With the advances in speed and capabilities of modern audio recording technologies, podcasts are becoming a realistic option for writers to spice up their blog. There are various tutorials to help you start a podcast with a bare bones budget (provided later), but my first-hand experiences can help you decide whether it is right for you. My reasons that every blogger needs a podcast are not theoretical; I learned them from increasing traffic to my blog manifold.
I’m not technically savvy and the thought of a podcast genuinely frightened me. With some well-made tutorials, you will be able to get one set up in no time. Here are some of the reasons why to put your podcasting fear aside and get started.
Your Blog Defines Your Brand
A lot of bloggers are reliant on their name in order to monetize or gain a larger audience. With so many bloggers in every niche imaginable, you really do need to stand out from the crowd.
Build Credibility
The difference between a text-based blog post and an audio recording is tremendous when blogging is so competitive. If you have the only Photoshop Design podcast, you are bound to increase your credibility beyond your competitors. More importantly, you are now the host of a show, which is automatic credibility in the eyes of everyone you speak with.
Not only are you building credibility by starting a podcast, but you increase your credibility through your guests as well. A visitor to your blog may know other influential members in your niche, but not you. Having a podcast session with them can bring their name-recognition to your site. This has helped me to attract thousands of new listeners and readers simply because well-known authors and bloggers were on my podcast.
Optimize Search Engines
As a blogger, you may be tired of hearing the “search engine optimization” bit and I understand your pain. Most people forget that iTunes is a search engine and it is very easy to dominate the rankings for your specific topics. If you fill out the description and categorize your show properly, there will be countless visitors searching through iTunes to find your show.
The traffic volume may not be as high as Google, but you will attract a different and more loyal audience this way. Plus, your competitors cannot so easily compete with you on iTunes for traffic. They would have to develop an entire podcast for that purpose alone.
Smart Phone Usage is Increasing
Many people around the world have skipped computers and gone from nothing straight to smart phones. With Apple and other smart mobile devices dominating the phone market, more people are listening to their content rather than reading it. Professionals on long commutes prefer to load an audio podcast and listen on the way to work rather than sift through local radio stations.
You can take advantage of the existing mobile traffic or get a head start for the inevitable increase of traffic on iTunes.
Speak to Industry Leaders
No matter what industry you are in, there are thought leaders you should speak to. Not only are most of them fabulous people, but they also have a wealth of knowledge and connections that can help to build your blog or your business. If you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with, having these industry leaders as friends can be great for your own development.
Before I ever monetized my blog or podcast, I was able to meet the biggest players in my industry. When it was time to monetize, I was well connected to put all the pieces together.
Content Creation is Easy and Fun
While I enjoy writing a good and informative text-based post every now and then, it can be incredibly time consuming. I don’t have enough time to spend 2 – 3 hours on a post every few days, which is why a podcast can be so much more effective.
Not only is the content equally as good (and in some cases even better), but you don’t have to spend that much brain power to have a conversation. Intelligent conversations between individuals are lost every day and a podcast can capture that for others to hear. It brings value for everyone!
Getting Started with Your Podcast
Teaching you how to start the podcast for your blog is not my specialty. I listened to others who had a much better grasp of the technology and better teaching skills. I am not technologically savvy and I mastered the setup easily and under $100. It was one of the best investments that I made on my blog.
Here are some of the great informative guides for starting your own podcast:
- Pat Flynn (Smart Passive Income) – How to Start a Podcast : http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/how-to-start-a-podcast-podcasting-tutorial/
- Podcast Answer Man – Learn How to Podcast : http://podcastanswerman.com/learn-how-to-podcast/
What do you think, let us know in the comments ?
By Guest Author – Mans Denton is an avid biohacker and self-experimenter. He blogs at The Hacked Mind about his lifestyle hacks for better physical and cognitive advantages
