In just the United States, advertisers spent a massive USD 354 million on Podcasts in 2021. So, I’ll cut the chase with…
What’s a Podcast?
Podcasting is a way of storytelling, as a series of audio episodes aimed to better connect to the audience. Here’s is a live example: Hackable?: Gone Phishin’ by McAfee. For those who don’t know, McAfee is a cyber security company that has products like Antivirus and VPN. It may come to mind that what McAfee earned by creating and distributing this podcast, a series of 36 episodes? To date, Hackable has two million+ downloads and 90k+ subscribers. It has completed its purpose and is still acquiring new leads for McAfee. You can check the Hackable case study and see how it translated into the biggest marketing success for McAfee. Bottom line, Podcasts Matter! Ergo, don’t be late. Better learn…
How to Start a Podcast?
It’s like asking how to create a movie. Well, you can spend a hundred to a few million bucks. The same goes for the time and efforts involved. But, in a nutshell, podcast creators go by this standard ladder:
Select a (long-term) topic.Decide on publication frequency, episode length, etc.Settle for artwork and description.Select recording equipment and necessary podcasting tools.Pick your podcast hosting platform.Record and market.
Want more! Go through this detailed how to start a podcast by thepodcasthost.com. They have illustrated in 20 long steps about this. So let’s come back to the crux of this article: How to find the best podcast ideas for your products.
Note down your goals
Of course, a podcast can be monetized. That being said, podcasting has a narrow audience. It’s getting bigger by the day, but you’re here means you’re new to this. And there are way more people like you–new to podcasting. I don’t want to discourage you, but there are other platforms if money is the only aim in sight. But podcasting can gradually turn into a perennial client-generating stream if you have a long-term strategy backed with a solid product portfolio.
Think Like Your Audience
The best way to do this is to check out what they talk about. And you can get that in real-time from social media platforms like Facebook, Quora, Reddit, etc. For instance, I have searched for this term, Bitcoin podcasts on Quora: This is many Google search results rolled in one. It can give you a glimpse of what’s in demand. Besides, the comment section is free feedback for the creators to gauge the response and analyze the audience’s interest.
Niche Down!
I said the same to my readers in my article on how to become a better YouTuber. And the idea here’s identical. Focus on a specific field. Specialize. And make a loyal audience that comes back for more. Afterward, you can always spread your wings and target related content. But, never go too thin, especially if it’s your first series. So, let people tag you as a specialist and avoid getting scrolled over as a generalist.
Analyze Your Competition
As already stated, podcasts are an untapped marketing channel. And, that’s good news. You can establish authority as an excellent creator. But it would help if you took note of whatever fraction of people are doing this already. As a starter, it’s time to take notes about:
Competition’s podcasts.Podcast-only traffic.Audience’s response.Expected investment and revenue.
It’s not necessary to be a follower. You can also start something new and get a bigger celebration. But, knowing about your competition will help in strategic planning. And ultimately, it’s your competitors you are fighting up against for everything.
Keyword Research
You shouldn’t get out of your bed and start recording the first thing your brain stumbles upon. That could go waste. The aim is not just to create but also to get listened to. The latter is not possible without ranking on search engines. You can do free keyword research with the Google Keyword Planner. This gives you plenty of data to begin targeting specific keywords. One can also use Ubersuggest or Ahrefs as premium alternatives to the Google Keyword Planner. Ahrefs is the tool we use here at Geekflare, but Ubersuggest is also excellent. Among other things, you can use Ahrefs to analyze a keyword or a complete domain and plan your content to rank higher on search engines. While these keyword research tools are great, Buzzsumo can help you filter traffic ranking as Podcasts separately. You can further tweak the filters and get the relevant titles respective to a region, in a particular language, for a set period, etc. Admittedly, this is mostly good for analyzing what’s already been recorded. But social media still stands as a fresh source of ideas.
Explore Podcast Formats
There are various podcast formats:
InterviewMonologueDialogueCase StudyTheatricalHybridRepurposed and more.
Each one has some pros and cons. For instance, the monologue format is suitable for a person with splendid expertise to talk at length. But at the same time, it may lack the entertainment factor. The expert advice here goes similar to the Niche Down. Choose any format as per your preference and stick with it. Keep experimentation for later stages or if it becomes unavoidable.
Conclusion
So, should you Podcast? Definitely yes! Just start slow with current trends in mind. Create, analyze, and experiment on the road to success. And while you’re on your journey to being a podcaster, take this handy podcast SEO guide along with you. But if you have got lots of articles, you can also convert your articles into audio podcasts.Need some more inspiration? 10 Tech Podcasts you should listen to.
