Podcasting and Your Business – What Good Is It?

There are so many Internet tools that businesses can use today to increase their profit margins and convert web site visitors into actual customers. One powerful marketing tool that is great for converting web site visitors to customers is podcasting. There have recently been three studies done on podcasting. One is by Midroll Media , which conducted an internal survey of 300,000 podcast listeners. They found that …

Of the people who listened to podcasts,
63 percent bought the product or service!

You just cannot beat conversion rates like these!

What Is Podcasting?

The word itself is a play on the words ‘broadcasting’, which indicates communicating across the air waves (or Internet), and ‘iPod’, which was the once popular, go-to device to listen to music downloads.

Essentially, a podcast is an online radio interview. It can be done with or without a script, though without a script comes across as more natural, than using a script for non-actors. It always has a topic agenda with highlights of about which the interview will cover.

The average podcast is about 22 minutes long

That’s long enough to get your business information out to potential buyers, but short enough for them not to lose interest. Podcasts can range from 5 to 10 minutes or over an hour or so.  There is no set time length. It is typically dependent on the topic discussed.

Shorter 5 to 10 minute podcasts are good only if you can sum up your product or service quickly and concisely. Longer over 30 minute podcasts work only if your topic will hold the listeners interest for that long. Remember, potential buyers who get bored will leave the podcast and likely not purchase your product or service.  So, when planning your podcast and its length, keep these factors in mind.

One advantage of podcasting is that it gives your business the opportunity to educate your web site visitors on a product or service – its uses, benefits, method for using it, and so on. It can create interest, where perhaps before the listener was not quite sure what it is or why (or how) it is used. The more information potential buyers have that answer the “what’s in it for me?” question, the more apt they are to purchase that product or service. And they also are more apt to buy it from the business that created the podcast!

To listen to a sample podcast, check out one of Webmaster for Hire’s at: http://webmasterforhire.us/category/website-design-marketing-podcasts/

Video vs. Podcasting

Yes, video presents the web site user with a visual content along with audio; however, most businesses provide representatives who are uncomfortable being in front of the camera. How do I look? Am I using too many hand gestures? Are these clothes right for the audience? And so on. They are self-conscious. They also cannot just keep their notes in front of themselves to refer to throughout a video, where they must look as though they “know it all” off the top of their heads while on camera.

Additionally, they have to commute to a physical, real world studio to create the video, unless they have all the equipment, a business onsite location, and a videographer of their own.

One real advantage to using podcasts is that none of the above concerns exist.

Most podcasts are created over the phone with an interviewer – does not matter what you wear or if you are even dressed. You could make the podcast over the phone from your bed or anywhere that there are no noises on your end.

Also, you can have your notes right in front of you, as long as you quietly shuffle the pages to keep the background noise low.

It is no different than carrying on a conversation with a friend. The conversation is casual and comfortable. The interviewer takes care of the opening introductions and asks you prepared questions, which you have agreed upon beforehand, about the topic you have chosen to spotlight in the podcast.

And like videos, podcasts have different outlets where they can be uploaded to gain a wider audience than just at your web site, which also will host your podcasts. You would be surprised at just how many people on the World Wide Web go in search of podcasts!

Finally, podcasting gives listeners something video cannot – the ability to listen on-the-go or while doing other things.

So, Who Is Listening?

President George W. Bush began using podcasts in 2005 to deliver his weekly address to the nation.  He was instrumental in pushing this Internet media into the consciousness of the general public.

Today, all types of people use podcasts to get their message across, whatever it may be, into cyberspace – and people are listening!

Edison Research, a global research company, does an annual study that analyzes consumption usage of media and technology. Its 2017 study discovered some interesting facts about podcasts: