When you think of “good content” it’s likely that you think of something that’s text or visual based, such as blog posts, Infographics and interactive pieces.
However, alongside these excellent forms of content we often neglect audio, and in particular podcasts, as a valuable tool for enhancing your brand and getting your message out to your audience.
According to the BBC there have been 1.1 billion UK downloads of their own podcasts since they started offering them back in 2004. Content from the BBC via this medium is also being downloaded in record numbers and it’s believed this trend will continue to grow in the coming years.
So if this is the potential reach of this form of content, why don’t you create and use podcasts as part of your own marketing campaigns?
Take a look at the benefits of podcasts, how you can use this medium in your own content strategy, and how you can create them with little or no previous experience.
What Is A Podcast?
First of all, if you’re not familiar with the term podcast, this form of content relates to a radio style audio file that users can download via the Internet and listen back to as an MP3.
Podcasts are usually released episodically and can be listened to on a computer, mobile, tablet, or portable media device.
The podcast itself usually involves one person or a group of people and guests discussing current events and affairs or a repeat of an online radio show that users can download and listen to again after it’s been on air.
The Power of Podcasts
The Internet plays host to a large volume of content and as a business you need to find unique ways to stand out from the competition in your industry.
Audio based content and podcasts in particular are one way to achieve this and using this medium has plenty of advantages, including:
- Offering engaging content in a different format
- Giving your business a sense of personality
- Building customer loyalty
- Creating a sense of trust
- Offering a portable and easy to digest form of media
- Creating content that stands out in your sector
- Enhancing brand identity and awareness
- The opportunity to talk about breaking news/relevant industry topics
- Getting your voice, brand and messages heard
With all of these areas combined it’s easy to see why some businesses are already devoting their time to creating podcasts for their target audience.
This content can end up being a worthy investment for enhancing your own marketing campaigns and improving the results of your organic search results too.
If you’re not using podcasts now, then think about using them in your next marketing strategy.
Do Podcasts Rank in the Search Engines?
Over time, if you build on the amount of podcasts you release, it’s possible to rank for them in the search engines.
Although the audio content won’t be readable by the search engines, you can always use other tactics to help them appear in the results pages.
This includes using a targeted and optimised title and page URL for each episode and creating a short 200 plus text introduction before giving users the chance to play or download the content. This introduction can include keywords and key themes related to the subject you’re discussing too.
Once you’re a regular podcaster, it’s also likely that other sites will link out to you as a credible resource – again resulting in a positive shift in your rankings if the sites are targeted and of a decent quality. You may wish to host a separate page on your site too which displays all of the podcasts historically to date.
In addition, if you host your content on podcast directories, such as iTunes, this will help it to appear when someone conducts a search via the specific directory or platform they’re using.
Ultimately, podcasts and the pages they’re hosted on can end up achieving their own search rankings, which will have a positive impact on your site.
Creating Your Own Podcasts
One common misconception about content of this nature is that you’ll need big budgets to pay for recording equipment and editing software when this is not actually the case.
The biggest investment you’ll require is your own time, although like any form of content, the more you put in, the more you’ll get back in return.
Here’s a look at what you’ll need:
- A microphone
- A headset
- Recording and editing software
- A computer to upload the recording
Don’t panic if you haven’t got any audio software on your computer, Macs usually come with GarageBand installed or you may have access to Adobe Audition.
If you don’t have any of these then you can always download Audacity, which is free.
In a previous Koozai post Dean Marsden lists a number of free audio editing tools that you can use to record, cut, edit and convert your project, so take a look.
It won’t cost much to purchase a microphone or headset and once you’re set up, you and your team will be ready to enter the world of podcasting.
What Can You Talk About?
With your equipment set up, you might only have a few ideas with regards to what you can talk about.
So to inspire you and help you get started, take a look at some of these examples:
- Latest stories and developments in your industry
- Breaking news and current topics
- Important issues to you, your business or brand
- Repurposing previous content (for example old blog posts and Infographics)
- Interviews with special guests
- Your expertise, knowledge and passion on a relevant subject
Don’t be afraid when it comes to recording, you don’t need to get everything right in one take as you can always edit sections together later on.
You’ll also become more comfortable with recording and editing the more you do it, so press record and refine the process as you go.
Hosting Your Content
Once your podcast is recorded there are a number of options when it comes to hosting your content.
Placing all recorded podcasts on your own site would be a good start, but you can also place them on the following external platforms:
If you’re going to use external sites then it’s best to build your own branded profile and once podcasts are live you can promote them on your blog and social channels for additional exposure.
Hit Record!
Now that you’ve learnt about the benefits and value in adding audio content to your marketing campaigns, it’s over to you to start recording your podcasts.Don’t be put off by the fear of recording your own voice and editing your shows, it’s a simple process to grasp and it will become much easier over time the more you do it too.
Once you get going, the podcasts you create will help to build your brand and if you put the work in, there’s no reason why you can’t become an established market leader for podcasting in your field.
If you’d like help with your own marketing campaigns or you have any questions regarding content marketing, contact Koozai today to see how we can help.
The post The Power of Podcasts for Content Marketing appeared first on Koozai.com
from Donald Jarrett digital marketing news http://ift.tt/1H6p3V3 via local SEO company
from Tumblr http://ift.tt/1UvR2GW
No comments:
Post a Comment