Podcasts have quickly risen in popularity over the past few years. The accessibility of this style of content creates a platform for creators to connect with their audience in a way they had not been able to before. Podcasts are able to create a personal interaction with audiences new and established.
I recently chatted with my friend and podcast client, Laylee Emadi on her podcast, So, Here’s the Thing, all about why you should start a podcast, but more specifically, for your business.
There are many great benefits to launching a podcast for your business, or even just for yourself! Here are Gaffin Creative’s top reasons why you should start a podcast.
Serve Your Audience
According to Nielsen Global Media, 2020 occasional podcast listeners, or light listeners, consumed over 10 hours of content from podcasts and radio. So, your audience is likely already listening to podcasts! Why not go ahead and offer them your content in a format they enjoy?
By creating a consistent podcast, you are staying relevant and personal with your audience.
Your listeners are able to connect with you by hearing your voice and authentic self. This builds trust with the audience you might not have been able to achieve before. Sharing your voice makes you accessible to your listeners and causes them to feel more comfortable with you. Creating this relationship offers a new way of connecting with listeners and allows them to feel a part of your growth. Potential clients are also able to build this connection and feel as though they already know you. Having this connection cuts out the awkwardness of your client’s first meetings.
Present Yourself as an Expert in Your Field
Whatever field you may be in, you likely have a different experience than other people in the same field. Sharing what you’ve learned is a great way to help educate others and establish your voice.
A podcast allows you to get personal and candid about your experience and what you’ve learned. You are able to explore ideas that other members of your field may have never experienced or thought of. Expressing your growth can speak to others who are looking to do the same. Your podcast becomes a critical resource for clients to see what you do and how you’re successful.
This format is effective in doing this as it allows you to share a lot of content quickly. One episode can contain so much content, information, and personal knowledge and can quickly be shared with your audience. This proves to clients and other listeners that you know what you’re talking about, you’re an expert. You set yourself up as a peer to other experts that you can host on your show and as a leader in a specific field.
Connect with Industry Experts by Inviting them as a Guest
A podcast is a great platform that you can use to reach out and connect with other industry experts. Inviting them to be featured as a guest can be beneficial to you as well as to your guests. Providing a cross of audiences can build your listeners and draw attention to the guest as well.
Building genuine connections and relationships with other experts in your field is a great resource for you and your business. These connections are beneficial in a networking sense as well as personally.
With that, it is important that you are authentic in reaching out to potential guests. It can be better for a podcast in the beginning stages to feature individuals with whom you already have an established relationship. Once you’ve built up your podcast, then you should consider reaching out to the harder to reach experts.
When contacting more prominent individuals, present them with why you think your audience could benefit from their feature as well as how it would benefit the guest. It is also better to offer a few topic ideas that you think would be beneficial to listeners and also well suited for your guest. Your guest may offer some ideas of their own, but it’s best not to expect them to come with their own. You’re inviting them, don’t make them do all of the work.
When hosting your guests, don’t try to one-up them or portray yourself as an expert on what they’re talking about. Stay humble, show that you are going to be learning along with your audience.
Featuring other experts creates that networking opportunity and allows you to learn in the process.
Your Podcast Can Be a Marketing Tool
By creating a podcast, you are creating a platform on which you can market yourself. You should establish a goal for your podcast as a whole, as well as for each episode. This goal can vary, whether you’re selling a product or service, or wanting to grow your social media reach. You can even vary this goal between episodes. While you may not be looking to achieve some solid goal that seems marketable, you also have the opportunity to just market yourself.
Because you have built trust with your audience, they trust your opinion and are more likely to be interested in what you plug. Whatever you market feels like a personal referral from a friend rather than an ad. Even though providing show notes, you can drive your audience to your website and provide more content. This all circles back to serving your audience. Providing this connection to more content is just another way to further serve them.
Check out Episode 116: How to Use Your Podcast as a Marketing Tool ft. Business-First Creatives for even more info!
You Can Monetize Your Podcast
Monetizing your podcast is a great plus for all of the reasons listed, yet it should not be the end goal. Podcasting requires a lot of work and investment that often goes overlooked. For many podcasters, the cost of producing and creating a show is considered a marketing or advertising expense. Serving your audience is the most important goal. Neglecting this can result in losing listeners.
That being said, obtaining sponsors can be a great service to you. Obtaining sponsors that align with your topic or brand provides a benefit to you and your listeners. Your return on your podcast investment could also be presented as to how your audience responds to your own marketing. When your listeners engage with your content, visit your website, or do the action you are presenting, you are getting a return.
Listen to Episode 039: Ways to Monetize Your Podcast for more ideas on monetizing your podcast.
Interested in learning more about starting your podcast?
Make sure you head over to So, Here’s the Thing with Laylee Emadi, where she and I chatted on this episode in more detail about why you should start podcasting today!
If you’re looking to grow your educational offerings in your business this year, I also highly recommend checking out The Creative Educator Academy! Laylee is on a mission to train our industry educators to share their knowledge in order to leave their students with the education and results they’re looking for!
Starting a podcast requires a lot of planning and can easily get overwhelming. Gaffin Creative knows this and wants to help you get started in the easiest way possible. Check out The Podcast Bundle by Gaffin Creative to get access to valuable resources that will help with a smooth podcast launch. We’ve included workbooks and templates chock full of helpful tips and tricks to get you started! Head to The Podcast Shop for this and more great resources.
