Editor’s note: This is the second in a series of articles about business related podcasting.
Having covered the reasons to start a podcast for your business, the next immediate thought begs to ask the question, “What should the content of my podcast be?” Sure, you decide to have a podcast, but what is it going to be about? And, what is your content strategy?
When thinking about the content strategy, we must analyze the keys elements of a good podcast which will help pave the content path of your podcast.
1. Idea
Every podcast must have a goal or purpose for why it exists in the first place. Your business may have decided to start a podcast as a marketing tool, to engage in thought leadership initiatives, or for branding purposes. If the purpose of the podcast is centric to your company and brand, then the central idea of your podcast should cater to the expertise that your company has within your industry.
The central idea of your podcast should have a goal to educate or inform your audience about the industry. Your position and knowledge in the industry is your selling point. And if listeners are interested in your industry, you will be able to dominate the ears of your audience.
However, this may not always be the case for business related podcasting. Not every company that has a podcast needs to make it centric to their brand. If a big fast food chain decides to make a podcast, their podcast, for instance, could be about ethical food sourcing or the fundamentals of cooking. Even though these podcast ideas don’t directly relate to the brand, the company can be tied to the content of the podcasts as a promotional tool.
Finding the central idea to your podcast is 30 percent of all the work done.
2. Audience
For whom is your business making this podcast? Who do you want your listeners to be? When you nail down the demographic of your podcast audience, you will be able to pin point what your audience is interested in listening about. Understanding your audience will help you curate content that will personally relate to their interests, goals, and preferences. This will secure your position in the podcast world for your listeners – you will be there to fulfill their curiosity.
Here are some questions to consider when determining the demographic of your audience:
- What is the age of my target audience?
- In what type of positions do they work in?
- What industries are they interested in?
3. Structure
Once you know what your podcast is about and who it is for, you now have to establish a structure. This includes looking for a host and setting the format of the show. When choosing the best format for the show, you have to consider your host and how comfortable they are in engaging with the different formats.
Here are some possible scenarios to consider with the host as you select the format of your podcast. If your host is a super expert in the field, they won’t necessarily need a co-host to support them. Maybe your host can do a solo podcast where they breakdown the latest news and updates in the industry, or your host likes conducting interviews and would perform better in an interview-based podcast.
When setting the structure and format of your podcast, thinking back to the central idea is key. How can the structure and format work together to address the purpose of the podcast?
Tying these three elements together will help you establish the content of your podcast. In turn, this will ensure the theme and content of the episodes in your podcast.
Need more information on where to start with a podcast for your own business? Contact Americaneagle.com and we can help you get started!