Should You Have a Podcast?
In 2013, the Pew Research Center found that 27 percent of adult Internet users had downloaded or listened to podcasts. If you’re a marketing-minded business person, that probably sounds like a lot of potential customers.
If you’ve got something worthwhile to say, it might not be a bad idea to explore podcasting. And it’s not that difficult: A podcast is simply an audio recording stored on the Internet for others to stream and listen to whenever they like—maybe years from now. Here’s what you’ll need to get started:
• A microphone. Specifically, the best microphone you can afford. The quality of your audio is pivotal.
• An editing program. Some good ones—like Audacity for the PC and Mac, and GarageBand for the Mac—are free.
• Valuable content. Chances are you won’t attract a lot of listeners if your entire show is a thinly veiled advertisement for your product or service. But do stick to your area of expertise. People want to know about their interests from authorities.
• A partner—maybe. Unless you’re keeping things really short and sweet, a conversational style is likely to net more listeners.
• Direction in getting yourself published to iTunes. We like the technical points offered on HowToGeek.com.
Regular podcasts about a relevant subject can boost your business by exposing your ideas to new audiences. Have fun with it! Listeners want to be entertained as much as enlightened.
Betsy Simnacher is a freelance writer who has been published in numerous newspapers and magazines nationwide. She lives in the suburbs of Dallas.