Podcasting has become all the rage, it seems. Businesses, churches,
non-profits, and even individuals are investing in studio setups, and
making their voice heard in a way once reserved for the select few on
the radio or television. You may be wondering if this new media is for
you, and how you can leverage it to build your brand and grow your
business. While it's true podcasting can be a great benefit, the
reality is it's not quite as easy as just buying a microphone, and
suddenly you're a star. Let's take a look at some of the common
perceptions versus the reality of podcasting.
It is true that you can buy the necessary equipment for a podcast, and
produce it on your own for a very minimal investment. But this is
where you really need to be careful. Just like buying a good set of
surgical tools doesn't make you a surgeon, owning fancy equipment
doesn't make you a good producer. This is your professional image
we're talking about. It's best to get support from a professional to
help you select equipment, setup a studio, and probably edit for you.
Video is far more complicated than audio, but in both mediums
experience and expertise really show. Make sure you're putting out the
best quality product you can. You only get one shot to make a first
impression.
Once you have a quality podcast to share with the world, you need a
way to drive traffic to it. You can have the word's greatest show, but
if nobody knows it's there what have you really accomplished?
Unfortunately, it's not as easy as many people seem to think. Sure,
getting listed in an index like iTunes or Google's Podcast Portal is
important, but you're just one of hundreds, if not thousands, of
podcasts. Posting on your website is a must, but how much unique
monthly traffic do you have already? Not all of those unique visits
are even real people (there are many automated "bots" on the internet
that often show up as hits or page views which artificially inflate
your stats), and not all of the human visitors are going to be
interested in your podcast.
Really, when you boil it down, it all comes back to the age-old
question of how to market your product. It's the same question
entrepreneurs have been asking for centuries, "How do I tell people
about the awesome product or service I offer? I know they'd love it if
they just knew my business was here." It's the same question whether
you are an auto manufacturer, restaurant, amusement park or have a
brick-and-morter store front, lawn care service, website or podcast.
Believe it or not, the answer has been the same since 1920: Radio.
I won't delve into it here, but study after study has come out showing
radio is still the best advertising ROI, and listenership is not only
staying strong, it's growing. NAB, RAB and plenty of others have
written volumes on this topic if you wish to research it on your own.
So how can radio help your podcast? I'm glad you asked. For the sake
of time, I'm going to use a church as my example, but really the same
is true of just about any podcast. Let's suppose you are a small- to
medium-sized church, and you're looking to get more people in the
seats on Sunday. You have a website and Facebook page, you've heard
about podcasting being "the next big thing," you post your podcast to
your website, and nothing happens. This is where your local Christian
radio station comes in.
Each radio station is going to be structured a little different, but
they all specialize in mass marketing. By contracting their services
to market your website, your message is delivered to an audience of
active listeners who are interested in your service. A good message
will drive traffic to your website, and then the rest is up to you to
retain your internet audience.
A good radio station is never content with their current listenership
numbers. They are constantly marketing the radio station to the public
through any reasonable means. Most radio stations employ at least one
person, if not a whole department, whose job it is to market the radio
station. They have vehicles with brightly colored signage, billboards
and t-shirts. They sponsor concerts and events all just to build and
maintain a loyal audience. You, the advertiser, benefit from the
marketing efforts of the radio station because when people see that
radio station logo and tune in, they hear your message. So, in effect,
you have a team of marketers working around the clock to help grow
your brand for pennies on the dollar versus doing it all yourself.
Podcasting may be the new frontier of marketing, but don't go it
alone. Use an experienced guide, like your local radio station. After
all, they make a living creating and marketing professional,
compelling content.
