Why creating a podcast for lead generation is the right thing for B2B
We're guessing you're here because you want some quick and easy hacks to hit the lead jackpot. We hate to break it to you, but there's nothing quick and easy about this method; however, it's most definitely worth it.
Did you know podcasts are excellent lead generation tools? Yep, you heard that correctly. Americans are all over the podcast trend lately. Picture this: you put out some podcast content, get some listeners, and "Bam!", these listeners are converted to leads. Well, maybe they won't turn into leads that quickly, but with the right listener persona, content, and call to action you can turn these podcast listeners into leads in no time.
Read on to learn more about lead generation, why you should create a podcast for lead generation for your business, and how you can generate leads with your podcasts.
What is lead generation
Lead generation is converting a certain target audience to develop interest in your product or service, ultimately leading to a sale. It's essentially a part of marketing and falls in the top of the sales funnel. If you're a small business owner, we suspect you probably know a thing or two about lead generation already. While it's not the same for every business, one thing is constant - you need lead generation in order to make a profit!
Why is having a podcast for lead generation good for B2B
By podcasting, you can reach your audience on a deeper level through audio. Each download of your podcast episode on Spotify, Stitcher, or Apple Podcasts gives you another chance to connect with your target audience and set yourself up as a thought leader. One thing to consider when starting a podcast is making sure you have the right equipment. No one is going to want to make a sale with you if you're speaking through a microphone with poor audio quality.
The great thing about podcasts is that you can catch people at different parts of their day, whether they are driving home from work, picking up their kids from soccer, or folding laundry. With the right podcast SEO, you'll be able to ensure your podcast shows up higher in search rankings when they're looking for the next podcast episode to listen to.
How to generate more leads with your podcasts
When creating a podcast, your first goal should be to have a content marketing strategy. The hope is that this content strategy will act as a guide for yourself when producing podcast content so that you know what types of content to create and how often you should publish it. An effective strategy will allow you to check off all the boxes on the checklist from creating relevant content, to strategically placing it in front of people, and finally turning these people into new leads.
Develop your listener persona
While it may seem basic, knowing your listener persona could actually make or break the number of quality leads you generate. Any good marketer should know this. So, do some brainstorming and research on Google to figure out the demographics of your target audience from their age, gender, geographic location, income, purchasing behavior, and anything else you think might be valuable to know about this ideal person. Ask yourself what type of niche content you should create in order to keep your audience engaged for a 30-minute podcast. Once you know who your ideal customers are, you'll be able to find your niche and will have a better idea on talking points and keywords you should utilize in your own podcast.
Create content with a call to action
If your goal is to generate leads, one of the best ways to do so starts with an effective CTA. This can appear in the form of a lead magnet. When you think of lead magnets, you might think of downloading case studies or filling out a survey to get a free gift. But, with podcasting, lead magnets are a whole other beast.
Since podcasts are audio, when you have a CTA such as telling people to download something or providing them with a free product trial, you'll need to put the URL to wherever you're leading them in a prime location so people aren't clicking around trying to find it. As humans we might have a greater attention span than a goldfish, but we know it won't take long for someone to give up on finding the link of your CTA if it's not readily accessible. We'd recommend putting the URL in your podcast show transcript and linking to the homepage of your website or another valuable landing page such as a blog.
Maybe your hope is to send out a reminder to people's email addresses so that it pops right into their inbox on their smartphone, informing them when you put out a new podcast. If done right, you'll be able to work your digital marketing magic to collect some email addresses right from your podcast, leading you to grow your email list and your potential lead list.
Promote and repurpose content
Chances are, the more people you can get your content in front of, the more leads you're apt to generate. Feel free to promote your podcast on social media channels such as sharing with your Facebook friends or Twitter and Instagram followers, in your email marketing campaigns, company newsletter, blog posts, and anywhere else that your potential customers might 'live'.
Oftentimes, converting your podcast from podcast format to different formats such as blogs or social media posts is a great way to repurpose your quality content. Repurposing your content so that it can be found on social media platforms and the internet will allow you to minimize the amount of content creation you have to do. Each piece of content you create is valuable, so you might as well repurpose it when you can - after all, this could lead to more leads (pun not intended).
If you're looking for some assistance coming up with different types of podcast content to attract ideal customers and manage your lead generation efforts, we can help. Set up your discovery call with us to get started.
