It seems lately that everyone has a podcast. In fact, according to PodcastInsights.com, more than 2 million podcasts and more than 48 million podcast episodes exist today. So, with the popularity of podcasting at an all-time high, should you start a podcast in 2021?
Here at HJMT Public Relations Inc., our President and CEO, Hilary JM Topper, has been podcasting for more than a decade on her small business podcast, Hilary Topper on Air. Her podcast is geared for the small business owner who wants to grow both personally and professionally.
If you’re thinking about starting a podcast for your brand or business, here are our top five questions to ask yourself before getting started.
What will your podcast be about?
Podcasts that are most successful are about specific subjects. Just think about the popularity of true crime podcasts, comedy podcasts, or sales podcasts. Determine what your podcast will be about and don’t stray from that topic. It’s just like blogging, stick to what you know.
How often will you air your podcast?
Will your podcast air every week, bi-weekly, monthly? To determine this, consider how much time you can devote to your podcast. Do you have the bandwidth to air it consistently? If the answer is no, don’t start what you can’t finish.
How will you market your podcast?
Just because you start a podcast, doesn’t mean anyone will know about it or listen to it. Before you begin, think about how you’ll promote your podcast. Will you use social media? Will you incorporate email marketing? Will you buy advertising? Determine how best you’ll spread the news about your podcast to gain listeners or even sponsors.
What will be your podcast format?
Will you have guests on your show? Or is your podcast going to be just you talking about your subject matter of expertise? If you decide you do want to interview guests, do you have guests willing to go on your show? Or, will you have to spend time soliciting potential guests? In addition, will you pre-record your podcast or air it live?
Do you have the time and the budget?
Podcasting takes a lot of time. From recording the podcast, to potential outreach to guests and sponsors, and scheduling – not to mention editing the podcast and its promotion – podcasting is best only when you have time to devote to it. In addition, podcasting is not free. It costs money to invest in editing software, marketing costs, and don’t forget about the time it costs you to produce each episode.
Before starting a blog in 2021, be sure you can answer the above questions. Make a plan and have an implementation timeline laid out. If you can do that, then there’s no reason you should not start a podcast in 2021!
Need help with your brand’s podcast? Reach out to us at [email protected].
