Podcasts are an ideal addition to any company’s content marketing mix – and here’s why. Every current survey of podcast listenership shows that an increasing number of people are listening to them.

Years ago podcasts were the product of geeks serving a niche market (they used to be called audioblogs). But during the last few years podcasting has mushroomed into the mainstream. Everyone you speak with seems to have at least one favourite podcast.

And according to survey company Roy Morgan, last year (2019) more than 320,000 New Zealanders downloaded audio or video podcasts in an average four weeks, an increase of nearly 150,000 compared to 2016 – an 82 per cent increase.

A survey by Radio New Zealand released in June 2019 showed 31 per cent of Kiwi’s download podcasts. And 48 per cent of all podcast listeners in New Zealand are aged under 45-years-old.

Any marketer has to concede that podcasting is not a passing fad. 

The founder of the Content Marketing Institute, Joe Pulizzi, says podcasts offer “the best definition of ‘content’ I’ve seen”.

It seems pretty clear to me there is plenty of room for business owners to exploit the podcast platform to promote their brand and increase thier relationship with their current and future customers.

Audio offers a level of convenience, reach and engagement that is unmatched by any other medium. Why do you think radio is still so popular?

However, your podcast content has to be engaging. You have to put the audience first. You can’t just say “buy from us because we are good”. That’s a commercial. You have to deliver much more than that. You have to give something away. Any thoughts of a sale must come after the relationship has been established.

The content of your podcast could a story about how you helped a customer; about how you came up with the idea of your widget, the lessons learned in its development, the failures, the problem solving, your successes. Honest stories that build credibility and trust.

Use podcasts to tell your story and the stories behind your services and products, as well as share industry news and information, along with your pick of future trends in your industry.

A podcast is less time consuming to make than a video, and can provide an easy way for you to include other people in the recording. They are cheap to distribute too.

There’s also a level of trust that’s built up by people listening to your voice, getting to know you, and getting a feel for your personality.

A podcast can help establish you as an expert, an authority within your industry. It will expand your reach to people you could never otherwise hope to meet or influence.

Too shy to put yourself out there? Don’t like hearing your own voice? Well, dig deep, and embrace the medium.

Think you need expensive equipment? No, you can start by recording on your phone – speaking directly into its microphone, and doing any editing on the free audio app that came with your PC.

Produce one a week; build a following, and watch your brand grow.

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