Podcasting can be a powerful tool for many types of businesses, particularly those that can leverage the medium to share knowledge, engage with an audience on a personal level, and build a community around their brand or services. It’s a relatively low cost and low time investment way of creating marketing material, and best of all it’s content that can be repurposed in a multitude of different ways!

What are the benefits of running a podcast?

Running a podcast for your business can have many benefits, including the following:

Enhanced Brand Awareness
Hosting a podcast can significantly raise the profile of a local business. By consistently sharing content that interests the community, a business can keep its brand at the forefront of listeners' minds, making it more likely they'll turn to that business when they need relevant services or products.

Establishing Expertise
A podcast allows business owners to showcase their expertise in their field. For example, a local bakery owner could share baking tips and discuss the sourcing of ingredients, thereby establishing themselves as a knowledgeable and trustworthy figure in the culinary community.

Community Engagement
Podcasts can serve as a platform to engage with the local community by discussing local events, issues, or featuring interviews with other local business owners and community leaders. This engagement helps to build a sense of community and loyalty among listeners.

Networking Opportunities
Hosting a podcast can open up numerous networking opportunities with other local businesses, potential sponsors, and influencers in the area. These relationships can lead to collaborations, joint marketing efforts, and other partnerships that can benefit all involved.

Direct Communication Channel
A podcast provides a direct line of communication to customers, allowing businesses to inform them about new products, services, promotions, or changes to the business. This direct marketing tool can be more personal and engaging compared to traditional advertising.

Customer Insights
Feedback from listeners, whether through comments, emails, or social media interactions, can provide valuable insights into what customers want and how they feel about the business. This feedback can be instrumental in shaping future business strategies and offerings.

Monetisation Opportunities
Beyond its marketing value, a podcast can also generate direct income. Local businesses can monetize their podcast through sponsorships, advertisements, affiliate marketing, or exclusive content for subscribers, providing an additional revenue stream.

But don’t just take my word for it - Jo Stewart (owner of Garden of Yoga) created a podcast called “The Flow Artists Podcast”. This podcast is all about movement, yoga and more, and in Jo’s words: “Co-creating the Flow Artists Podcast has lead to so many professional opportunities for me - including a book deal!! Beyond that, it has helped me share about these things that I love and connect with people who inspire me. It can be a lot of work, but it’s definitely worth it”

Co-creating the Flow Artists Podcast has lead to so many professional opportunities for me - including a book deal!!

What business can benefit from running a podcast?

Many types of business can benefit from starting their own podcast, including the following:

Consulting and Coaching Services
Professionals like business consultants, life coaches, or fitness trainers can use podcasts to share expert advice, tips, and insights related to their field. This helps establish their authority and trustworthiness, and attract potential clients.

Retail and E-commerce
Retail businesses, especially those with niche products, can use podcasts to discuss the stories behind their products, offer usage tips, and engage with customers on a deeper level about their passions. For example, a store specializing in outdoor gear might host a podcast about adventure sports and wilderness survival.

Real Estate
Real estate agencies can benefit from podcasts by providing market analyses, investment tips, and property highlights. They can also feature community leaders and discuss local events, making their podcast a go-to resource for anyone looking to move to or within the area.

Restaurants and Food Services
Restaurant owners or food industry professionals can create podcasts that explore culinary topics, interview chefs, or discuss food trends. This can attract food enthusiasts within their locality and build a community of patrons who feel a deeper connection to the restaurant's culinary journey.

Arts and Entertainment
Businesses in the arts, such as galleries, theaters, or independent bookstores, can feature local artists, authors, and performers, discuss their works, and delve into the creative process. This can draw in culture enthusiasts and promote your local arts scene.

Health and Wellness
Businesses in health, wellness, or alternative medicine, like yoga studios or chiropractic offices, can benefit from podcasts by discussing health tips, wellness practices, and the benefits of their services. This helps in educating their audience and promoting a healthy lifestyle.

How to Start Your Business Podcast

Now you’ve decided to create your podcast, what are the next steps? This is covered more in-depth in our article How to start a podcast in 2024 on the SoundMadeSeen website, but here is a rough outline of some of the steps:

  1. Plan your podcast concept (already done!)
  2. Choose your podcast format
  3. Setup your podcast equipment
  4. Choose a recording and editing software
  5. Prepare and outline your first podcast content
  6. Record your first podcast episode
  7. Edit your podcast
  8. Create a matching artwork or design
  9. Publish your first podcast
  10. Share and promote your podcast
  11. Assess your podcast performance.

Promoting Your Podcast

There are a few things you are going to need to do to promote your podcast - here is a short list:

  • Leverage Social Media: Share episodes on all relevant social platforms. Use engaging clips, graphics, and audiograms to catch attention.
  • Utilize Email Marketing: Include your podcast in your regular newsletters, or send dedicated emails about episode releases with direct links.
  • Collaborate with Other Podcasters: Guest on other podcasts and invite guests to yours to tap into each other’s audiences.
  • Optimize for SEO: Use relevant keywords in your episode titles and descriptions to improve visibility in search results and podcast directories.
  • Run Promotions and Giveaways: Engage listeners with contests or giveaways, encouraging them to share the podcast for a chance to win.
  • Engage in Community Events: Participate in or sponsor local events, fairs, and festivals to promote your podcast to a community-based audience.
  • Ask for Reviews: Encourage listeners to leave ratings and reviews on platforms like Apple Podcasts, which can help increase your podcast’s discoverability.
It can be a lot of work, but it’s definitely worth it

Now we’ve gotten to the fun stuff, and this is where SoundMadeSeen can help!

SoundMadeSeen is a tool to help you create short (and long) video clips from your audio content. In addition it can help create text content - blog posts, podcast show notes, newsletter emails and more! It can take a lot of the time out of marketing your podcast on social media and more.

In addition, our blog is full of free articles to help you set up and run your podcast!

To learn more just head to SoundMadeSeen.com and sign up for a free account today.