One of the main barriers to starting a podcast is the perception that to produce anything of decent quality, you need lots of money, a studio or a voice booth… This is no longer the case.
The majority of modern smartphones now come with high-quality microphones and there are apps, such as Sound Branch, that allow you to upload and host your podcasts easily, editing and distributing them to the world with little or no experience.
Why start a podcast?
A key commercial reason is that Google has started to index podcasts and lists them in its search results. AirPods are gaining in popularity and more and more households have smart speakers like Alexa and Google Home. As this hardware is one of the fasting-growing pieces of home tech, audio content will undoubtedly become more every day. Microphones are going into everything. Samsung alone has committed to having microphones in all of its products by 2020.
The importance of ‘Sonic Branding’
Brands and businesses now need to think about not only about how they look but also how they sound. Podcasts offer businesses a more intimate and personable way of communicating with their customers and deliver effective ‘sonic branding’.
People often listen to podcasts in environments where normally ‘work-life’ doesn’t penetrate… on their daily commute, whilst cooking at home or even relaxing on a beach on holiday. So, whether you are trying to educate customers, launch a new product/service or drive a key marketing message, podcasts should be included as a key marketing channel. Millennials, in particular, love podcasts because they’re on-demand and allow the ability to pause, rewind and playback.
How do I get started?
You don’t need to “go live” to the world at the start of your podcasting journey. It makes sense to start publishing internally at first. This helps you identify those who are most comfortable being recorded. Not all people are natural storytellers but, for those who are, stories are the most effective way to engage users – allowing them to remember and learn.
Most people ask Alexa to play the news, play music or set an alarm as part of everyday life but if you can get people listening to your content, as another part of their daily routine, their relationship with your business/brand will become even stronger.
If you already have a smart speaker and listen to podcasts, why not try creating a flash briefing or podcast and see the benefits for yourself?