Podcasts are digital audio files made available over the internet. They can be a useful tool in your marketing effort at a very low cost. Podcasts allow you to easily distribute information in your own style in a format that audiences can listen to over mobile devices anytime and place they wish. Your followers can choose the podcasts they want to download or share with friends. A podcast is a convenient recording that people can listen to while they're working, relaxing at home, or at the gym. Here are some of the major reasons for using podcasts.
1. Reuse the Content
Each podcast can be a stand-alone piece of work that you can reuse and repurpose however you like. As simple and usually small digital files, they can be used in any kind of online content, such as blogs or social media. You can even make them more intriguing to your listeners by providing printed quotes or brief sound bytes. Any live events can be recorded and reproduced as podcasts. You can make them more interesting and immersive by providing notes or introductions explaining how, why, and where the podcast was created. These audio files, or entire collections of your podcasts, can be distributed by email, CD, flash drives, or other means to your customers or associates to generate interest in your product or service.
2. Attract Influencers
You can get input from industry or technical authorities to add credibility, insights, or simple market appeal to your podcast. More people will be drawn to it if your audio features respected people like senators or doctors. All you have to do is record the process of asking a few questions and getting answers. This can be CEOs, scientists, celebrities, industry experts, or anyone your audience will respect as an influence on your topic. Many will be happy to do it in order to promote themselves. You can also become the influencer yourself. As an example, consider the itunes podcasts of Dallin Larsen of Vasayo, the wellness product company. By having your own podcasts, you’ll be able to gather your own following and influence others.
3. Boost Your ROI
Podcasts are a very economical medium that can have huge results. This is an option that will greatly increase the return on investment from your advertising dollar. It's possible to produce a decent podcast using some basic sound equipment and even your own smartphone to connect with remote sources. This will hardly affect your marketing budget at all. It just takes a little time and planning. Podcasts can actually generate profits themselves. For instance, if you can hit 10,000 or more downloads, your podcasts can attract paying advertisers. Add to this the value of building your brand, growing your audience, and extending your market reach, and successful podcasts can provide a tremendous ROI.
4. Market to Mobile Users
As an audio file that can be used anywhere, podcasting is the perfect medium to establish yourself with the world's growing numbers of mobile device users. Millions of people keep their smartphones with them all day, every day. If you're providing informative and entertaining podcasts that people can download freely and easily, mobile users are more likely to listen on the drive to work or waiting at the dentist. People who tend to ignore advertising will still listen to a podcast that interests them. Podcasts are often made as a series of episodes, so followers can come back for more whenever they like. Storytelling that engages users is a powerful marketing strategy.
As other marketing channels become increasingly crowded, podcasts continue to work. It's an economical and highly shareable format for modern consumers.