Podcasting for Business: Your Company’s Complete Guide to B2B Podcasting
You’re probably not going to read this whole article.
That’s because you’re already pressed for time. But if this article were given to you in audio format, you would probably listen to it while commuting home, or while going for a run.
If that is the case, check out our podcast A Guide to B2B Podcasting.
This is precisely why podcasting is hot right now.
People can multitask and listen to a podcast at the same time, and that’s the beauty of podcasting. Well, that and the fact that it’s an exceptional marketing tool, which we’ll get into later.
As a business owner, if you’re interested in business podcasting, but you don’t know how to start with your own podcast, by the time you finish reading this, you’ll have a clear idea of how all the pieces fit together, and the elements of a successful podcast.
And if you don’t have time to read… then reach out to Content Allies for a white-glove podcast production service.
What is podcasting?
Podcasting is basically an internet radio show.
People can subscribe to a podcast which varies in length, and research shows that people mostly listen when they are performing other tasks like gym workouts, commuting to or from work, or mowing the lawn.
Podcasts can cover any topic, but are usually the most popular when their fans frequent the internet regularly.
According to Statista, almost six out of ten people over the age of 12 have listened to at least one podcast in the US, and as of 2021, 41% of the US population have shown familiarity with podcasts as they tune in at least once a month.
With the Covid outbreak and resulting lockdowns, the number of listeners increased dramatically; Edison Research found that on average in 2019, those who tuned in to podcasts spent 17 hours a month listening to them.
Why businesses should produce podcasts
People subscribe to podcasts for a few different reasons:
To learn new things
To be entertained
As a source of news
For inspiration
They’re becoming more popular because people can multitask and listen at the same time, unlike reading blog posts. Most people listen on-the-go; 65% of people listen to shows via mobile devices.
Higher engagement
Due to information overload, we’ve learned that people only scan a blog post for 37 seconds on average vs. engaging with a podcast show for most of its allocated time, which is generally around 45 minutes long.
This means that podcasts hold the attention of your target audience a lot longer than blog posts, so listeners are more engaged with your business, which creates increased brand loyalty.
Podcasting is growing fast
Podcasting as a marketing tool is growing fast; it currently accounts for 10% of all content consumed by Millenials, and according to IAB in 2018, the total market revenue estimate for podcasting increased by 53%.
Insider Intelligence found that the number of monthly US podcast listeners increases by 10.1% year-over-year (YoY) and in 2021, total listeners have reached 117.8 million.
Best way to create more content
The marketing results you get are all based on the content you produce.
If you're a marketer, you'll understand that a) organic traffic is based on website content, and blogs, and b) the only way to build credibility and trust with your target audience is through content.
The problem is that to reap results, companies need to create a ton of content. And it can't just be any cheap ‘n nasty content; it has to be well thought-out value-add content targeted at a specific audience.
This all requires expensive resources.
Podcasting eases time and expense a little in terms of content because repurposing your podcast is the fastest way to create content across multiple mediums. Out of one podcast episode you can produce, at minimum, the actual show which can be published as a video to YouTube, show notes for your website, a blog post or even a few blog posts, and social media video clips, snippets and quotes.
Excellent networking mechanism
At its core, podcasting is all about marketing and networking.
As such, people tend to be flattered when they are asked for an interview, so it's relatively easy to find guests for your show.
In addition, if you get the right guest, both your business and the guest benefits. Chances are, once your guest has given you the time for your show, you will reciprocate for your guest and so it will continue. Exceptional businesses are always based on partnerships and that is just one of the benefits of podcasting.
Provides one-on-one time with your ideal customer
Most online marketing and online advertising mechanisms make it hard to get one-on-one time with an ideal customer.
In addition, those methods tend to put you on the back foot, expecting the cold shoulder. But podcasting with the right approach offers such value that it allows you to engage and build credibility and authority with prospects long-term, and create deeper relationships with customers.
Podcasting is particularly good as a marketing method because topics discussed can be super targeted for the right audience. It also means your subscribers are highly vested in the solutions you provide.
Builds brand awareness
Podcasting effortlessly builds brand awareness and provides quality exposure to the right people, and switches the role between customer and provider on a psychological level, so that you are no longer on the back foot begging for alms, but rather viewed by your potential customers with respect because of the value you provide on the show.
