The benefits of podcasting for small businesses

More and more businesses are beginning to discover the numerous benefits that podcasting can have on their marketing efforts. Among marketing strategies for small businesses, podcasting is often ignored for a variety of reasons, including a narrow consumer base and affordability. However, these marketing executives are missing the other advantages that come with recording subject-specific or regular general podcasts. Additionally, they are subscribing to often-incorrect myths about the medium, including its affordability.

Simply put, it is often easier than people think to produce podcasts. Marketing executives might be put off by the seemingly-confusing technical aspects of recording a podcast to be broadcast over the internet. According to Social Media Trader, that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, all a company needs to record its own podcast is a microphone, a computer and some unique and interesting topic ideas.

One of the primary benefits to podcasting is the ability to highlight your company’s expertise on a certain subject. According to Cyber World, podcasting presents a great opportunity to share expertise on niche topics or products. By enlisting a writer and a speaker who are noted experts in their field, the company recording and promoting the broadcast can sell its own knowledge and level of expertise within a given subject and product line.

Another tremendous advantage to podcasting as a marketing ploy over traditional advertising mediums is the fact that the podcast can be disguised as a conversation and something other than promotional copy. According to Social Media Examiner, a podcast creates a community, not just customers. While the end goal for the company is still to sell a product and gain new customers, a podcast is a more intimate and less obviously-promotional way of doing so. Respecting the relationship with a podcast’s audience – mainly by understanding that they don’t want to be preached or promoted to and by adding value – could pay huge dividends for brand and customer loyalty down the road.

Finally, the advertising potential for podcast nevertheless remains. While consumers don’t love listening to commercials, they will put up with them if the content within the podcast is solid. Cyber World stresses that advertisements can be easily added to any part of the podcast, either pre-roll, post-roll or even during conversations. This could be a great source of extra revenue, especially for small businesses.

Enhanced by Zemanta
Scroll to Top