Which platform are YOU currently using to get your message out to the world? If you’re not sure yet, then I’m excited to be launching a 3-part series today called Pick Your Platform!
In this podcast series, I’ll be talking about the pros and the cons of podcasts, blogs and YouTube channels. And by the end of this series, I hope you’ll have a clearer idea about which platform is the right fit for you.
In Part I of the Pick Your platform Podcast Series, I’m focusing on podcasts.
So here are the 5 main reasons why I think podcasting is a great way to build and maintain connections with my audience:
Podcasts are affordable to launch.
I launched my own podcast for less than $150 which included a Yeti Nano microphone that my kids gave to me for Mother’s Day. But you could actually just use the free mic in your own phone if you wanted to. I also use Anchor to host my podcast which is free and I record all of my podcasts using Audacity which is also free. Finally, I use no paid ads and I hire an audio editor from time to time to help me fix tech glitches on my podcast as needed. But if you want to, you can edit your episodes for free by doing it yourself.
Podcasts are convenient and easy to consume for my listeners.
This is one of the advantages I see between podcasts and the two other platforms I’ll be discussing in this series which are blogs and YouTube channels. My audience is nearly always on the move and they like to listen to my podcast as they go about their day.
Podcasting reports actually tell us that more than 65% of people listen to podcasts while they’re on the move. Since they don’t need to watch or read my podcast, my audience members can even be driving in their car when they’re consuming my content. This is really convenient and since podcasts are also portable, they can go with my audience in whichever direction they’re heading next.
Podcasts allow you to go deep on a topic.
People are more likely to listen longer to a podcast episode and as a result, you’re able to establish a fairly strong bond with that individual over time. So that’s the third reason I like podcasting and that’s because it allows me to dive deeper into the topics I’m discussing.
Podcasts provide a unique voice connection with your audience.
Your voice creates a powerful connection between you and your audience. Did you know your voice identifies you as uniquely as your fingerprints do? It’s true! Even though two people might sound similar to each other, no two voices are exactly alike. So there’s a power that comes with establishing a bond with your audience that’s based on your own voice style.
And finally, there are fewer podcasts than blogs or YouTube channels to compete with.
There are about 500,000 active podcasts in the world, but compared to the world’s 570 million blogs or 37 million YouTube channels, you have a lot better chance of cutting through the clutter with a podcast.
What are the downsides of podcasts?
First, your audience needs to be comfortable with consuming content in an audio format. And second, you have to work hard to find a podcasting niche that fits your audience well, and then you need to build that audience one listener at a time. So be patient!