Podcasting Can be Bad for Business
As podcasting gets more attention of businesses, marketers are beginning to think of advertising their products on their own shows. What better way to promote your product and business than to start your own show? It all sounds like a great idea, until the hosts experience burnout.
Hosting a podcast takes a lot of work. It's your job to come up with new topics for the show, schedule the interviewees and make sure you can fit the times into your own busy schedule. You have to assemble the show into something that sounds professional. To gain listenership, you need to promote and market the show. Finally, you have to release the show on time and consistently. The more often your show is produced, the tighter your schedule is.
Many business podcasters don't take all these into consideration. After a few episodes, they lack vision on the content and lose the desire to keep the show.
Does that mean businesses shouldn't use podcasts? Not at all. There are other ways you can leverage podcasts. The key is to take advantage of the large number of podcasts already out there and to view them as mini internet radio stations.
Why not advertise on podcasts? You can find podcasts on any number of topics from family, to healthcare, to business. It doesn't matter what your niche is, there's likely at least one or more podcasts already in existence on that topic. If you visit iTunes you'll be able to do a search for the topics your are looking for, or any other podcasting directories. If you don't see an advertising plan in place then contact the host to see if you can pitch an offer to them.
Be a guest. Some podcasts are very influential. To listeners, guests seem important and by virtue of association, you and your company is viewed in a positive light - assuming of course the interview is a positive one. By appearing as a guest on a show, you also get a much longer time to present your product. In addition, guests come across as experts in their field. So this is a great advantage to build recognition.
Be a contributor. Podcasters are always on the look out for good content to help them fill up the time. Contact a podcaster in your niche and offer to be a contributor to their show. Depending on how frequently they publish the show, let them know you'll send them over short 2-3 minute segments filled with great information. Advertise your product by mentioning your website URL in those segments. They would probably give you a chance since you help make their work easier, for free.
Though this means you will still need to produce your own segment and spend a little time doing so, it's nowhere near like doing your own show. Also, you can dig up your old articles or email newsletters and create audio versions of them. This helps you quickly generate segments.
Syndicate it. While you're already creating segments, why not distribute your segment to other interested podcasters. That way, you get more use out of your hard work and you reach a larger group of people.
Don't bother to create your own podcast for marketing, there's just too many other ways that don't cost you nearly as much time and money. Consider all the ways you can help other business owners with their existing podcasts. By being a guest host or contributor to these podcasts you will be building your own reputation and status for little or no money.
About the Author
Lynette Chandler regularly helps small business owners creatively use technology in marketing. Get your free course on how you too can use technology to improve your marketing and productivity now.
Tell others about
this page:
Comments? Questions? Email Here