Great inbound leads strategy
According to SemRush, around 20% of people have purchased a product or service after hearing about it in a podcast. That is more than other online marketing methods produce. That’s because in podcast format, products and services are a showcase without being a showcase.
In fact, Workforce Pods maintains that podcasting is the only marketing strategy a business needs for traffic generation because it feeds into every promotion you wish to push. It’s ideal for spreading brand awareness without any sleaze, and it addresses your perfect audience who will later buy your product or service.
Podcasting can be used in email, on social media channels, SMS, WhatsApp and even in traditional flyers and brochures.
Podcasting has a two pronged approach:
Guests make for effective networking, and
The value of the topics makes podcasting good for generating inbound leads.
Engaging podcast show content which is then repurposed improves sales conversions.
How to start a B2B podcast
Before doing anything, consider your objectives regarding podcasting.
From there, you need to define your topic and strategy, but to do so means you need to consider your options. Perhaps the first step in doing this is to have an idea of the skills required.
Let’s take a look at that:
Podcast producer requires strong marketing experience, project management skills and some technical and analytical ability.
Guest coordinator needs to be well networked, a good communicator, organizer, and possess strong management skills.
Audio and video editor requires a good memory, attention to detail, good communication and listening skills, is a team player, networker, tends to be organized and has the right software skills.
Graphic designer must be creative, a good communicator with time management skills, and good at using the right software to design the podcast logo and artwork around each episode.
Content writer needs to be creative, have SEO and marketing skills, understand the topic, and be reliable and organized.
Publishing team must pay attention to detail, and have knowledge of the internet, podcasting publishing platforms like Apple Podcasts and directories as well as website content management platforms.
Promotional team must be organized, team players, creative, have marketing experience and know-how, and be analytical in order to offer insights.
Also, don’t forget to check out the best free video editor for your projects to save costs and streamline your workflow.
For a more detailed look at what each role entails, this article about starting and producing a podcast will be helpful.
Now that you know what skills podcasting demands, it’s time to decide how you plan on building your team to make it all come together:
Podcasting steps
What is involved in producing one podcasting episode? Let's break it down:
Step #1: Schedule your first episodes
Your topics should be based on the needs of your target audience and you need to decide how those topics will feed into your overall content strategy.
Step #2: Coordinate guests
Inviting guests is optional and does create more work, but guests also offer many benefits in terms of not only networking but increasing your listenership.
Make it easy for your guest to remember to show up and prepare your guest in advance for both the process and what they need to do on their side (e.g. wearing headphones). Tell them what tools are being used and give clear instructions on how to attend.
Step #3: Prepare for and make the episode recording
Research the topic and create the script or outline, then record the episode. Ideally, your guest will have a microphone, but this is not absolutely essential as long as you, the host, sounds clear. However, both you and your guest will need to use headphones.
Decide if you are going to record audio alone or both audio and video, bearing in mind that you will need different software and processes depending on what you choose.
It's a good idea to record video also so that you can publish the interview to YouTube and social media as part of your content strategy.
If you decide to go with audio only, it may be a good idea to use an online studio like Cleanfeed for the interview, but if you also choose to do video you can use a tool like Riverside.fm.
Step #4: Audio editing and production
Some companies don't do any editing; shows are left raw as they were recorded, but if you wish to pro it up, you can use an app, software or a podcasting production company like Content Allies.
Editing usually means that you cut up the recordings and then stitch them back together again as one episode. At this point you can add music, remove mistakes, fix up the sound, and much more.
Production is the process of enhancing audio sound to remove noise or add compression.
Get more information about audio editing and podcast production companies, agencies and services.
Step #5: Write show notes and social media content
The show can now be transcripted in order for the writer to compile the show notes that will be added to where the audio is housed on the podcast hosting platform as well as on all the directories. To do the transcription, you can either hire a freelancer, a transcription service, or the recording software you use may have this functionality.
The writer can use the transcription and the audio files to repurpose the show into other content for social media and your company's website.
Step #6: Publish the new episode to your host
The podcast host is where your podcast show is housed, similar to a website host. A good host will provide analytics around your show such as downloads and whether the show is accessed via laptop, tablets, or smartphones. These insights are important should you wish to make continual improvements.
