How to plan a podcast episode that generates leads
If your business has decided to create a podcast to engage customers, you may be wondering about the next steps. We’ve talked before about how to set up a podcast for your business including getting the right equipment, coming up with a theme and having a content plan. Now we’re going to look at how to plan an episode so you don’t miss out on those all-important leads for your business.
Why businesses should podcast
In the 2020s more people than ever before are turning to the easy listening provided by podcasts to catch up with the latest news or views on topics they love.
In 2021, there were more than two million podcasts, up from 500,000 in 2018. Importantly for businesses, 54 percent of podcast listeners are either somewhat or much more likely to consider buying from a brand after hearing its advertisement on a podcast.
So, how do you plan a podcast that not only appeals to your target audience but also drives sales? Here are our tips:
Podcast structure
Podcasts work best when they have a clear and consistent structure. This can be as simple as an introduction, a discussion about the main topic and a call to action.
The introduction tells your audience who you are, why you are qualified to talk about your topic and what people will gain from listening.
Follow this with your main content and close by telling people how they can find out more or what they should do next. You don’t just want people to listen; you want them to take action in the real world by visiting your website or physical store.
Should your podcast be scripted?
When you record your first podcast, having a script can be a helpful comfort blanket to keep you on topic.
However, once you get into the swing of things you might want to whittle this down to a few bullet points. This is because it’s difficult to sound natural while reading a script out loud.
If you are interviewing someone, make sure you have a list of questions and provide these to them in advance to keep things flowing.
Avoid ad-libbing the whole recording as you can wander off track, making it difficult to edit later. You might also accidentally forget your carefully crafted sales pitch.
How long should your podcast be?
People often listen to podcasts while doing other things: commuting, cooking or cleaning the house. These can all take different lengths of time for different people. So what’s the optimum podcast length?
According to Buzzsprout the average podcast length is 38 minutes, but they can be as short as three minutes while some push on for an hour. It really does depend on your topic and audience, but it’s worth aiming for something between 20 and 40 minutes if you want listeners to stick around for your compelling call to action.
If you’re interested in podcasting or content marketing for your business find out more about our services.