Podcasts — like a DIY radio show but delivered via the internet — provide another way of connecting to your customers and social media audience: but are they worth doing and do they get results?
This month a Kiwi-made podcast, IMTalk — which is solely about Ironman triathlons, posted its 400th episode. The podcast has more than 20,000 listeners in around 100 countries. It’s a great example of how to be successful with podcasts — choose a niche topic you know heaps about and keep publishing!
According to online comment from IMTalk producer and fitness instructor Bevan James Eyles, the podcast makes money through advertising and is praised by its advertisers for its effective returns.
Bevan was commenting under a Stuff blog post a year or so back that asked if the podcast trend was dying. He disagreed, and — funnily enough — while that blog post no longer seems to be on the Stuff website (so I can’t link to Bevan’s comment), the IMTalk podcast is going from strength to strength.
Bevan said that with 20,000 listeners his podcast show would be “a waste of time” to mainstream media, “but for myself and the other guy I produce the show with we have been able to make good money from the show. Being niche is our advantage… our advertisers know that they are talking directly to people who love the sport. All of our advertisers have told us that we are where they get the most effective return from the advertising they do with us”.
I think, that like IMTalk, podcasts have the potential to deliver business owners real immediacy and cut-through with targeted audiences. Below, to give you more information, we’ve pulled together a range of tips for successful podcasting from a bunch of clever, online experts.