Why You Should Start A Podcast

Podcasting has boomed in recent years, becoming far more mainstream. That explosion in popularity might have you thinking about starting your own podcast. Whether you’re just one person looking to talk about your passions or a Fortune-500 company toying with the idea of using podcasts for your internal communications or external marketing; starting a podcast could be a great decision.

For those folks still on the fence, let’s take a closer look at some of the main stats and reasons for starting a podcast on this week’s episode of the Q’d Up Podcast On Podcasting.

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Episode transcript:

Whether you simply love podcasts or you work as an HR or marketing professional at an organization, you might be thinking about starting a podcast as we head into the new year. I might be a little biased but you’re making a great choice. But even if you have been toying around with the idea of starting a podcast, you might not know all the great things an original podcast can do for you.

That’s the topic of this week’s episode of the Q’d Up Podcast on Podcasting. So stay tuned as we dig into the stats and reasons that make podcasts such a great investment.

No matter why you’re thinking about starting a podcast, there are some universal things that make podcasts fantastic. For one, there’s a relatively low cost of entry into the world of podcasting. 

By not needing a video element, you save on the costly equipment, expertise, and editing that are required with television and film productions. Even for YouTube creators, regularly putting out video content can be quite burdensome on your wallet and calendar. While video does indeed make some things easier and there is a ton of great reasoning for using it, a podcast allows you to get your ideas out into the world easier, faster, and cheaper than your video-loving counterparts.

Better yet, for those cash-strapped creators, you can do everything yourself. True, you need to either already have or be willing to learn some new skills but editing your audio will likely be the most difficult thing you have to do and that can be made far easier by setting up your equipment properly to begin with. If that’s simply too much, there are companies like Q’d Up Audio to help you out, which will be far more affordable than if you needed video editing too.

While some will say the lack of video is a negative in getting your true creative vision out into the world, I actually find that audio-only podcasts can more easily create that personal connection to the listener. Everyone in this industry always talks about how “intimate” podcasts are but it’s true. Take this episode for instance . . . I’m directly talking to you. Granted, it’s a bit of a one-sided conversation right now but it is a conversation and one you hopefully feel some connection with.

As long as you remember that fact when writing and recording your podcast, you’ll have a far greater chance of moving your listener. That means turning them into fanatics who not only come back for every episode but share the gospel that is your podcast far and wide. And for those that have bigger goals in mind, it means actionable results.

Try this on for size . . . Podcasts ad sales are expected to top $1 billion in 2021, according to the IAB. A study from the BBC found that branded podcasts drove better audience engagement, improving brand awareness 89%, brand consideration 57%, brand favorability 24%, and purchase intent by 14%. Better yet, branded podcasts beat out TV benchmarks by at least 22%. All those stats make it crystal clear that few things can beat a good original podcast.

But let’s say you’re just a random creative person looking to get your ideas out into the world for others to enjoy. Your needs and wants are going to be a little different than a Fortune-500 company, so let’s talk directly to you all for a minute. 

You might have been tweaking a script for the last few years, trying to find a way to make it come to life. You don’t have the connections or funds to film a movie and even if it was the right format for television, you know you’d be too restricted by a network to do it justice. Or maybe none of that is true and you just don’t know where to start but you’ve got a great idea.

A podcast doesn’t have to be a last resort. With great sound effects, voice actors, and the right music in the right spots, you can craft a truly moving story without restriction in content. Better yet, podcasting is still one of the few areas you have a shot to make it big as an independent.

Film and television require networks, high-profile connections, and a ton of luck to even get seen in the first place, much less make it big. Granted, it’s incredibly hard and I wouldn’t go banking on it but podcasts like Lore have found the type of fame typically reserved for hit television shows all without a big media company supporting them. That means it’s possible for you to do the same, even if it’s an uphill battle as podcasts become more mainstream.

Let’s change gears and say you’re the head of a department for an organization and the idea of a podcast has come across your desk. It could be from one of our lovely articles or this podcast, or it could be a colleague that turned you on to a branded podcast they won’t stop raving about. No matter how you got to this point, you’re seriously wondering how an original podcast can hit your goals.

I split branded podcasts into two separate categories that typically have unique reasons for existing as such — Internal or external podcasts.

We’ll have a specific episode about internal podcasts later on. But for now, it’s worth mentioning that not every podcast has to be public-facing. Plenty of organizations use podcasts internally to do things like help disseminate information to their employees and contractors, onboard new employees, provide continuing education, develop organizational culture, and boost employee retention rates.

For external podcasts, there could be countless goals you’re trying to achieve. But as a podcast production company ourselves, there are a few goals we’ve focused on with our own clients…

• Brand awareness
  • You can improve your brand awareness organically if you put together a well thought out podcast. It can be as subtle or as blatant as you want but you can lead the discussion on a topic on your own terms, connecting listeners to your brand.
• Recurring touch point
  • The point of marketing is to get your brand and services in front of your ideal customer as often as possible. A recurring podcast does exactly that, to the point of getting people to subscribe so they don’t miss an episode.
  • And don’t forget that original podcasts are really just evergreen content. As long as you pay the hosting company, your podcast will stay online forever, constantly reaching new and existing customers without you having to do a single thing.
• Messaging
  • Brands sometimes need to rehabilitate their image or get a particular message out to the public in an organic and authentic way. Where ad buys might be easier, they feel like commercials and don’t necessarily have the sway needed to get the job done. But an original podcast about a central topic presented by your company? That feels like you’ve done your homework and have put in the work necessary to get the public to side with you.
• Recruiting
  • As we’ve seen throughout the pandemic, people are increasingly looking for job opportunities that align with their passions, their ideals, and gives them purpose.
  • An original podcast is a great way to showcase those ideals and passions, allowing you to stand out above your competitors who are trying to recruit the same people
  • And for organizations looking to become more inclusive, an external podcast is once again the answer. According to studies, podcast listeners are incredibly diverse, even more than the U.S. population for that matter, giving you access to a diverse audience that you can passively recruit from.
• Networking
  • By pitching to and interviewing the people you want to connect with, your podcast becomes a great way to network in an organic and meaningful way. 
  • We have several clients who rarely look at their download numbers, getting everything they truly wanted by sitting down with their guest for an hour and connecting with them on LinkedIn.
  • It might not seem like it’s incredibly effective but several of our clients have earned six-figure deals from the networking done on their podcast.
• SEO
  • Podcasts can be set up to be great additions to your SEO strategy. By incorporating show notes and transcripts on your website, you can also use your podcasts to improve your SEO rankings.
  • Much like blogs, centering a podcast episode around a particular keyword is a great way to come up in search for that keyword. Bonus points if you also put your podcast on YouTube — the world’s largest media search engine.

More than 80 million people listen to podcasts weekly and that number has been growing by leaps and bounds over the last few years. It doesn’t take an expert to realize podcasting is currently in the middle of a boom with no signs of slowing and everyone has been taking notice.

As podcasts become a bigger part of mainstream culture, more people are going to start podcasts. Getting in now while there’s still room left to breathe will give you a leg up on everyone that’s coming after you. Yet, there’s still enough openness in the medium that you’re free to be as open and creative as you want to be. 

No matter if you’re a writer with some inspiration, someone with a passion you want to share, or a business looking to take your marketing and HR departments to the next level; podcasts are a very real, very affordable, and very beneficial way for you to hit your goals. And we hope everyone listening gets a little more excited about the prospect of starting their own podcast.

Now get out there and create something great! If you are, share it with us on Twitter at qdupaudio or at MatthewS_Pod.