Content Marketers: 3 Ways to Utilize Podcasts as a Marketing Tool

 As a content marketer, finding new and creative ways to communicate with your audience, and  identifying the best channels to disseminate your content is key. As a student enrolled in Northwestern’s Integrated Marketing Communications program and lover of all things audio, I have identified two articles that will help you use podcasting as a marketing tool. 

In Podcasting 101 for Content Marketers: An Interview with the Podcast Guy, Dave Thackeray for the Content Marketing Institute, CEO and copywriter Rachel Foster sits down with Dave Thackeray, known as the Podcast Guy-- a broadcaster and journalist specializing in marketing and audio. Thackeray recommends podcasting as a marketing tool as it "brings the brand to life." Thackeray says podcasting allows an audience to engage with companies in a way that is not possible through written media--through personal communication. Thackeray says that audience crave to get to know the real people of the company and all they have to offer.  Thackeray suggests a wide array of content ideas to get you started. First, he says to look at your existing content and think about how it can be formatted into a podcast. He suggests going around the office and doing 60-second interviews with a wide variety of employees or to ask a selection of employees to have a round table discussion and record it. Asking a client to share their experience as a case study could also be an effective topic.To be effective, Thackeray tells Foster that most listeners prefer podcasts shorter than 16 minutes.

Source: AdWeek

Jayson DeMers in Could a Podcast Boost Your Content Marketing Campaign? for Forbes notes that podcast listeners are not necessarily the same people reading your article or your white papers. Podcasts present a unique opportunity to widen your appeal and share your knowledge with a new audience. DeMers suggests to use your own experiences to differentiate yourself from other podcasters. He gives the example of What's Good Games, a podcast by four women in the male-dominated video gaming industry. Their unique experiences make for a unique podcast able to attract a loyal following. DeMers acknowledges that podcasting, like any marketing communication, should be consumer-focused. Your podcast should provide your listeners with your unique perspective to meet their needs and wants, but also should take their feedback and loyalty into account. DeMers suggests releasing content at the same time and on the same time day every week. This consistency will build a more loyal audience.

Based on these two articles and my experiences at Northwestern, I have developed three action items you should consider when thinking about starting or improving your own podcast.  

• Think about repurposing - Podcast listeners are not necessarily the people reading your blog, so you can repackage your valuable information to reach a new set of consumers.
  
• Be an authentic voice - Listeners will reward authentic voices sharing their expertise, experiences and their personalities—that’s you! Embrace it. 
  
• Actively listen - Listen to the feedback your listeners have-- although you’re producing the podcast, your voice shouldn’t be the only voice that is heard.

The next time you think about implementing a podcast in your marketing plan and strategy, remember these 3 things.

 

 
 Allison Ledwon is a senior at Northwestern University studying journalism, religious studies and integrated marketing communications. You can get in touch with Allison via LinkedIn or Twitter.