Podcasting for Authority and Traffic

Listen Now: [audio:http://authorityseolab.com/wp-content/uploads/podcast1.mp3]

Today I want to share one very underutilized strategy for getting more authority and traffic to your website. That strategy is podcasting. So why should you think about starting a regular podcast? Let’s look at some numbers.

644 Million Reasons to Add Podcasting to your Business

There are more than 644 million active websites on the internet as of March, 2012. Yours is one of them, and like me, you know that this means it is getting harder and harder to stand out and get found.

For the longest time, most of the emphasis on getting traffic among online marketers has consistently been to find ways to get to the top of Google search results. There are only TEN spots on the front page for any given keyword search. And in 2012, Google has proven time and time again, that as soon as YOU get good at getting to the front page, THEY will change the rules and make you start all over again.

Now more than ever, there are just so many places you can spread your content for free, or next to it without getting penalized by the big G. So ask yourself, isn’t it time to start putting your marketing eggs in other baskets?

What is Podcasting?

A podcast is an audio recording that is distributed digitally so listeners can get it on demand. Typically they are delivered as MP3’s which makes them very portable and available any time and place. Many podcasts can also be added to a subscription, so listeners can get new content automatically downloaded. (Think RSS feeds but as audio files)

And podcasts aren’t just reserved for iPods. Any MP3 player, or computer can be used to consume them, unlike video, which can be tricky to get to work across small devices.

Benefits of Podcasting for Businesses

Before you implement any strategy in your business, you should have a good idea of what the benefits and goals are for you. So let’s go over 10 BIG reasons podcasts can help your business stand out and make you an authority in your niche.

1. Podcasts make information personal to your audience – podcasts are more like a conversation with a friend than reading an email or a blog post. And hearing your voice will allow your readers to understand you as a person much better. Plus, hearing someone’s voice often can make them seem more real and credible. Listeners feel like they have interacted with you, even though the communication is one way. This means they are more likely to buy, opt-in, or continue to follow your recommendations.
2. Podcasts are a great way to enter ultra-competetive markets – Blogs are out there by the thousands, and if you are in SEO or Weightloss among others, probably by the hundreds of thousands. But relatively few podcasts are available, so they become a powerful way to break into an otherwise crowded niche.
3. Podcasts are on the go media that your listeners can consume anywhere and while multi-tasking – Because of the availability of MP3 players, podcasts are supremely portable, and listeners can enjoy them in the car, while doing dishes, or even hiking the mountains of China. Because of our very overcrowded lives, media that can be squeezed in side by side with other activities is very attractive to your audience.
4. Podcasts are not expensive to produce – all you need is a mic, Skype and something to record with. You can even use your smartphone to capture recordings.
5. Podcasts are QUICK to create – While videos can take a substantial amount of time to produce because editing is intensive, podcasts need very little editing. You can interview a friend, or an authority on your topic, and then post the podcast the same day.
6. Podcasting eliminates the problem of getting an audience to show up at a specific time, like webinars, yet feel very personal
7. Increase your authority.. just by putting yourself out there, you will seem more like an authority. – The world is waiting for people to LEAD, so it’s easy to develop a following just by being visible. You’ll draw others who are interested in your topic and create your own community.
8. Reach more varied audiences – Different people have different ways they like to consume information, so if you only distribute your content one or two ways, you are missing whole large sections of people who might become fans, and buyers for your services or products.
9. Podcasts are indexed and can be used for SEO – Rich media content is absolutely loved by Google and other search engines. Adding a podcast to your blog, especially one that is keyword optimized, will give you not only more traffic that Google can see, it also makes them more likely to rank you highly.
10. Provides excellent networking opportunities – Inviting guests creates connections, both with your guest, with your audience, and the bonus is, the guest’s authority also rubs off on YOU.

Podcast Distribution

While you can and should link to the podcast mp3’s from your website, the bandwidth for this can get expensive, and your website would need to already have traffic to benefit.  A more beneficial strategy would be to use podcasting as a way to move more traffic from other avenues TO your website.

So where can you find the podcast audiences? There are many podcasting directories where you can submit your podcasts for free, and you should distribute to as many as possible. But it’s estimated that iTunes accounts for up to 95% of podcast downloads tho, so that would be the obvious place to start syndicating your podcasts.

Podcast Benefits Roundup

So you can see that there are some fantastic benefits for your business and marketing. Podcasting is a quick way to compete in busy markets, generate valuable content quickly, network and gain authority in your niche. Not to mention a great way to grab extra traffic for your website. And that’s something we can all use.

Thanks for joining me today for my very first podcast!

And tomorrow morning, I’ll be joined by Sean Kaye, an Aussie blogger and podcaster, to talk a little bit more about his experiences with podcasting, and how running a regular podcast has helped his business. So don’t forget to tune in again.