10 Ways Starting A Podcast Will Help Your Business

As a B2B marketer, you’re always thinking of ways to grab people’s attention and hold on to it. One of the most popular tools being used by marketers all over the world is podcasts. These long-form audio programmes first emerged in the early 2000s. What started off as a hobby with limited appeal has come a long way. Ever since smartphones became people’s lifelines, podcasts have become a household name and a very, very attractive marketing tactic. 

Whatever genre the audio is, whatever platforms it’s available on, as long as you have multiple recordings brought together by an RSS feed, you have a podcast and you have an audience.

If you’re not already using podcasts as part of your marketing arsenal, here are the most important reasons why you definitely need to. 

1. They hold people’s attention: Podcasts can hold their audience’s attention for a half an hour or more at a time. That is half the battle won because time is what we are always fighting for.  
2. They can get you a regular follower base: They’re great in getting people to subscribe to your content and become regulars. Considering there are so many consumers and just as much competition, having a steady following is key to brand building and establishing your position in the industry.

3. They are great for building brand awareness: Podcasts work best for early phases of the customer journey when you’re looking to attract and engage. You can use your podcast to build brand awareness and establish thought leadership in your industry early on.

4. They boost thought leadership: The Dell Luminaries podcast is a great example of thought leadership B2B podcasting. Each episode features a guest with insightful and fascinating thoughts to share with the audience. Guests include internal experts from Dell as well as influential entrepreneurs from the whole tech world.

5. Their reach is expansive: Recordings, live interviews, panel discussions, scripted and produced audio plays, monologues about anything under the sun, really – there’s something for all kinds of audience. You have unlimited and often free access to expert insights, strategies, tactics, recommendations and more on the topic of your choosing.
   
   
6. Easy to consume: The thing about podcasts is that people consume them whenever they want. When they’re free, or travelling, working out, driving, cooking dinner. They’re a great way to fill up people’s time without it being an effort. The demographics for podcast listeners are also great for B2B marketers.

7. They are hugely popular: Based on studies, your target audience is already listening to podcasts and likely looking for more. Edison Research’s Podcast Consumer 2017 report found that:

• 24% of people aged 18–54 listen to podcasts monthly
• Both men and women are equal consumers of podcasts
• They attract affluent and educated consumers

  8. They are great to engage influencers: Thoughtful and valuable content can help your brand stand out. Podcasts help you develop links in the industry and build a solid relationship with influencers and audiences. This format is perfect for influencer marketing. You can boost your subject matter with experts, form relationships with influencers in the industry and even feature your potential prospects.

  9. They are relatable: The most successful B2B podcasts tend to be in the Q&A or panel discussion style. Hosts can welcome new guests each week to share their insights. So, they are conversational and not hard to follow. Often they discuss day-to-day problems you may be encountering in your own business. Hearing about how others tackled similar issues helps form a bond.

  10. Great for lead generation: Podcasts help in attracting and collecting potential leads from prospective customers and nurture them until they’re ready to buy your product.
  

Over the years B2B marketers have realized how podcasting is the way to their customers’ hearts and there are plenty of success stories vouch for the fact. Here’s a list of 20 marketing podcasts that are absolutely fantastic to follow. 

1. 1. The ALYNMENT podcast: Hosted by Ashish Jain, CEO & Co-Founder of KAIROS Pulse, this podcast covers technology to business alignment topics and helps listeners go beyond buzzwords and connect the dots. 
   2. Noah Kagan Presents. Hosted by Noah Kagan, founder of Sumo and OkDork.com, this podcast talks about everything, from networking and morning routines, to SEO, money, and life itself.
   3. The GaryVee Audio Experience. Gary Vaynerchuk shares his pro tips on how to maximize social media and video to grow your business, and get a results-driven mindset.
   4. Foundr Podcast. Nathan Chan gets the greatest success stories in the business world for in-depth interviews about how they made it.
   5. Online Marketing Made Easy. Amy Porterfield provides easy to follow digital marketing insights in simple terms. 
   6. The Tim Ferriss Show. Tim Ferriss gets fellow marketers, entrepreneurs and influencers to talk about their daily habits, tactics, ideas, routines and tools everyone can pick up and use in their daily lives.
   7. Masters Of Scale. A LinkedIn co-founder, Reid Hoffman, interviews the likes of Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg about scaling a business.
   8. I Love Marketing. Joe Polish & Dean Jackson talk marketing insights and strategies small businesses can use to grow in a way you can relate to.
   9. Lifetime Value with Kyle Racki: Kyle Racki helps entrepreneurs, founders and growth marketers understand how a scaling SaaS company functions. 
   10. Marketing Over Coffee:  Chris Penn and John Wall explore the intersection of marketing and technology with news, tips and author interviews.
   11. Six Pixels of Separation: Mitch Joel offers insights on brands, consumers, technology and our interconnected world.
   12. Marketing Smarts: Kerry O’Shea Gorgone talks topics such as live streaming, branding, and marketing ROI.
   13. Social Media Marketing Podcast: Michael Stelzner presents success stories and expert interviews from leading social media marketing professionals.
   14. LinkedIn Live with Marketers: Jann Schwarz and others host this video-based series that can also be enjoyed listening to only the audio, as the LinkedIn (client) hosts tackle topics like the staying power of breakthrough ideas, brand awareness vs. lead gen: battle or balance?
   15. Should This Exist? Hosted by Flickr and Hunch Co-founder Caterina Fake, the podcast explores the impact technology, in all its forms, has had on humanity.
   16. Without Fail: Hosted by former This American Life contributor and journalist Alex Blumberg, this podcast takes a weekly look at someone who’s taken a big risk and either failed or found success.
   17. The Marketing Book Podcast: Douglas Burdett discusses topics like Marketing Flexology, Laughing @ Advertising, and Questions that Sell.
   18. The BeanCast: Bob Knorpp does a weekly roundtable discussion of advertising trends that could have an impact on your brand.
   19. Social Pros Podcast: Hosted by Jay Baer and Adam Brown and named the best podcast at the Content Marketing Awards, provides inside looks at real people working in social media. Recent topics have included: Your People Are the Secret to B2B Social Media Wins, How to Use Authenticity to Become an Iconic Business.
   20. The Marketing Companion Podcast: Mark Schaefer and Brooke Sellas offer tips on how to boost your marketing skills, especially using social media.
   21. Copyblogger FM: Sonia Simone  covers the latest marketing tips, tactics, stories and strategies to boost your business, such as email marketing, content marketing, conversion optimization, and more.