by Forbes.com
As B2B companies continue to seek ways to expand their reach, many are turning to podcasting as a way to build brand awareness and connect with their target audiences. While starting a podcast may seem simple, creating a successful one that generates results requires careful planning and execution.
As the members of Forbes Agency Council know, this applies to everything from booking guests to selecting topics the audience will find valuable and promoting a podcast. Below, 18 members share smart tips B2B podcasters can use to create compelling audio content that their target audience will look forward to hearing.
1. Pick High-Quality Guests
It is the quality of the guest that creates the biggest spike in podcast downloads. Pick guests who have their own following and will have the most impact on your listeners. Use LinkedIn to network with potential guests and to promote the podcast when it’s live. – Philip Stoten, SCOOP
2. Be Clear On The Gap Your Podcast Fills
Have hyperclarity on the gap your podcast is filling. Brené Brown’s Dare To Lead podcast had guests speak about their interpretation of leadership and its achievement, and Brené was the consummate facilitator. Tim Ferriss, by contrast, is an equally excellent podcaster who inserts himself regularly into the topic to create very real-time banter that can meander, but the consistency is in his thought flights. – Elizabeth Jean Poston, Engine Shop
3. Educate Your Audience, And Transcribe Each Episode
To create a successful B2B podcast, focus on creating valuable content that educates your audience. Invite relevant influencers who can provide both unique insights and attract new followers to be guests on your show. For topics, think, “How can I help and inspire my listeners?” Pro tip: Make a website for your show and transcribe each episode to generate rich Web copy that can rank on Google. – Dennis Kirwan, Dymic Digital
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4. Talk Up To Your Audience
We started podcasting 20 years ago, and the rule has always been to talk up to our audience. We booked Federal Reserve economists, think tank luminaries, labor organizers, authors and business leaders and asked really specific, often technical questions. The idea was to reward the listener for their time and turn the show from a passive experience into something challenging, even exciting. – Tom Silva, Silva Brand
5. Produce Content For Multimedia Use
While podcasts are audio by nature, you could also record videos. When you do, you now have content for multimedia use. Augment the recording with a blog post as well, and that is the trifecta for amplifying your program and the messages you and your guest(s) discuss. Social media channels and direct promotions help bring your multimedia content in front of your audience. – Ilissa Miller, IMiller Public Relations
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6. Create A Unique Concept And Ways To Promote It
Create a unique concept for your podcast! Use “trailers” and snippets to get viewers and/pr listeners excited. Look at the Netflix model, and borrow consumer media marketing techniques to engage audiences. After all, business people are humans too! – Nancy A Shenker, theONswitch
7. Select Topics Relevant To Your Audience And Guests
Talk about stuff your audience cares about. Instead of trying to trick people into coming on your show so that you can get visibility with their audience, why not adjust your subject matter? What can you talk about that they actually care about, that you can talk about again, and again and again? – Gyi Tsakalakis, AttorneySync & EPL Digital
8. Leverage Experts
Lean into podcast networks or services to find the best possible guests. Work with marketing experts to get the gears turning. Use editing experts to ensure your content and snippets are polished and professional. Even if you’re just starting out, you don’t want the content to feel amateurish. Pro tip: Freelancers are a great, cost-effective way to get experts on your team. – Marc Hardgrove, The HOTH
9. Provide Value To Your Target Audience
One smart tip for B2B podcasters is to focus on providing value to their target audience. This means booking guests who can provide unique insights and perspectives on industry trends and topics relevant to the audience. Selecting compelling topics that align with the interests and pain points of the audience can help generate more engagement and listenership too. – Adrian Falk, Believe Advertising & PR
10. Use Specific Topics And Numbers In Episode Titles
Be as specific as possible with your topic and include a number in the title—for example, “top 10 tips to improve your customer advisory board program” or “top 5 steps to take after your CAB meeting.” Then, plan and record your podcast in this numbered way, as it keeps members engaged better—especially because they may be multitasking while they’re listening. – Eyal Danon, Ignite Advisory Group
11. Invite Guests Who Have A Strong Industry Following
Choose guests who have a strong online presence and following in your industry. This can help increase your podcast’s reach and attract new listeners. Additionally, leverage social media to promote your podcast and engage with your audience. Consistency and quality content are also key to building a loyal listener base. – Kenny Tripura, Edkent Media
12. Promote Your Podcast With Your Podcast
You can’t beat slicing and dicing your podcast into 30- to 60-second sound bites and posting them on Instagram and YouTube shorts. At the same time, you can link your long-form content and listen to comments and feedback to see what’s resonating via engagement data. Plus, you get the extra benefit of being able to plan future content based on real-world sentiment. – Bernard May, National Positions
13. Leave The Production To A Professional
The technical aspects of producing a high-quality podcast are much more sophisticated than many people think. So, unless you have the technical expertise in-house, outsource podcast production to a trusted partner so that you can focus your own resources on what you do best: being the subject matter expert. Spend your time researching, planning and outlining to maximize the impact of your podcast. – Cooper Munroe, The Motherhood Inc.
14. Break Out Of Your Niche
A clever approach to best utilize podcasts can be to break out of your niche. While remaining within your niche may guarantee that potential customers are already on board, it’s best to broaden your horizons since your typical marketing strategies are already reaching those potential customers. People experiment with new podcasts often, so reach them! – Scott Keever, Scott Keever SEO
15. Try A Podcast Collective Or Network
We recently partnered with a marketing-focused collective, and it’s been a great way to help gain exposure for our agency podcast and find new, targeted listeners. Aligning with other, similar podcasters can provide opportunities for effective cross-promotion: We’re now better able to reach listeners who are the perfect demographic for our B2B podcast. – Danielle Wiley, Sway Group
16. Invite Prospects You Want To Meet To Be Guests
It’s all about the people and insights! Building a sizable audience for a new podcast is a long and winding road. So, in the end, the real benefits are to be found in inviting guests you want to meet as prospects or multipliers to open your podcast up to potential audiences. Also, turn the highlights of the content into content in other formats, such as social media snippets, blog posts, short videos and more. – Lars Voedisch, PRecious Communications
17. Promote Your Last And Next Podcast On Each Episode
Podcasts are somewhat timeless and shouldn’t be treated like other distributed mediums. If you can promote your last and next podcast on each episode, you can drive a lot more people to listen. You can attract even more listeners if you can plan a “season” of shows that combine to cover specific topics. – Douglas Karr, Highbridge
18. Crowdsource Your Podcasting Efforts
Reach out to your network for ideas and suggestions. Feel free to talk to your clients and ask them to be guests. Many of us have partners who can provide expert opinions for a podcast that will generate great results and interesting conversations. Regarding topics, look no further than hot issues in your niches, read publications and follow influencers who may point you in the right direction. – Nataliya Andreychuk, Viseven
