Getting Started with Podcasting: A Guide for B2B Marketers

I haven’t listened to the radio since August. My round-trip commute takes three hours, but not once in the past five months have I so much as touched the radio dial. How, you may ask, do I weather the Atlanta traffic without going insane? I’ll let you in on a little secret: podcasts.

Okay, so maybe podcasts aren’t my own personal secret. How could they be when 30% of Americans have listened to at least one? That number, by the way, is up from 9% in 2008 (Edison Research). On the heels of the smash hit Serial, New York magazine has even gone so far as to dub this the Great Podcast Renaissance.

In a recent webinar, Jay Baer made a prediction for 2015. “I think we’re going to see an explosion of audio content, especially podcasting,” he said. “As people get busier and busier, podcasts give them an opportunity to learn while they’re doing something else. It’s a multitasking educational opportunity.”

Not only are podcasts convenient for listeners, they’re a relatively simple, cost-effective content opportunity for marketers. Considering adding podcasts into your B2B content marketing mix? Before you get started, take some time to map out a strategy. Here are some things you’ll want to keep in mind.

Topic

A search for the term “marketing” on the iTunes Podcast app returned over 500 shows and thousands of episodes. On one hand, this means there’s a big market for this topic; on the other, it means there’s quite a bit of competition. Fortunately, you can get as specific as you’d like with your topic to really focus on your niche.

Length

Podcasts range from one minute to two-plus hours, so the length of your show will depend on your subject matter and the format you choose. For example, you could keep it short by recording 60-second industry tips, or you could conduct one-hour discussions with experts in your field.

Frequency

How often you release your podcast is entirely up to you—just make sure it’s consistent. Joe Pulizzi of the Content Marketing Institute put it well when he asked, “Is your content anticipated? Are you doing it on a regular schedule?” You can release your podcast daily, weekly, or quarterly as long as your audience knows when to expect it.

Format

One of the benefits of podcasting is its on-the-go audio format, but you can also create a video podcast. The benefit of this is the ability to upload it to your Facebook and YouTube pages for easy cross-channel promotion.

Distribution

How will you distribute your show? Buffer has a great guide for creating podcasts and submitting them to iTunes, but you shouldn’t stop there. Keep in mind that 51% of listeners tune in on the go, while 46% listen on their computers, so it’s a good idea to offer your show both on your website and on podcast apps (Edison Research). Then create a plan to promote your show on your social channels and your blog.

Looking for some inspiration before you sit down to create your own podcast? Check out some of our favorites to get the creative juices flowing.

Seth Godin’s Startup School

In 2012, Seth Godin led an entrepreneurial workshop to teach the founders of startups everything they needed to know to succeed—and then he turned that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity into this podcast.

Marketing Smarts

The wonderful folks at MarketingProfs conduct weekly in-depth interviews with the best marketers, PR professionals, and writers from virtually every field.

The Maverick Selling Method

This sales-focused podcast from Brian G. Burns discusses topics ranging from social selling to “becoming automatically awesome.” Warning: This show is not for the faint of heart. It does its best to flip everything you thought you knew about selling on its head.

Social Pros

Social Pros is “the podcast for real people doing real work in social media.” Jay Baer is joined weekly by top social media managers for a discussion about the latest social news, trends, and advice.

When I’m in my car on my way to work, I like to guess what my fellow drivers are listening to. Some are bopping their heads along to music; others are engrossed in their morning talk shows; but more and more, I see smartphones mounted on the dash with a podcast app in plain view. (Atlanta traffic moves very slowly, as you can probably tell.) So, what do you think? Will you be adding podcasting to your 2015 content strategy? Maybe I’ll see your show pop up on someone’s phone during rush hour soon. In the meantime, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this growing medium, so feel free to leave your ideas in the comments.