Podcasting is growing in popularity each year. This is a medium that continues to grow each year and still has a huge growth potential. If you are looking to increase the traffic of your course, website or business, I highly recommend looking into podcasting.
Podcasts have benefits for the listener, the creator and the business. Listeners can consume media when at home, but don’t want to watch TV or read a book. Podcast creators can reach a global audience and build authority and an online community around their show. This community can help the podcaster grow their business. By trusting the podcaster, the community can help grow the podcast, promote their business and even help them sell their products.
How do people find podcasts?
Many people find podcasts through websites, social media, and even in searches with Spotify, Itunes, and Google. The podcast community is giving the world free access to unlimited shows on every topic imaginable. Evergreen content that doesn’t expire. They have an unlimited audience, virtually world-wide!
Podcasters usually create fresh content that they release to their listeners and subscribers regularly. Consistency is key here! Podcasts can be in interview style, solo style or storyline. Podcasters are either an expert in their field or they are more of a collector – collecting information and then sharing it back to the world. The topics of podcasts are whatever you can imagine.
Let’s look at how podcasting can grow your reach and your traffic:
If you aren’t ready to have your own podcast, then consider being a podcast guest. By being a guest, you will increase your reach, your traffic, and your exposure. Because of the enormous reach of a podcast, you can make a large impact with very little investment. It far exceeds the reach of paid advertising and target marketing in many cases.
You’ll want to make sure that you are reaching the correct market. Find podcasts that are in a similar field as you. One that targets your audience is a key to increased traffic. For example, a coach who has written a book could be a guest on a book publishing podcast and find new clients even though they are speaking about book publishing, not coaching. The cross-marketing is unlimited.
Can you be an expert?
Being a guest expert builds credibility- Being a guest expert on a podcast increases your notoriety and helps your brand. It’s more important to find a podcast that aligns with what you are trying to talk about then how many downloads or sponsors it has. If your expertise is valuable, people that are attracted to that podcast are more apt to listen and follow or buy from you. Bring high value to the show and you can drive traffic instantly to your website. You’ll be noticed by not only listeners but other podcasters too.
How will a podcast listener find you?
A good podcast has show notes for each episode. These highlight important facts about the guest and links to social media, websites, and special offers. Since podcasts don’t expire, traffic can continue to flow long after the episode has aired. Typically, podcast subscribers are consumers of all episodes of a show rather than just the most recently recorded. Your links will drive traffic back to your site and your offers, no matter how long ago you were a guest.
Podcast show notes are on the podcast platform but also searchable by search engines. A show notes writer will listen to the episode, pull out the highlights and formulate the show notes using keywords. All this helps with the SEO of the show and will allow those search engines to help find you. People who find your message compelling can find you through a simple search and get more of what you offer.
We always suggest that you share the episode you were on to your website, social media channels, and newsletter as well. This not only connects the listener to the episode they listened to but also helps your followers to listen in to what you said on the show – giving that show some traffic as well.
What should I talk about?
Have you been invited to be a podcast guest? Or did you reach out to the podcaster to be on their show? Each of these may have a different reason to have you on their show. They also may dictate what you talk about on the show.
If a show reached out to you to be on their podcast, you are most likely viewed as an expert. They are interviewing you because they believe that you, your course, your hobby, your ideas will bring value to their listeners.
If you reached out to the podcaster to be a guest on the show, you probably have a reason in mind to be on that show. Whether you believe you can reach their audience with your course, your hobby your ideas – yup, see what I did there. Whether you reach out or they reach out, YOU will be considered the expert in the interview and what the audience wants is YOU.
In both instances, the podcast host will typically have a list of questions they will ask you. You will get those prior to recording. Remember to always ADD value to their listeners. The podcast host will typically mention your expertise at the beginning of the show and then you’ll go over where to find you and how to reach you at the end of the interview. Listeners are driving, exercising, or walking the dog and need some great content to visit the show notes when they are able to. Be present but be memorable. Giving them some tips, tricks, or other values will help them remember to visit those show notes and therefore, your site, course, consultation, etc.
How many shows should I be on?
If you’ve never done this before, I would just start with one. Don’t tax yourself. Podcasting can be just as easy as hitting record but most podcasts will want you to set up with Zoom or Zencastr. You should have a set of headphones and a microphone is preferable. BUT you don’t have to have them. Especially for your first. Ask the host if they have requirements for this. They will tell you. We highly recommend wearing at least a set of basic headphones. And try to record in an office with a carpet, drapes, or couch. Anything to absorb sound so there is less echo.
Once you’ve gotten your first interview over with, you’ll either be bitten by the bug and want more… or you’ll know this isn’t the best fit for you. It might be the best fit for your business, so keep an open mind. Editing, production, and release of the episode will be at the discretion of the podcast host, ask when the episode will air so you can help them promote.
Podcasting is a dynamic way to get your message and your brand the exposure it needs to grow traffic and reach. Being a guest has tremendous benefits for the podcast host and their listeners. Consider collaborating with podcast hosts is a great way to spread the word about what you do.
How can I be a guest?
If you are looking into being interviewed as a podcast guest, listen to podcasts that you believe would be a good fit. Sometimes they mention in the podcast that they are looking for guests and where to go to apply. Check out their socials to see if they have that information there. Write to them. Make a request to be on their podcast.
If you need a little more help with this, we’ve put together a mini-course on how to Pitch.. And Get Booked on podcasts. In this course you’ll find:
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How to set specific goals, so that you can confidently and intentionally set in motion your guest podcasting strategy
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Create a list of podcast hosts in your target audience, so that you can start cultivating relationships with them
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Put together a pitch aimed at your target audience, so that podcast hosts are excited to interview you
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Take action to get booked as a guest on your target podcasts, so that you can start getting your message out to the world
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Set up the appropriate technology so that you come across as a professional podcast guest
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Prepare yourself and your contribution in advance so that you feel confident and stay focused on the needs of the audience
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Choose how to capitalize on your podcast interviews and attract more leads long after the initial broadcast has taken place
If you’d like to know more about Pitch… And Get Booked click here for more information. Not head on out there and get seen and heard!
Hi, I'm Kim!
It’s wonderful to have you here! If I’m not producing podcasts, I’m listening to them while gardening, playing with the dogs or tending my chickens.
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