I like to think of podcasting as the overlooked, red-headed stepchild in the content marketing family. It’s rarely shown any love, even though it’s a wonderful tool for your brand and a great addition to nearly any content marketing strategy.
Why do many content marketers ignore podcasting? It's hard to say. Maybe glamorous content types, such as video and mobile, have stolen the show, or it could be a general lack of knowledge of the benefits. Either way, it's time to reconsider this seemingly forgotten medium. I’ve lined up my top three arguments in an attempt to convince you … Here it goes!
1. Podcasting is content, but it is also a content creator.
What the heck does that mean? Well, podcasting is a content type that really lends itself well to re-imagining or repurposing content into other formats. Think about it. A podcast easily lends itself into a transcript (we will talk more about transcripts later), an excerpt from a podcast can be turned into a blog post, the audio from a podcast can be used in a video. There are tons of possibilities when it comes to re-imagining podcast material. If you start podcasting twice a month, you could generate 6 to 10 additional pieces of content just based on your audio files. Pretty sweet for the time-starved content marketer!
2. Podcasting is an SEO superstar.
We all want better search performance. I guarantee no one would say, “Nope, I’m all set with my current search rank. Thanks!” No matter how good it is, it can always be better---and podcasting can help! Well, this is SEO 101, folks! (Believe me, I’m no Lee Odden). Rich content, such as podcasts and videos, helps your search rank because engines recognize that you are hosting sophisticated material on your site. So, by my math, podcasts are generally good for SEO.
But wait, there’s more! Here is where transcripts come in. Believe me, this is a tip you can take to the bank! Transcribing your podcasts creates written content for all the great audio content you recorded. Did you mention any of your keywords in your podcast? I’ll be willing to bet you did! By taking the simple step of transcribing, you now have that great discussion available, not only for those who prefer reading over listening, but for the magic SEO bots to inventory when they crawl your site. (And transcribing files can cost as little as $.25/recorded minute---the price is right!)
3. Podcasting is EASY.
For some reason, there is a cloud of confusion surrounding podcasting. Marketers aren’t sure what it really is. They don’t know how to do it, where to start, and if it would even be valuable. Really, podcasting is getting more credit than it deserves! At its core, a podcast is simply an audio file---you could record one on your iPhone, for crying out loud. We have been recording audio for decades; it's simple to do! With free programs like Audacity and GarageBand, you can easily record and edit a high-quality file that exports easily to iTunes. Sure, the first time you do it will be a little rough, but really—how easy was your first blog post? Podcasting is one of those things you just have to dive into and spend an afternoon playing around with in order to increase your comfort level.
There are many benefits to podcasting, but your brand will never reap them unless you give it a shot. Don’t let podcasting be the odd man left out of your content strategy!
To learn more about podcasting, check out the Take 10 video I recorded on the topic or sign up for MarketingProfs University: Content Marketing Crash Course where podcasting is one of 14 topics covered.
