The Marketing Squad
Podcasts have been around for over a decade, but the last few years have seen a huge boom in popularity. In 2014, the wild success of the true crime Podcast ‘Serial’ broke into the mainstream and exposed the greater public to the advantages and opportunities of this medium.
I love listening to Podcasts. It has become my chosen way to consume media; whether that is news, comedy, lectures, etc.
Advantages of Podcasts
The true benefit of using audio is having the ability to engage with rich, lengthy content that can be ingested as you exercise, commute, or work at your desk job – moving effortlessly from your computer to your smartphone and back again.
Another great advantage to podcasts is the affordability of the startup cost. You can create professional audio quality with a basic condenser microphone and a software that can be downloaded or found for free on most computers. Obviously, the pros invest in great sound and music production along with radio-style studio space, but many of the most popular Podcasts are recorded and edited with a single mic on a basic laptop.
One of my favorite things about the Podcast format is the sheer variety that is now available in any chosen area of interest. If you are in the mood for a long-form conversation with your favorite entertainer or thought leader, there are multiple places to find 1-2 hour intimate pieces of content that would be impossible in any other medium. Lectures from sources like TED and Intelligence Squared, news from the entire NPR suite, or well-produced journalistic pieces from This American Life and Reply All are other popular subscriptions. No matter your interests, you can find a Podcast that will be relevant and interesting in any category you choose.
Businesses also have been choosing to advertise on shows that appeal to their specific target audience. This advertising influx has increased production quality while simultaneously encouraging more people to enter into Podcast production; as it becomes a viable way to make an income.
Pro tips:
My favorite alternative to the default Apple Podcast App, which is notoriously glitchy and cumbersome, is OverCast. This clean app gives you the ability to play from a very stripped down browser player on overcast.fm and switch seamlessly to the mobile app. Features include vocal boost and playback speed options (for the impatient).
Ask for recommendations from fellow Podcasters. I’ve always found new and interesting subscriptions from like-minded friends and colleagues.
My current top picks:
Our very own Adam Robinson will be re-tooling his Winning at Small Business Podcast to incorporate the reach of The Squad and use this platform to educate listeners on the marketing and business development techniques we use to delight our clients every day here at The Squad.
Check Out:
Winning at Small Business Podcast by The Marketing Squad
Happy listening!
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