I know. Podcasting is saturated. Unless your name is Joe Rogan or Andrew Huberman, nobody listens to you or anyone at your business waffle on about what you do. Besides, it’s so much work and difficult to keep consistent. It’s not worth it. You may as well keep dumping money into PPC ads, because podcasting can’t leverage REAL growth for your business.

Okay, now that those lies are out of the way… Podcasting (when done correctly) is such an incredible opportunity to reach, nurture, and grow your audience in 2024. But to the pessimistic point - yes, there are a lot of podcasts out there. At the time of this writing, there are over 4.15 million podcasts indexed.

But here’s the kicker: Of those podcasts, only 400k have been active in the past 90 days. And in the past 60 days? That number drops to 315k. (Source)

I started my podcast, The Creative’s Journal, almost exactly a year ago, at the time of writing. The transformation of starting and being consistent on a podcast has had on my business and network, and the opportunities it has created in my niche have been nothing short of incredible. But my enthusiasm is not unfounded, my friend, nor am I special (at least.. not for this reason).

If you are consistent and serious about using a podcast to leverage business growth, your niche opportunity is there for you to take. Here are five reasons you should lean into podcasting to leverage growth for your business in 2024, including a few bonus anecdotes to make your efforts all the more effective and fulfilling for YOU.

1. Creating a Powerful Content "Funnel"

Content is an absolute hamster wheel, mate. Staying up to date on all platforms is so difficult and without a clear point of truth can repurpose from. One of the most significant advantages of podcasting for small businesses is its ability to create an easier-to-manage content funnel.

Your podcast episodes serve as the foundation for a wealth of repurposable content that can feed into various marketing channels.

How it works:

1. Record your podcast episode on a topic relevant to your industry or around a trending topic talking to an industry peer
2. Transcribe the audio for text
3. Extract key points and quotes
4. Repurpose into blog posts, social media content, and email newsletters that are search engine optimized from the transcript

By leveraging your podcast content across multiple platforms, you're maximizing your reach and providing value to your audience in their preferred format. This approach not only saves time but also ensures consistency in your messaging across all channels. If you want to stretch your efficiency, tools like Capcut, Claude, and Opus Clip are incredible for repurposing content and leveraging a cheeky bit of AI in this process.

To disarm the pessimist who says that podcasting is “hard to manage”... you were probably already spending time creating social media content. Now, thanks to your podcast, you have an entire library you can work with.

2. Higher Likelihood of Organic Traffic

In 2024, podcast marketing continues to be a powerful strategy for driving organic traffic to your business. As more people turn to podcasts for information and entertainment, your chances of being discovered through organic search increase significantly.

Here's why:

• Podcast directories like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube have robust search functions
• Episode titles and descriptions are indexed by search engines
• Listeners often search for specific topics, leading them to relevant podcasts
• Incredible resharability: guests and their companies reshare your content and create strong backlinks to your show notes pages

By optimizing your podcast metadata (using helpful tools like Ausha or Descript)  and creating valuable, topic-focused content, you're increasing your chances of being found by potential customers who are actively seeking information in your niche.

3. Increased Platform Diversity and Visibility

By adding a podcast to your marketing mix, you're expanding your presence across various media channels.

Consider these statistics:

• Over 60% of US consumers listen to podcasts (Edison Research, 2023)
• Podcast listeners are more likely to follow companies and brands on social media (Podcast Insights, 2024)

By tapping into the podcasting medium, you're reaching audiences who might not engage with your written content or social media posts. This increased visibility across platforms can significantly boost your brand awareness and attract new customers to your business.

We haven’t even touched on the ways Podcasting can boost your SEO. If you make podcast show notes pages (example) on your own website and optimize them correctly, you can create strong bonds with many names of guests and words you want to rank for. If you also publish to YouTube, the search algorithm will rank video content on there quite highly as well. There are so many little hacks for this, and I love nerding out on podcast nuance. If you have any questions about increasing the Visibility of your show with SEO, shoot me a message on Linkedin!

4. Incredible Networking Tool

I often say I’ve gotten in touch with people I have ZERO business getting in touch with because of The Creative’s Journal. Keep this in mind too: nobody is asking how many listeners you have, or if you are sponsored.

All that is drowned out by the sweet violin of personal flattery. Your show could have no listeners (as mine did in the beginning) and it will still leverage business growth because it gets you a foot in the door with strategic partners.

As a podcast host, you have the unique opportunity to connect with industry leaders, potential partners, and influencers in your niche. And don’t be too strict with this! If you have someone you look up to who isn’t in your niche, a podcast is a great way to connect.

Here's how podcasting facilitates networking:

• Invite guests to your show, building relationships with key figures in your industry
• Participate in podcast swaps, expanding your reach to new audiences
• Attend podcasting events and conferences, connecting with fellow podcasters and industry professionals
• Build goodwill and create content that puts others on a metaphorical “pedestal.” Goodwill always comes back around, always

These connections can lead to valuable partnerships, collaborations, and business opportunities that might not have been possible otherwise. As your network grows, so does your potential for business growth.

5. Strong Audience Nurturing Platform

Perhaps one of the most powerful aspects of podcasting is its ability to nurture and build a loyal audience. Unlike other forms of content, podcasts create a unique, intimate connection with listeners.

Why podcasts excel at audience nurturing:

• Regular, consistent content keeps your audience engaged
• The audio format allows for multitasking, increasing consumption
• Listeners feel a personal connection to the host's voice and personality

By consistently providing value through your podcast, you're building trust and authority with your audience. This trust translates into customer loyalty, word-of-mouth referrals, and ultimately, business growth.

The people who tune into your podcast consistently are going to be your most loyal supporters.

When I come across someone who has listened to The Creative’s Journal and mentions a specific interview or episode… it’s a really rewarding feeling. And also makes me very self-conscious but that’s another discussion!

Just think how tight a relationship you have with your favorite podcaster. Being in someone’s ears and having a transparent 1 way convo with them builds a relationship in a way few other platforms can.

Conclusion: What Are You Waiting For Mate?

Okay, so now you’re convinced. It’s time to start your podcast! What should you do now?!

Here’s seven steps that you can do right after you finish reading this article:

1. Define your podcast's purpose and target audience
2. Choose a compelling podcast name and format
3. Invest in quality recording equipment
4. Plan your content strategy and episode topics
5. Record and edit your first few episodes
6. Set up hosting and submit to podcast directories
7. Promote your podcast across your existing marketing channels

Remember, consistency is key when it comes to podcasting. Commit to a regular publishing schedule and focus on providing value to your listeners with each episode.

When it comes to hardware, keep it simple. I made a post about my incredibly (or maybe… embarrassingly?) budget setup and how it has served me well for over 50 episodes.

The 80/20 of podcast hardware:

1. Good USB or XLR condenser mic
2. Streaming/Recording/Editing Software
3. Camera (You can use your phone!)

As with anything, a ton of nuance here based on your budget and tastes. This video by Think Media is a great little way to get started picking out your perfect setup!

As we've explored, podcasting offers numerous benefits for small businesses looking to leverage their growth in 2024. From networking to content diversity, and everything in between, the benefits offer a very high ROI for your time investment.

Besides being a very personally fulfilling endeavor in itself, it serves as a strong lever for business growth as well.

In the words of Michael Scott, a true “win-win” (win).

If you do decide to start a podcast for your business, I want to hear about it and listen in!

Message me on Linkedin or head over to MMG Design and say hello :)

Thanks for Tuning in.

Consider Subscribing if this was worth your time 🩵

Andy

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