Podcasting is powerful to gain loyal customers and raving fans.

We have seen that there is a real increasing thirst for audio content over the past couple of years. It’s a marketing technology not to overlook as the audiobook and podcast industry is set to continue to surge and soar in popularity, exemplified by the new audio-only social media platform Clubhouse.

Podcasting is a medium that is growing at an unprecedented level with audience figures anticipated to double in size over an 18-month period from the start of 2020. This was accelerated by the pandemic.

Podcasting to build a personal brand is powerful right now. You are your brand and there is no better way to create connection with potential clients than through the intimate experience of hearing your voice. Your unique timbre, resonance, pitch and tone, together with any idiosyncratic manners of speech will draw people in. Podcasting allows you to put your stamp all over your niche, to be known for what you do, to get your business out there visibly and position yourself as a credible expert in your field of influence.

A long-term asset with short-term benefits

We all like REAL. It creates trust and puts you at the centre of what you do and the expertise you deliver and for business owners, it’s even better than that. According to a recent research article, 81% of regular podcast listeners stated that they had taken action with intent to purchase after hearing a recommendation on a podcast. See? I said they were powerful.

The constant treadmill of content creation pressure that business owners find themselves on can be alleviated with a well-constructed podcast. Deliver the audio or video content live, and repurpose into blogs, show notes to aide search engine optimisation, quotes, audiogram videos, Pinterest graphics, Instagram Stories and so on. Create with a podcast in mind first, and you can then find your content will reach much further. Add to that, that the length of time an episode is expected to be of value in the marketplace is approximately seven years rather than the fleeting 24-48 hours of worth that most social media posts have. A podcast is a long-term asset with many short-term benefits.

It is one of the few platforms where you can quite literally catapult yourself amongst the heady heights of the top iTunes and Spotify charts, in countries all across the globe. Those celebrity types in your industry? Those who currently dominate the podcast charts? You can position yourself as their equal by executing a podcast that speaks to the right people and creating a launch plan that propels your new show into the top positions.

More than a vanity metric

This is more than a simple vanity metric. A successful, fully planned launch of a good show will enable the podcast directories to promote and celebrate your show as an important ‘one to watch’ newcomer. As a result, your show will reach the eyes and ears of people who at the moment, don’t know you from Adam.

Hosting a podcast is akin to having your very own media channel. You become influential, you become someone useful to others in your industry who want to leverage your growing audience. Suddenly, you have an appealing offer with which to reach out to those way more established and well known than you, AND better yet, they are likely to promote it on their own social platforms.

That author you admire? That speaker you wish you could get to know better? That potential partner you would love to collaborate with? Bring them on your podcast and enjoy the benefits of having an hour one-on-one with no interruptions. The power of a podcast is often in the relationships it affords you to establish and develop with those more experienced than you.

It’s all in the planning

Podcasting offers huge opportunities to experts, authors, coaches, speakers and entrepreneurs to increase impact, influence and income for their brand. Done effectively, podcasts can build email lists, audience followings and create strong communities. A podcast can be a real marketing asset in your efforts to bring in loyal clients and elevate your status within your industry.

Warning! Done ineffectively, and without crucial knowledge, it can become a headache and something you wonder why you started. Let’s not be fooled, a successful podcast takes effort. Podcasting isn’t just plugging in a microphone and putting out any old voice recording.

It’s crucial that you do the right prep and planning first in order to not only ensure you reach the audience of your dreams, but that you’re providing them with the right content too. Get the planning right, and your podcast will be an invaluable tool for driving sales and adding additional income streams to your business.