[SGC-18] Why You Want To Start a Podcast This Year

Hello there, Content Creators. You're listening to the She's Got Content podcast where it's all about creating content for your coaching business. I'm your host, Dr. Melissa Brown, and I'm here every week to help you get your content out of your head, out of your heart, and out there into the world where that information and your services can impact the most people. Get ready to take notes today and then take action, Content Creators. Let's dive in with today's episode because you've got content to get out there. Hey, welcome back Content Creators. Have you ever been curious about starting your own podcast? Maybe your struggle has been to consistently publish your blog content. Or produce YouTube videos for your channel. Maybe you've been thinking that talking out your content might be more time efficient.

Or you could have heard that audio content is now trending. And you've thought about starting a podcast, but oh, you've been dragging your heels because, well, it sounds like a lot of work. And where do you even start? Am I right? Well, I've been there and I've done that and I have the badge to show for it. I let all of those excuses and probably a whole lot more, hold me back from more than two years before I finally hit publish on this podcast. And I'm really, really glad I did. If I could turn back those hands of time, I would have gotten started sooner with podcasting. But, you know what they say- hindsight is 20/20. So don't let all the excuses hold you back if you've been thinking about jumping into podcasting. Today, I want to talk about why I think now is the time for you, yes, you and really all online coaches, creatives, solopreneurs, and small business owners. Now is the time to consider starting your own podcast. Without a doubt, you already know how important it is to connect with your audience. How critical it is to provide your followers with valuable content. And on the regular. You might be doing that now with a written blog. It's traditionally been the most popular way to showcase your content. And it's where most online business owners get started. You may be finding that the time can really add up for that. You spend so much time with research for each blog post. Then there's time spent writing it. Editing it. And don't forget that you have to find just the right graphic images. So there's time spent in Canva for that. And then you've got to put everything all together. The time to do all that maybe has started to interfere with your being able to publish your blog articles as much as you'd like. Then there's that nagging feeling about is anyone actually reading your content? In spite of how much time you spend posting about it on social media. And if you're honest, you started examining your own habits. And you're not going to other people's blog posts regularly and reading them. But you are listening to podcasts. Let's take a look at some numbers. In 2022. Google tells me there are more than 572 million blogs on the internet. And that number is just constantly growing. So that's a lot of written content to compete with. By contrast in January of 2023, it's estimated there are only 5 million podcasts. The podcasting industry, well, it's still in its infancy, but it's growing quickly. It's popular here in the us. One third of the American population listens to podcast on the regular. And on a global look, there are 464.7 million, almost 465 million podcast listeners as of January 2023. It's predicted that there will be around 505 million podcasts listeners worldwide by the end of 2024. A podcast can help you stand out in a crowded marketplace. It helps differentiate you from your competitors. Those who are still just using written blogs for their content. You'll have the edge by connecting your audience with your voice when you start a podcast. Consider this. You know how in the days before FaceTime and Zoom, we used a telephone or services like free conference call.com, to get connected to another person through their voice. You can only imagine what their face was like by what their voices sounded like. If you remember back when free conference call.com was big, you got on those phone calls and you listened in and you were instantly feeling more connected than if you just read that same information on someone's website. Well, a podcast does a lot of the same as that telephone, that audio connection did back in the day. An audio platform, a podcast, allows your audience to hear your voice. Without any of those visual distractions, like a video has. Listeners get to know, like, and trust you more quickly since they feel your energy, your confidence, your enthusiasm. Your expertise comes through in your spoken words. It's just not the same thing as your audience reading the words you string together and publish out on a webpage. Podcasts can be listened to while your audience does something else. That's not true with video content. Podcast listeners report they listen while exercising, driving in the car, preparing meals, walking, and they even listen in the shower. Try doing any of those activities at the same time as you watch video content. You may be actually doing something else right now, as you listen to this podcast. A podcast is your very own personal stage for you to put the spotlight on your expertise. It allows you to stand out from others in your niche. You know, it used to be that a book being able to call yourself an author was the one big thing that made you stand out from the rest of the crowd. And it really showcased your expertise. Telling someone you have a podcast can instantly elevate you in others' eyes, much like telling someone you wrote a book. Podcasts are the new book. Your podcast helps establish you as a thought leader in your industry. But that's not all. A podcast also allows you to reach a wider audience. Your episodes can easily be shared and promoted on social media as well as submitted to podcast directories like Apple Podcast and Spotify. That means that people who may not have found you otherwise can now enter your world to discover and listen to your content. They can sign up for your freebies. They can know what you're offering and they can buy from you. Another great thing about a podcast is that it allows for a more personal connection with your audience. As a host, you can share your own experiences, your insights in a way that written content just can't match. This personal connection can also lead to more loyal, engaged followers. People who will more likely recommend you to others. And who wouldn't want an army of fans bringing in more recruits, right? Let's not forget. Starting a podcast is also a great way to create more income streams. You can monetize your podcast through sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and you can even offer exclusive content to your listeners.

