To Podcast or Not to Podcast? Whether to Join the Trend in 2016

How many podcasts did you listen to at the beginning of 2015? How many are you listening to now? I know for me, it’s at least doubled.

Podcasts are exploding, and for good reason. They have the ability to…

* Laser target your perfect audience
* Develop a relationship with them where fans feel engaged
* Lead to sales and sponsorship opportunities

At the same time, they’re a lot of work. And it’s easy to feel like you’ve missed the boat – like if you didn’t start your podcast at least a year ago, it’s hopeless.

But compare that mentality to the world of blogging. Were all of the successful blogs in the world started before blogging became big and mainstream? Of course not. So don’t let that stop you if you’re interested.

Here are the top factors to consider if you think a podcast might be a great addition to your business.
Time

Podcasts are really time-intensive. Booking the guests, writing the content, editing the episodes, marketing the finished products, and on and on. If you think your blog takes up too much time, it’s small beans compared to podcasting.

Consider how many hours per week you have to devote to a podcast and if you can set aside a few weeks to work on nothing else as you launch.

Yes, you can delegate part of the work of podcasting. Just make sure you find someone with experience so you end up with a high-quality show. (Let me know if you want to talk about options for hiring out podcasting tasks.)
Goals

What is it about podcasting that interests you? Building your audience, sharing your voice, interviewing guests, marketing your services and products, or something else?

It’s key that you keep your goals in mind throughout the podcasting process because it’s easy to get caught up in all of the other factors.

Maybe how many subscribers you get is not worth stressing over because you want to use the podcast to dig deep with your current followers. On the other hand, if you want to reach new audiences, the content needs to be focused on entertainment or engagement, and less about promoting the rest of your business.

Know the ‘why’ before you jump in and as you work on the podcast.
Investment

The cost of podcasting can range from practically nothing to a hefty sum, depending on the time you’re willing to put into it, your experience, and the technology you use.

If you want to produce a great show, you’re going to need basic equipment:

* A recording device (or at least a program on your computer)
* A good quality microphone
* A basic sound mixer
* Audio cables, depending on your set up
* Good headphones to wear while recording

You’ll also most likely need theme music, and if you go with something that is prerecorded, make sure you buy rights to use it commercially. You’ll need an eye-catching image for your show so it stands out in iTunes and other podcast mediums. And you’ll probably need a simple website to go with it where you can share episodes and notes and encourage opt-ins to tell your audience about new episodes.

All in all, podcasting can mean a big investment of time and money, but the returns can be huge for your business – a bigger audience, an amplified voice for your message and services, and more revenue if you are smart about it. If you’re interested, let me know and we can talk about how to turn you into a podcasting mogul!