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Podcasts are the self-help books of the tens: great information about business, hobbies, interests or just life packaged into bit-sized chunks to be consumed at a time convenient to the listener.
I was very slow to come to the podcast party, but now I’ve walked through that door I can’t get enough! I frequently listen to Valerie Khoo and Allison Tait’s podcast So You Want To Be A Writer while baking for the week ahead on Sunday mornings or walking my dog (if my walking buddy Suse isn’t joining us). While I’m driving to Hobart for PhD appointments at UTAS I tap into some Straight and Curly with Kelly Exeter and Carly Jacobs, Chat 10 Looks 3 with Leigh Sales and Annabel Crabb, This American Life’s Serial or Media and Politics from the Shorenstein Center. I’ve also recently discovered Monocle’s Meet the Writers and The Stack podcasts and have been devouring those to catch up while cooking at night.
This list includes a mix of writing, journalism, reading, some life skills and a bit of fun, which I think is a great mix for my brain. I love that I can combine building my knowledge on a topic and listening to something I enjoy while also doing something else like cooking, driving or walking. The portability of podcasts means I can be hands-free while listening so I can tune in anywhere and any time.
Enough about why I love podcasts; let’s look at the business case for podcasting as a way for you to spread your expertise. I’ve listed five reasons here:
- Podcasts are quick and relatively easy to produce because they’re recorded in one take and then published
- You can podcast for just your niche, or branch out by inviting guests in to share your show
- Podcasts are a great way to share your expertise with your existing audience, but also find new listeners through iTunes and social sharing
- Listeners get to know you better because they can hear your words while taking in the content, which build trust
- Your audience can listen to your podcast where and when they choose on a host of devices.
I’ve just listed five reasons here, but there are many other reasons podcasting can work wonders for your business. Essentially it’s another way of creating great content for your audience; content that can be repurposed once it’s been broadcast.
My podcast play list also includes:
Do you listen to podcasts? If yes, which are your favourites and when do you listen to them?
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