09 JUNE 2017
written by Mike
PODCASTING
AND MARKETING
Should I start a podcast?
The question that every marketer asks, at least in the present times.
Why is that?
Well, if you google future of podcasting it’s easy to see that everyone seems to be bullish on the medium. From the Copyblogger’s The Astounding Growth of Podcasting to articles from Forbes and Business Insider we can learn that the podcasting trend is going up and up.
And yet, it is still quite a niche industry.
When I analyse Casefile statistics, over 56% of listens happen in the US, followed by Australia with 15% then UK and Canada + others. Podcasting is growing, but it’s still quite a few years away from becoming an established content medium, like YouTube or Instagram. Hence why I think the time to start one is now.
You can have a look at people like Gary Vaynerchuk and see why he is pushing audio content so much. Love him or hate him, he knows a thing about internet marketing, and he knows how to follow the attention. He knows how to market himself.
Another trend that I noticed is, most of the internet personalities are jumping on the podcasting bandwagon. Go and look at top 100 iTunes charts, see how many celebrities can you can recognise. I bet it’s going to be a few.
What does it mean?
It means that if you want to be successful, you should follow what successful people do. Apart from that we also have growth in audiobook industry, and we can already see the spill into podcasting. Only recently Audible announced a 5 million dollar fund for playwrights to write audio dramas. They wouldn’t be investing if they didn’t expect some kind of return.
There is no secret to podcasting; it can help you to establish expertise in the industry. Let’s say you are a graphic designer.
Who will you be able to attract better clients and higher rates?
A designer who works from home and attracts business on word of mouth only?
Or someone who also runs a design blog, podcast, course, book and others?
Podcasting is just another medium that can help you to market the business, to establish the expertise. The difference is that it is still niche with the low barriers to entry. Yes, there is some competition, but not as fierce as in other places on the internet.
It’s getting harder every day, so better not wait for too long. It’s a simple question of, do you think it’s easier to start a popular Youtube channel now versus ten years ago?
Podcasting industry is still not regulated; there’s isn’t a big corporation that rules them all. But with time it will happen, there will be rules, schemes, guidelines. If you start early enough, you can be the one who helps to write the rules, which helps to shape the industry.
So don’t dismiss the medium.
Of course, I want to finish with the disclaimer – podcasting is not for everyone.
Take me for example, I know how it works, I produce a popular one.
Why didn’t I start a podcast myself?
Self-awareness is the key here. If you don’t feel comfortable behind a microphone, then don’t force it. But if you think that you can give it a try, do it.
Best time to start was ten years ago; the second best is today.
Liked the article? Follow me! 🙂