Digital marketing, and specifically social media marketing, are trends that are here to stay. There is no doubt about the fact that the internet is quickly becoming the go-to place for everything from entertainment to learning to shop and even life advice. For many people, the internet is not only a source of entertainment or news, but it is also their source of income. There is always something to do online, just seek out the content that piques your interests or addresses your skills. Whether you are an artist or a programmer, there is something you can do online. The same versatility is true for social media marketing and there are several ways through which you can market yourself, your product, or your company, online.
There are a few things that work better than others, for instance, videos tend to get higher engagement rates than written material. However, podcasts are one form of online communication that are both engaging and very applicable to any subject. Recent statistics show that over 50% of adults in the US say that they regularly listen to at least one podcast. With the increase in global technology adoption and the high rates of internet penetration, we can safely assume that the rest of the world is also following a similar trend. If you’ve decided that you want to get into the podcast business, for whatever reason that may be, then having the right platform is of paramount importance. Here are a few tips on how you can find a platform that will work best for your offering.
1. Follow Your Genre
Podcasts come in all kinds of styles, flavors, and specifications. Depending on the kind of topic that you want to cover, the kind of audience you want to reach, and your own particular style, there are different platforms that will cater to your needs. Each of these aspects of your podcast will influence the overall reach of your content. For instance, if you want to have a religious podcast you want to be on a platform that specializes in that genre, and where you can find the appropriate audience. Being on a platform that doesn’t fit your podcast’s vibe will only do you harm rather than making you stand out as you might expect.
2. Comparisons
Secondly, different people have different goals for their podcasts. Some are there to monetize their time on the mic, while others are there to just open up conversations about different facets of life. In this regard, podcast episodes can be set up and written differently; you can have a look at some resources on Wired Clip that will clarify this further by giving more information about what different platforms have to offer. There are countless podcasts platforms today, so be sure to have a look; you might come across some new ones that you haven’t even heard of yet. Going through comparisons can also give you an idea of whether or not these different podcast platforms can add to you in any way. Sometimes people get onto a platform only because it has a ton of features, only to later realize that they don’t really need all those features.
3. Features
As mentioned above, podcast platforms have a whole host of features that are meant to improve the outreach and performance of your podcast while giving podcast owners better control over their media. For instance, are you looking to integrate a dedicated website for your podcast within the platform that you publish the podcast on? This is one of the many factors that you should consider before you settle on a platform for your podcast. Other important considerations will include things such as bandwidth, marketing, monetization support, and various other factors. If the entire purpose of your podcast is for it to be monetized and get money and then you later find out that your chosen platform doesn’t allow monetization, it will be a disorienting hassle to have to migrate to a different platform and restart.
Podcasts are a great way to not only build an audience but build a personal brand and make some money out of it as well. Some of the biggest podcasting shows around actually have a higher reach and a more dedicated audience than several mainstream TV channels. However, the trick is to bring everything together into a package that the end client will enjoy. This involves the podcast itself, the structure, the platform, the content, and the way that it is marketed. Relying on a single aspect alone might get you to where you want to go, but it will take much longer than necessary and you will have to face far more hurdles than there need to be. A great way to start is to look at some successful podcasts that are similar to what you have in mind and look at the strategies that they have adopted.