Step #7: Submit to directories
Once the show has been uploaded to the host, it can now be submitted to directories such as Apple Podcasts/iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher and Google Podcasts. Using an app from Google Play, people can listen to podcasts on Google Podcasts, and so many directories have their own benefits.
The reason for doing this is to increase podcast listeners and be available to users browsing podcast categories.
Step #8: Do the artwork
The graphic designer must now create the artwork for the following:
The episode cover
Social media video clip cover
Guest quotes for social media
Blog post header
Either use somebody in your marketing department to perform this task, or consider hiring a freelancer. Alternatively, podcast production companies can take over this role.
Step #9: Promote the episode on social media
Using the artwork created by the graphic designer for this purpose, now it's time to increase listenership by promoting the episode to social media and email.
Step #10: Guest follow-up
To make the most of your guest networking opportunity, there are a few things that should be done, for example, sending a thank you note advising of the scheduled release date of the interview. If you will be using your guest’s name or company name on social media when promoting the episode, it’s courteous to let them know when to expect this.
Podcast production options
Now that you know what’s involved in producing a podcast from start to finish, you may want to review your options for how to go about starting a podcast.
Option #1: Build an internal team
Your objectives should define your strategy, which in turn, will define the resources you’ll need.
Although podcasting on the whole can be complex because its various components require such different skills, depending on your strategy, you may get away with building a basic team and then adding employees as you grow.
Unless you plan to do it all yourself, right from the outset you’ll need a podcast audio and video editor and writer. If you need to hire people, it is possible to keep costs lower by allowing them to work remotely and on a freelance basis.
Not only will you need the resources, but also the equipment:
Podcast microphone (ideally a USB microphone)
Pop-filter
Microphone stand
Microphone boom
You will also need the right software:
Recording software (computer or web based, or use your mobile device recording app). You could use software such as Audacity or Adobe Audition for both recording and editing
Call recording software for guests
Editing and production software (it is possible to get software that does everything, such as recording, editing and production, but then one of those areas may lack quality)
Podcast website (optional)
Hosting service such as Soundcloud or Libsyn (where your podcast episodes are housed, and some help promote your podcast ads)
If you build an internal team, consider using the people you already have as long as they have the right skills. Otherwise, hiring a freelancer may be worth your while.
Option #2: Outsource to a production company
Sometimes it makes more sense to outsource everything to a production company which allows you to focus on what you do best. Some production companies are able to perform every step and all you have to do is show up to conduct a great conversation.
While this option may seem more expensive, it can actually work out to be more cost effective than performing all the steps yourself. In addition, a production company is likely to be more skilled in the areas that make the most difference, such as:
Sourcing the best guests
Content production from the show
Marketing the podcast
Here’s a list of B2B podcasting production companies, agencies and services; although rare, it's a good idea to find (if you can) a company that has expertise in your niche.
Choosing your podcast production company / consultant
As with all services, podcast production companies and podcast consulting companies or consultants are not all made equal. Here are some tips when doing your homework:
Figure out what services you require before approaching a production company. For example, you could hand over all tasks to be done for you by a podcasting production company, or you could outsource some of the tasks.
If you choose to do everything in-house, it might pay to hire a consultant or a consulting company to advise you.
If possible, try to find a podcast production company or a consultant who has your industry expertise. For example, a podcast production company may specialise in producing SaaS or finance podcasts. Whatever the case, industry expertise is always preferred.
Check reviews, client testimonials, and case studies of each company or consultant to make your final decision.
Be careful of digital marketing agencies trying to break into the podcasting domain who do not yet have the expertise. If you are going to pay for help, then pay to get the right help.
Ready to start your own business podcast?
Starting a podcast can seem daunting and indeed, it can be. To make its launch effective requires many complex components.
If you need help starting your own podcast, reach out to Content Allies which helps B2B companies launch revenue generating podcasts.
You show up for interviews, Content Allies handles everything else!
Learn more at ContentAllies.com
Content Allies helps B2B companies launch revenue-generating podcasts. You show up for interviews, they handle everything else. Learn more at ContentAllies.com