...more than 51% of the U.S population listens to podcasts

COVID-19 has suspended business travel and conferences have been postponed. Yet, most businesses have set aside marketing dollars for seminars, networking events and conferences in their 2020 budgets. While some of these business development activities are not possible in the same way now, businesses who want to remain competitive still have to come up with creative ways to deliver valuable content, industry news and updates in different ways to stay ahead and build their brand.

One way to do remain visible and engaged is by podcasting.

Did you know that more than 51% of the U.S population listens to podcasts and that nearly three out of every four podcast listeners tune in to learn new things on a monthly basis? Other popular reasons for listening include being entertained, staying up-to-date and feeling inspired. Additionally, statistics show that many listeners make their purchasing decision based on podcasts.

With the number of podcasts increasing sharply, here are six tips to help you launch a successful podcast:

1. Provide valuable content

Do a little research and see what topics are trending with your clients in mind. Would the topic benefit them? What can they learn by tuning in? If you were lined up to speak at a conference and / or seminar, ask yourself how could you repurpose this content in a podcast? Discussing the most recent news and hot topics with your audience will help you stay at the top of the search engines.

Likely, if there’s a significant news story related to your niche, your audience wants to learn more about it.

2. Determine a length and timing

One popular question that often comes up is how long should my podcast be? This is not always an easy answer because it depends on the topic, the quality of the content and the quality of the speakers.

Ideally if you know enough about a specific topic to fill up a series of 15-or 30-minute podcasts, you are already the expert. Spend some time prepping first by writing a script and timing yourself to ensure you stick to your time frame and launch your podcast during a peak hour. Engage with your PR practitioner to help simulate the interview before you record.

3. Choose a catchy name

Brainstorm with your team and pick a name that will grab your target audience’s attention. The name should be relevant to what the show is about. Ideally, your podcast name should also include the number one keyword to help you rank higher in searches and be found.

4. Pick attractive art

The cover art is the thumbnail image people see when they search for or find a podcast. Your cover art should include the title of the show, a picture of the show host, and some distinct images that indicate what the show is all about.

5. Build trust and be consistent

There’s something more human and personable about listening to someone else’s voice. Because you can hear the tone and inflection of someone’s voice, the individual appears more real and honest. But you also need to nurture the relationship you are building with your audience. Don’t just record one time and expect everyone to tune into your podcast over and over. You must build trust with every podcast you create in order to develop a following. Think about your subject matter.

You must build trust with every podcast you create...

Can you create several podcasts under the name and spread the podcasts out during a six-month or one-year span? By focusing and providing this service diligently, you will build trust and your audience will come back for more. Your analytics will prove this.

6. Promote your podcast

It’s always a good idea to work as hard as you can to perfect the technical steps in recording a podcast but if you don’t market your podcast and promote it in circles that matter, not many people will find it. Come up with a public relations strategy to help you stand out. Build an editorial calendar. For instance, if your practice is going to discuss tax, choose tax season to focus on this. If there is an extension such as the one given during COVID-19, be sure to revise your editorial calendar and launch when appropriate.

Additionally, stream it across a global audience through services like iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud and more. Publish it on your website, blogs, social media, client alerts and more. Encourage others to promote it in their own circles and groups.

With so many advances in technology, especially during COVID-19, podcasting replaces many face-to-face speaking opportunities. It will be interesting to study the rise of podcasting during this time once COVID-19 comes to an end.

For now, are you ready to join this movement and build your brand?

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A former journalist with over two decades of experience in crisis communications, reputation and brand management and PR, Ioana Good is Vice President at Poston Communications.