast can be an excellent way to find customers for your business due to the ease with which you can convert listeners into customers.
4. Establish yourself as a thought leader
Making a great podcast about a topic can also establish credibility and help build you into a thought leader in your respective field. If the information you are presenting is informative and valuable to listeners, they will care about what you have to say and trust you as a source of reliable information. “You are already an expert in the field,” says Saraswati, “having a podcast is just another way of letting everyone else know this.”
5. Form a network
The networking opportunities provided by starting a podcast can prove invaluable. By having other niche experts as a guest on your podcast — or serving as a guest yourself on other podcasts — you will create connections that can help boost your legitimacy. Likewise, having this association with someone who is respected in the industry allows some of their credibility to be shared with you. You can make yourself part of an esteemed network of individuals who are the foremost experts in the field.
The best way to boost your business while lending yourself credibility at the same time is to start a podcast. With a minimal financial investment, you can find a passionate target audience and build an indispensable network through podcasting. To take this first step in growing your authority within your field, all it takes is an authentic voice, a microphone of decent quality, and the willingness to get started.