Podcast Marketing White Papers -
Consider Podcasting

With the many opportunities of this evolving new medium come some challenges that any business podcaster should consider:

New Skills Are Needed

Audio communications are not visual communications. In podcasting, a "glance" is a memorable phrase punctuated by an effective speaker and maybe a lick of music. You not only need to find people who are able to produce audio, you need to find individuals who can write, speak and direct it. And you'll want the capability to evaluate the ones you've found.

Evaluating podcasters is no different than looking at any new supplier or employee. But with your brand investment in the balance, the stakes are somewhat higher. You'll want to do a good deal of listening. Browse directories such as iTunes to see what podcasts you like and dislike, and why. Ask for samples, get references and an idea of how you'll be charged. Find out what comes next after your podcast is produced. Where will they launch your podcast and in what formats? Ideally, they should make your podcast available in MP3 and RSS posting on iTunes and most or all of the leading directories. Will they optimize your podcast to increase your position within the search engines? Or will you have to look elsewhere?

Affecting Your Brand

How will your podcast impact your brand? Corporate podcasters can easily jeopardize their image for the sake of entertainment. Your source for podcasts should understand your overall brand strategy and be able to integrate your podcast seamlessly into those efforts.

With a podcast, your company gets a literal voice. Who will be your online spokesperson? Will it be your CEO or top-ranking executives, or will it be hired voice talent? How skilled are these people on a microphone? Would you be able to listen to them for an entire commute without plowing into the traffic median? Can they speak intelligently and clearly for an entire 15-30 minute episode - or will their answers consist of 30 alternating "yups", "nopes" and "uh-huhs." No matter how freeform the execution, every podcast should have an outline if not a script. Before the final product is launched those responsible for managing the corporate brand need to weigh-in during the final editing process.

Synchronizing Your Efforts

Once you've decided on production sources and voices, how will you go about promoting your podcasts? Do you mention them in all of your online advertising or just strategically placed locations? Will there be podcast landing pages or will visitors be sent to your website? And how will the podcasts be positioned on your website? What's the value of a dedicated podcast listener? These are strategic questions that take more than a studio sound technician to answer.

Your podcast is another tool in your marketing arsenal. It needs to be aimed to and appropriate for your target market. It should be fully integrated into your existing marketing efforts and optimized for greatest impact - intentionally, not as an afterthought.

And don't forget your internal marketing efforts. Your employees can learn from and participate in your podcasts. In doing so, they can initiate a great deal of buzz through their own online social networking.

It's About Time

Now that you've decided you want to create a regular podcast, how much time can you and others on your marketing team commit to the project? Podcasts are frequently time-sensitive in nature - a timely, sometimes conversational way to check-in with your listening public. No matter how much of the process you outsource, it will require a regular allocation of your most precious commodity - time - to assure that the projects are completed the way you want them.

You'll Need Feedback

And you'll need a process for gathering and evaluating that feedback. "My mother liked it," isn't going to cut it unless your mom is a purchasing agent for one of your leading customers. Ideally, you will include an evaluation process among your regular podcast subscribers. Periodically, you should consider promotions to solicit constructive criticism - "give us a minute and the coffee is on us."

You're in Good Company

Here are just a few companies currently doing podcasts:

Amazon.com	IBM	Paramount Pictures
American Airlines	John Deere	RV life
American Express	Monster.com	Sprint
BMW	1-800-Got-Junk?