Find Your Business’ Podcasting Niche
Most businesses can somehow incorporate a podcast into their business. Here are some tips to find out how you should do so:
It is becoming increasingly popular for websites to offer audio on their sites. Audio is fun and simple to incorporate- and it can add a lot of value to your website. It also allows you to connect to your readers in a way you cannot with print. You should consider starting with podcasting; most businesses can work a podcast into their format.
When deciding what type of podcast to create, take a moment and think about your target market. When you developed your website, you probably thought about it for a long time and maybe you even tried a few different formats before you found one that stuck. The following are some tips to help you find your podcasting niche.
First, you must define who your target market is, and what topics they would want to learn more about. The best way to do this is to look at your website- add a website that compliments your existing content. With a podcast, you will be adapting the written content into an audio form.
For example, if you have a website filled with information for new moms, you can create a podcast with the same type of information. Some possible choices would include interviews with decorators on how to create a great nursery, a q&a session where first-time moms could ask more experienced moms questions, or you could just speak directly to your audience and give them your advice or feedback on products you have tried, books you have read, etc.
If your market is catered towards people who enjoy home repair, you would apply the same techniques mentioned before, but focus on the home repair market. If you conduct an interviews, hold answer sessions, or give information, you can include info about home repair specific targets.
If you are having a difficult time deciding on podcast content, consider asking your audience. Set up a form on your site in which you ask people to tell you what they would like to learn or hear about. If you include specific information and get detailed feedback, you can better tailor your podcasts to your listeners.
Not only is this a great idea for coming up with podcast topics, but it will also help you develop your information products, and increase your profits and your website traffic. If you can work towards giving your audience what they want to hear, they will come back again and again.
Tips for Publishing Your Own Radio Show Online
Internet radio has been growing by leaps and bounds, and there are no signs of it slowing down. Publishing your own radio show is a great way to get in front of new customers, grow your relationship with your current customers, and further establish yourself as an expert in your field.
You may think that having a radio show on the internet is hard, or requires special expensive equipment. It is much easier than you think. There are so many advances in this area, that you can get your show going with very little cost upfront. You can also make money off your show if you choose to accept sponsors or by promoting affiliate programs. This will make up for any expenses you might incur by doing the show.
When it comes to recording your internet radio show, you have a few options. Audio Acrobat is a monthly subscription service that makes recording a radio show or podcast very easy. You can use a microphone connected to your computer or you can simply use your telephone. You will be given a special phone number that you can dial into, and this is also a great way to record testimonials and feedback from listeners or quick tips from featured experts.
When it comes to interviewing someone, you have a few options. You can use Audio Acrobat. Or, you can simply reserve a teleconference line. There are free options available, which you can find by doing a search online. Once you have confirmed the teleconference number, you give that number and pass code to the person you are interviewing. You then both call the teleconference line, and also three-way call the Audio Acrobat number and record the conversation you have.
You can also use internet based Skype, which allows you to talk to other Skype users for free (you will be charged a fee when talking to people not registered with Skype). You simply connect a microphone to your computer and log into the Skype program. There is a dialer system that allows you to contact anyone with a phone number. Skype allows you to record the conversation, and you can then upload that audio file into Audacity.
What is Audacity? It is a free mixing and editing program that lets you combine several audio files into one single file. You can take your commentary, your interviews, your ads, etc, and create one audio file. At this point you use the free Lame Recorder to convert your file into an MP3.
Using Audio Acrobat gives you several advantages. You can upload your MP3 into your account and have it hosted free. You will likely want to create a streaming audio player which you will add to your website. Visitors can then listen to it when they’d like. Or, you can also provide a link which will let your visitor download it to their computer or MP3 player. Audio Acrobat also has iTunes registration, which means your listeners can get automated notification about any new recordings you submit.
If you have chosen not to use Audio Acrobat, you can still upload your audio files to your website. Just make sure you check with your web host to determine if you have enough space to do so, as audio can take up a lot of space.
Creating your own internet radio show can be such an easy endeavor. It is worth looking into as it can not only be simple, but also quite profitable.
Should I Hire Someone to Record My Podcast Commercials?
If you have a podcast, you should really take advantage of adding commercials and sponsorships. This is a great way to add to your income. If featuring advertisements, you have a few options to get your message out. You can record and deliver the advertisement yourself. The drawback is though, that listeners might not be able to tell the difference between the ad and your actual podcast.
You could also choose to have the advertiser deliver the message. There may be situations where having the advertiser deliver the message works out great, but there are times when it won’t. An advertiser may have an accent that makes it hard for the listener to understand what they are saying, or they may be very soft spoken and your listener will have to struggle to hear them. Or the advertiser may simply not want to do it at all.
