For the last few months, we have been getting prepared to launch The ROI Online Podcast, which (if you haven’t heard) is now live on our site and wherever you get your podcasts from.
As I said in one of my previous blog posts, starting a podcast is easy. Honestly, recording the first episode might be the easiest thing. What comes next is the hard part.
Once you figure out how to create your episodes and where to distribute the content, there are few more things you need to put together to help make your podcast a success. And those things can make or break the success of your podcast.
So how did we kick off season 1 with a bang?
In this blog, I will talk about a few crucial pieces that helped make our podcast launch smooth and pain-free, as well as tips you can follow to execute a successful podcast launch yourself!
Building Out Your Process
Creating the first episode might have been easy enough, but how do you capture that lightning in the bottle for every single episode? We have a simple process we take all of our guests through.
Before each episode, we create a series of questions that Steve will ask during the podcast. Then we send the questions to the guest so they can think through their answers ahead of time. We also collect any headshots or promotional links that need to be included in the show notes, and the promotional material.
During the podcast, Steve goes through these questions. He’ll also ask additional questions depending on the guest’s answers, to keep the flow of the conversation natural and intriguing.
Another part of the podcast process you should determine ahead of time? Where you will edit it, how you will edit it, and what you will do with the final episode. We have a team of experts that edits the podcast for us, but you could do the editing yourself if you have the skills in Garageband, Adobe Premiere, or Final Cut Pro.
Once you have the podcast done, you’ll need a place to host it. Some podcasters choose 1-2 main distribution channels to showcase their work. You can find the ROI Online Podcast pretty much everywhere you find podcasts, including:
- Buzzsprout
- Apple Podcasts
- Google Podcasts
- Spotify
- Stitcher
We also put the podcast on YouTube and host the episode on our website, so each episode can lead the listener back to our other content. It’s a simple way you can keep your podcast listeners engaged with your brand.
What NOT To Do: Forget About Social Media
Take it from us. It’s much, much easier if you plan out your social media promotional strategy ahead of time. Especially if you post a lot of content throughout the week. You’ll want to figure out which platforms to target, which days to post, and what kind of visual to include before it’s time to get started.
Establishing Your Podcast’s Branding
One of the biggest things that you can do for your podcast is to make sure that your branding for the show is cohesive and consistent. You want to make sure your podcast cover, promotional materials, and even your player colors match and look like they all belong together.
Just like we recommend for your business, we also recommend your podcast has brand guidelines it can follow. Having these allows you to main creative consistency while sharing your content with your audience.
As part of our process, we create a podcast thumbnail, audiogram, quote graphic, and video teaser for promotions. All of these assets have similar visual elements. That way, once listeners familiarize themselves with the podcast, they’ll be able to instantly recognize content related to it. .jpg?width=500&name=Brian%20Burkhart%20-%20Podcast%20Quote%20(1).jpg)
What NOT To Do: Make It Impersonal
It can be hard to get headshots for all of your guests, but putting a face to a name makes the user experience much better for the listener. It also adds a human element to your podcast. This is even more important if you don’t record video to accompany the podcast.
Follow Through With Your Podcast
Big props to Steve Brown, our fearless leader and podcast host, who has tirelessly sent out invitations to guests and done what he’s good at: helping business owners tell their stories to the world. Without that ambition to do this, the podcast wouldn’t have been the same.
You need to make sure you stay on top of inviting guests to the show. Make sure you are consistently creating episodes and following your process to publish content regularly. It may seem hard, but once you start to reap the benefits, you’ll be glad you put in all the work.
It’s a well-known fact in the podcasting world that consistency is key to getting an audience. You’ll want to post on a routine: the same time of the day or day of the week, every time. Inconsistency leads to bad user experience. Listeners won’t know when to expect a new podcast, and chances are, they’ll forget about you entirely.
What NOT To Do: Spread It Out Too Much
The thought of producing a podcast every day (or every week) can be overwhelming. So you might be tempted to only make a podcast once a month, or once a quarter. But typically, weekly podcasts perform better than monthly podcasts. They’re also more consistent.
If weekly podcasts seem too frequent, shoot for every other week. Once you get used to the process, you can consider moving it up on your next season.
Need Help Getting Your Podcast Off The Ground?
Podcasts are a great marketing tool for businesses of all shapes and sizes. They’re also a great way for you to share the insights only you have. Don’t give up! Your thoughts are valuable, and you should be able to share that with anyone who wants to listen.
If you are having a hard time starting your podcast and sharing your story, you don’t have to do it by yourself. Schedule a strategy session with our team, and we will help you create a professional podcast that gets your name out there and brings customers to your door.
