Have you ever listened to a podcast? Many podcasts take the form of amateur radio shows. This form of media allows nearly anyone to reach an audience of eager listeners. If you have never browsed, there are literally thousands of podcasts about subjects both popular and unique. Because of the vast number of topics podcasting covers, there really is something for everyone. eMarketer predicts that during 2013, around 37.6 million people will download a podcast—EACH MONTH! Since this is such a popular form of media, there are certainly marketing opportunities tied to podcasting for both website content providers and independent business owners. Learn more about the two ways you could choose to use this technology to your marketing advantage, and get your message out there in front of the millions of podcast listeners.
Commercials, Ads and Bumps
The simplest way to harness the power of podcasting for your marketing plan is to advertise on already existing podcasts. You will find that this can actually be a very affordable method of reaching a targeted audience. Depending on the size of the audience and the topic at hand, you may be able to add a commercial (or bump, as the advertising space before and after a podcast is often called) to a targeted podcast for very little cost. In many cases, the podcast producers are more likely to give you a great deal if your product, website or service is of particular interest to those who would listen to the podcast. In fact, in many cases you may be able to get advertising space for nothing—if you are willing to barter with the producer. In many cases the podcast producers are not actually attempting to make a profit with their production, they just do not want to pay too much to keep their hobby on the air.
Host Your Own
Another idea that can really help you reach a targeted audience is to host your own podcast. While this may not work in every case, there are situations where this could be the best way to reach an audience. For instance—say you have a website that provides advice and tips for playing poker. You make money from your website when visitors click ads or purchase your poker playing advice book. In this case, hosting a podcast with poker advice, interviews and other information may be another great way to get visitors to your website or encourage them to buy your book. The most important thing is to not let your podcast turn into an hour long commercial—make certain it is informative and useful, above all else.
Podcasting is still relatively new, so the “rules” are still being written. Spend some time listening to podcasts related to your field of interest and see if you think this could be a beneficial addition to your current marketing strategy.
Tracy S is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments.