This is where a voice over comes in handy. Having someone else deliver the message can add professionalism and credibility to your podcast and the advertising message itself. You can perform a Google search in order to find voice over artists. The fees will vary, so you may want to shop around before you make a decision.
Also consider asking other podcasters for voice over artist recommendations. When you determine your pricing for your advertising, be sure to take into account the voice over work, and add that into the advertising fee.
To make things budget-friendly, you could also ask a friend or another podcaster with a voice you like to do the voice over. Keep in mind that a professional voice over artist may add background music and other effects to the message, whereas a friend or fellow podcaster won’t.
Whichever road you take, there are several things you should think about when deciding who will do the voice over. Be sure to keep your target market in mind and try to match the voice to that of your audience.
It is also important to consider what product or service is being advertised, and the tone of the commercial. Try again to match the voice of the person (and their tone) to the product and listeners. The listeners need to be able to relate to the tone.
After you’ve had experience with voice over artists, you will start to recognize what will work- and what won’t- for your commercials. Together you will develop and learn how to make very effective commercials for your advertisers.
How to Keep Your Listeners Coming Back for More
Podcasts are a fantastic way to have visitors gain interest in your website, and to attract new traffic. It can take some time to build up an audience. We will discuss some ways to keep your listeners checking to see if your newest edition came out yet.
The first step is always to have high quality content. If your podcast provides helpful information in an entertaining format, your listeners will want to come back again and again. Interviewing experts, answering listeners questions, and having a co-host help you present the information will help you keep the show lively and fresh. If you run out of ideas, ask your listeners to send in some suggestions for topics they want you to cover.
You might want to think about having a “teaser” to keep your listeners coming back. Think about TV shows and how they feature a clip from the next episode, often after the ending credits roll. This excerpt gives the audience a “teaser” on what is upcoming; their curiosity will keep them coming back for the next episode.
You might also think about your local radio station. They typically hold several contests throughout the year - you can apply this principle to your podcast. Try teaming up with other website owners who might be willing to help you promote your contest, or to donate prizes. During each podcast, give out a clue, such as a keyword or phrase- something they can use to help them to win the contest.
The contest could go on for 4 episodes or so, and at the end of the contest, you could ask your listeners to send in an email with all 4 clues. The first three that submit correct entries could be the prize winners.
The easiest way to get your listeners to come back, is to involve them in each new show. They will be more dedicated if you can somehow make them feel as if they are a part of the show. Many hosts will give listeners a phone number on which they can call in, or record a promo message.
Your radio station may also use this tactic. They sometimes have their listeners record promos like “you’re listening to xxwwnn 104.7″ or something similar. The listeners feel connected and feel as though they have a bit of fame being on the show.
If your podcast isn’t quite taking off as quick as you would like, keep working on developing quality content. Don’t forget to keep marketing it. After some time, the time you put into it will pay off and you’ll be enjoying a steady and loyal audience.
Podcasting Basics
Just as blogging swept the internet in the last few years, podcasting has become the new internet trend. You can find podcasts on all types of subjects, ranging from audio blogs, how-to information, interviews with experts, and more.
Podcasts take their name from the iPod, the popular Mp3 player created by Apple. As stated above, there are many types of podcasts to choose from, and it can be hard to give a single definition that fits all those types. Basically, a podcast is an audio file created with the intention of communicating some type of thoughts or information to the public.
A large percentage of business podcasts are designed to be similar to a radio show. The podcaster may interview guests that have knowledge on their particular website topic, or the podcaster might go solo and do all the talking themselves.
What are some other reasons for having a podcast on your site? Importantly, it is a really good way to increase your website’s visitor traffic. People search podcast directories for new podcasts to listen to. Hopefully they will find yours and if they enjoy your podcast, will visit your website.
You can also use your podcast to promote products and affiliate links. For example, if you have an information product about dog breeding, you can talk about it on your podcast. If you are an affiliate for a dog biscuit manufacturer, you can provide a review of the product and tell your audience that if they want more information they can to a page on your site that will redirect them to your affiliate link with the company.
Podcasts will also help you develop relationships with your customer and prospective customers. Your customers will listen to your show, and will feel as though they can get to know you. As they continue to listen to your information, they will start to think of you as an expert in your particular field. You will become that person that they will go to for more information in that subject.
A great way to make more money from your podcast is to accept advertising or sponsorships. If you play an advertisement (this would be similar to your local radio station’s ads), you charge. Or you can charge a fee to interview someone if they would like to promote their business on your podcast.
If you’re interested in trying out podcasting, a very easy way to start is to use Audio Acrobat. Audio Acrobat is a monthly fee-based service; you record your message with a computer microphone or with your telephone. Through the audio service, you then create streaming audio players that you post to your website, as well as links for others to download your podcast to their computer or MP3 player.