Podcasting can be used as a lead generation tool, by directing listeners to your website or landing pages, and your opt-in forms. So if you're an online coach and you haven't considered starting a podcast yet, I strongly recommend you look into it and give it a try. It's a great way to connect with your audience, establish yourself as a thought leader, and even monetize your content. Now, I know that some of you may be thinking, well, I don't have the time or the equipment to start a podcast. But the truth is you don't need fancy equipment to get started. You can record your episodes with a simple microphone on your smartphone. And then you can use free software on your computer to edit it. And as for the amount of time spent producing your show, you can always plan and schedule your episodes in advance. And there's always that option of outsourcing some parts of that production. Podcasting can also be a great way to repurpose your existing content like blog posts that you already have, or social media posts and video scripts: content that you've already got out there in one form or another. Another common objection is thinking, I don't have anything interesting to say. But remember, everyone has unique experiences and insights to share. And as a coach, you've got a wealth of knowledge and expertise to offer your audience. Even if you don't think you have interesting stories to tell, you can always interview other experts in your field. Or share case studies and testimonials from your clients. There are coaches who do coaching sessions with consenting clients, record them and publish them as a podcast. What a great way to showcase you're an awesome coach and what it's like to work with you. Giving away those samples of your work is a great way to attract even more clients into your world. Okay. Let's recap, the biggest benefits of having your very own podcast. Number one: You'll have increased visibility. Podcasting can help you get discovered by people who are looking for information on your area of expertise. Your podcast can be found by a much bigger audience. One that is growing every year. Number two.: A podcast helps you establish yourself as the authority. You become seen as the expert in that field, which can lead to more clients and higher fees. Remember- podcasts are the new book. Number three: Podcasts help you build relationships. You want to build that know, like, and trust factor with your listeners and you can fast track with a podcast. That can lead to more referrals and repeat business. Use your voice to connect deeper and more meaningfully with your audience. Number four: A podcast is cost-effective. Podcasting is relatively inexpensive to produce and distribute, which can be beneficial for coaches who are just starting out. And you can monetize your podcast through advertising, affiliate marketing, sponsorships, even creating a premium membership model, or a Patreon membership. Number five: A podcast is flexible. It allows you to reach your audience on their own schedule and on the go, since people can listen to podcasts anywhere. And any time. And Number six: It helps you target your audience. Podcasting allows you to reach a specific and targeted audience, which can lead to a higher conversion rate than other forms of marketing, and once that audience knows likes and trust you, they want to recruit others into your world too. Podcast listeners share the podcasts they love. So have I convinced you yet? Starting a podcast might seem like an impossibly hard thing to do. But it doesn't have to be. Having a podcast can be an excellent way to build your brand and establish yourself as the thought leader in your field. Don't procrastinate for years like I did. Be like Nike and just do it. If you have any questions about starting your own podcast or you need any clarity, I'd be happy to help you out. Shoot me an email or send me an, a DM on Instagram. You can find all those links in the show notes below. And know this, I personally answer each and every one, myself. Until next week, Content Creators, keep creating your awesome content because someone is out there looking for the answers that you've got. Get your great content out of your head and out of your heart and out there into the world this week and every week. See you next week, Content Creators. Thank you for tuning into this episode of the She's Got Content podcast. I hope you got at least one nugget to take action on this week. If you got value from today's episode, I would be so grateful when you leave a five star rating wherever you listen to podcasts. It only takes a second and it really helps me get my message out to impact even more people so they can in turn, keep the ripple going. If you're listening on Apple Podcast and leave a review of the show, it would really make my day, and you just might receive a shout out on the show as my Content Creator of the week when I read out your review. And last but never least, if you want an endless supply of just right ideas for content you can write about for your blog post, your emails, your videos, podcast episodes, all the content things, then you wanna head over to my website at shesgotcontent.com/content and pick up your free workbook, Never Run Out of Content Ideas. Look for that link in the show notes today along with the other links mentioned in today's episode. Until next time, Content Creators, you've got an audience waiting to hear from you and you've got content to share with them. Stop being the best kept secret and make a bigger impact when you've got content out there in the world.