How do you attract and connect a community through podcasting? This month’s popular topic was perfectly paired with this month’s event sponsor, Forward Fest.
Neil Mathweg’s passion for podcasting electrified the room during the August 28 Social Media Breakfast Madison event. Many podcasters and podcaster hopefuls packed the attractive Brassworks venue, part of the Goodman Community Center complex.
From the onset, Neil shared the realities of podcasting. “It’s simple. But it’s not easy,” he said. Neil outlined his personal experience, successes and disappointments during his presentation: “Podcasting: Reach Your Audience and Build Community Worldwide.”
Why Podcast?
Before sharing concrete tips about his process, Neil urged potential podcasters to start with the end in mind. “What do you want to do with your podcast to drive your business?”
What’s Your Business Goal?
A former radio announcer and now a realtor for 17 years, Neil started the #OnionJuice, a show for real estate agents. Then he renamed the podcast Agent Rise. This successful show encourages agents to attract business instead of chasing it. Listeners call themselves “juicers.”
Neil said he considers himself the owner of a media company who happens to sell real estate.
Neil’s “I Love Madison Show,” is now on hold. When it ran, the podcast offered information about Madison events and attractions. It may return to the air in a different format. The show didn’t catch on, he explained, because it only provided information and didn’t inspire his listeners.
Want a successful podcast?
Neil offered six elements or “gears” that will pave the way to success.
1. Know Your Audience
Neil encouraged his audience to understand their show’s avatar or audience. As a podcaster, you should:
- Know their problems and solve them
- Know your community’s identity – get them to say, “that’s me!”
- Create a creed, battle cry or anthem
2. Promote Your Show
Besides recording engaging shows, podcasters also must find ways to promote it to gain downloads. Neil suggested these approaches:
- Post on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & Pinterest
- Use Headliner.app
- Improve Search Engine Optimization through the title, show notes and keywords
- Obtain guest appearances on other shows to give you another avenue to promote your show and build your audience
3. Is Your Show Binge Worthy?
Neil wanted to build connections through his Madison show, but the former format didn’t work. He freely admitted that it wasn’t binge worthy. That occurs when a podcaster starts getting more than 110 downloads per month.
Successful shows must offer at least two of the following: entertainment, inspiration and education.
Pay special attention to your show’s name. Consider:
- Is it sticky – like #OnionJuice?
- Is it about your audience or you?
- Does it move your audience?
4. Schedule Online/Offline Hangouts
What do your listeners care about? If your podcast is going to cover engaging topics, go right to the source, Neil advised. For Agent Rise, Neil visits his show’s Facebook groups to get ideas. He also considers topics he’s discussed with his coaching clients.
The benefits of Facebook groups are as follows:
- Educate
- Empower
- Engage
These benefits also can be accomplished through meetups or live events.
5. Consistency
Once you start your podcast, keep it up. If may take years for your downloads to increase, but persevere, Neil said. Each show should feature one call to action, such as joining a Facebook group.
Get on a schedule and broadcast weekly. Neil’s show airs on Mondays. Some listeners tune in to Agent Rise during the broadcast, and others listen to the show later in the week.
6. Logistics
Ready to get started? Neil informed the Social Media Breakfast audience of popular platforms and applications used to produce, distribute and promote podcasts.
He has a team that handles his show’s promotion and posting. Expenses run around $1,000 per month.
Check out the following platforms and applications:
- Audio Editing: Final Cut Pro, GarageBand, Audacity, Ocenaudio
- Show Notes & Editing: Podcast Fast Track
- Media Hosting: Libsyn, Buzzsprout, Podbean, Simplecast
- Interviews: Zoom
Neil’s inspiration to start his first podcast resulted from a conversation with one of his real estate coaching clients. His client encouraged him to record his advice because it was so useful.
Is a podcast in your future?
When you’re planning a podcast, Neil emphasized, “Make it about them.”
See You at SMBMad in September
Special thanks to Neil Mathweg and all in attendance!
Join us next month for Feeding the Content Beast: 21 Ideas for Inbound Marketing. It will be held at 7:30 a.m. on Sept. 18 at Ultrazone Laser Tag. Presenters will be Courtney Coffman, Christine Edgren and Maeghan Nicholson of Suttle-Straus.
Leslie Blaize wrote this post on behalf of Winbound, a content manufacturing marketing firm. Winbound provides an all-in-one content marketing and conversion optimization package specifically designed for small manufacturing and industrial marketing departments.
