Podcasts can provide unrivalled business value. It does require a consistent effort but it's worth it. If you're keen to recruit new customers, build your brand authority and reach new audiences - then podcasting shouldn't be overlooked in your marketing strategy.
In the past week, 116 MILLION people tuned in to listen to a podcast and there are 48 million different episodes live right now. That's a lot of people, content and opportunities available. The podcast space is thriving and isn't slowing down anytime soon so there's never been a better time to join this medium than now.
In this post, we're going to cover everything there is to know about podcasting and how it can help B2B manufacturers attract new customers and increase their brand authority.
We’ll cover:
- The importance of podcasting
- Builds brand authority
- Provides a personal connection
- Gathers new leads
- Increased website and social media traffic
The importance of podcasting
Podcasting is an investment for manufacturers and certainly shouldn't be overlooked as a content medium. Podcasting is an exciting way to connect, engage and network with your audience and prospective customers. If you have guests on your show, you'll also be introduced to their audience too and you'll reach an even wider audience base.
Podcasting is a great way to diversify your content offerings. It provides an audio element to your existing content and it can work hand in hand with the current content you're sharing. Not forgetting, podcasting is a portable medium and can be listened to almost anywhere - in transit, on a running machine, whilst working and more. The possibilities are endless and provide engaging flexibility to your audience.
When it comes to creating a podcast, it's important to have the key things confirmed first. The what, the why and the how. What will your podcast cover, why are you choosing to create a podcast and how will you create it - all of these need to be in alignment with your target audience and your wider organisational goals too.
Builds brand authority
Podcasting gives brands a platform to speak about their passion, expertise and niche in their field. By talking about a topic or topics you know well and with confidence, will help you establish yourself and your company as an expert in your market. This will not only strengthen existing customer connections but it will build upon your brand authority and build trust among your listeners.
Building brand authority through podcasting:
- Consistency is important: the more consistent you are, the more engagements you'll receive. Share shows consistently each week or month, have a set date and build trustworthiness with your audience. If they know you'll be delivering free content each week, they'll be more likely to tune in knowing you're producing content consistently that they can rely on.
- Be a confident expert in your industry: your podcast is a chance to provide quality content for free to your listeners. Conducting interviews with experts, giving away helpful tips and sharing your expertise will help you develop a valuable listener community. Share your expertise with confidence - the more content you create for free the more likely consumers will become paying customers and will trust your guidance.
- Quality is key: your podcasts need to be high quality but that doesn't always require high expenses. Ensure each show has a purpose, is planned correctly and edited appropriately. Each show should provide value to the audience and should align with your podcast purpose. Keep the quality high so your listeners want to tune in every single time.
Provides a personal connection
Hearing someone's voice isn't just engaging but it's also a great way to provide a connection. A voice builds a personal connection and humanises a brand - FACT. A voice behind content not only allows for increased engagement but it makes the content more trustworthy, relatable and approachable.
Podcasts are great for visualisation and they're the perfect opportunity to put a voice to reasoning. Open up to your listeners, build a relationship with them and talk directly to them using the first-person narrative. Trust, relatability and connection are what sells and podcasting can achieve just that. Provide the personality your customers are listening for!
Be confident, speak openly and communicate the energy you share across your networks. Don't underestimate the power of your voice for building valuable connections. Podcasts are easy to listen to and with ease of use, you'll be more likely to connect with your audience directly.
If you already listen to podcasts, you'll be familiar with your favourite podcast hosts and you'll feel like you know them. That's what happens when you're consistent with your podcasts and utilise the power of your voice. Listening to content heightens the intimacy and transmits the voice of the podcast directly to the ears of the consumer - you can't get more connection than that.
Gathers new leads
Starting a podcast not only adds another dimension to your current content strategy (if you have one) but it's also a lead generation driver. A podcast can be a great entry point for potential customers to get to know your brand before they delve deeper into what you offer. Once you've gained the attention of your audience, it's then your job to guide them through the buyer's journey - from leads to converted and paying customers.
However, you can't just launch a show and expect to be an overnight success. It takes strategic planning and preparation for the best outcomes. But don't let that put you off, it's not so complicated. With the basics achieved, you'll be prepared for all the success you need and deserve.
- Publish relevant and valuable episodes: we sound like a broken record, don't we? But it's true! Quality over quantity is essential. Ensure each podcast serves a real purpose and you'll be more likely to secure the leads you want.
- Promote every podcast on social media: use your current channels as freehubs for promotion. You may even want to put some paid advertising behind it too.
- Have a landing page for your podcast: have a dedicated landing page for your podcast. You can optimise your page for SEO, promote it across your existing channels and add an email-gate - a great way to capture your leads information for future reference.
- Have a CTA: during every podcast, have a relevant CTA for each one. Where do you want to guide your listeners? What should they do next for further learning?
Increased website and social media traffic
Like any good quality content that's optimised for SEO, it can help you reach new audiences and increase your traffic - to your website and your social media. If you're consistent with your podcasting and you're dedicated to producing high-quality shows, you'll naturally build the traffic over time.
Your listeners may recommend your podcast to others and it could have a domino effect. Increasing your listener's overtime and reaching new audiences you never thought was possible.
If you're circulating in a specific genre, you'll be accessible to those listeners searching. And if you have a CTA with every podcast (directing listeners to your website) you'll naturally gain more traction that way too.
You could encourage listeners to follow you on social media for podcast updates and more. Be transparent but have a plan. Think about how you can guide your prospects to other platforms for increased engagement. If you're consistent, they'll more than likely follow you elsewhere for additional content and advice.
Want to develop your content marketing strategy to attract new customers? Our experts will help!
If you’re ready to utilise the benefits of content marketing and you want to expand your current audience reach, our content specialists at Red-Fern can certainly help you create a plan and produce results. Get in touch with us today and we’ll help you with the next steps for long-term success.
In the meantime, have a listen to our podcast and gain some insight into how we use podcasting for our manufacturing specialism. On our podcast, we invite national and international manufacturers to discuss technology, growth and marketing within the manufacturing sector.