Doing business in this digital era is both exciting and challenging. Digital technology has brought innovative media to reach target customers. However, your business has to compete with brands from across the world on the digital market. The digital business landscape is also fast-paced. Thus, as a business owner, you have to adapt quickly to keep up with the times.
Podcasting has emerged as one of the essential business marketing tools over the last decade. Moreover, it is a form of audio recording available over the internet. Content creators can now record audio files on any topic and create a series of such projects on multiple online platforms. To access the podcasts, users have to subscribe to access or download them for listening at a later time.
If you are a marketer trying to gain traction in the highly competitive digital platform, it’s time to start levering podcasts. Research shows over 197 million Americans are familiar with podcasts.
Furthermore, with 81% of Americans now using smartphones, podcasting has become even more crucial for business marketing. These numbers highlight the potential for podcasting in your marketing mix.
Once you have created a podcast, you have to share it on your best platforms. This post explores how to embed a podcast on a website and other podcast tips to boost your marketing efforts.
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The Power of Podcasting
Nowadays, businesses have to adapt fast to survive in the volatile digital marketing landscape. There are multiple innovative marketing techniques available, including video and social media. Hence, use a variety of marketing tactics in your campaigns to help you reach a more extensive and diverse customer base.
Some of the reasons for using podcasting include:
- Versatile marketing: You can share podcasts promoting your brand, products, services, skills, expertise, or promotional offers. You can also create audio files on different topics related to your niche market. There’s a wide range of podcast ideas to use to connect with your target audience.
- Ease of distribution: It’s easy to distribute your podcasts on several platforms, including iTunes, websites, social media, YouTube, podcatchers, and aggregators, plus others.
- Increased traffic generation: You can use a podcast to build familiarity with a wide range of audiences. Most people who subscribe to podcasts are interested in services or the subjects covered. This means they are more engaged and likely to visit your website or blog.
- Building better relations with the audience: People subscribe to podcasts because they have something in common with the speaker. If you are a business marketer, the subscriber should know your understanding on a specific topic from the get-go. A relationship built on trust is making podcasting one of the most effective marketing tools.
- Ease of production: Compared to video and other forms of digital content, podcast production is more relaxed. You don’t need sophisticated equipment for the job, and the editing software is readily available online. Distributing your podcast is also easy and cheap.
- Highly engaging tool: There’s so much clutter on digital platforms. In this noise, audio content manages to get to the target listener through active listening. Most people listen to podcasts because they need to learn something. One survey showed 63 % of respondents bought the product promoted on podcasts.
- Establishing brand authority: Most internet users and researchers desire to interact with experts in any given subject. When you create a series of podcasts on a specific topic, you can start attracting listeners who want to learn more. They will always look for your podcasts because they add value to their lives.
- Ideal content marketing tool: If you have great content, you should share it as part of your search optimization (SEO) efforts. However, this is not easy in this age of information overload. Podcasts have emerged as an effective solution to overcome the digital noise and get through to your target audience.
- Boosting your mobile marketing game: Most people listen to podcasts on mobile. If you want to harness the power of mobile, using podcasts will help you reach the growing mobile market.
- On-demand technology: Internet users are engaging in podcasting in large numbers. 51% of the population has listened to a podcast which emphasizes why you need to start using this medium.
Embedding a Podcast to Your Website
There are several options for distribution and promoting your podcast. One of these is embedding it on your website. Thus, if you have an online business, you must invest heavily in generating traffic to the site.
The best strategy in podcasting is to expose your episodes to as many people as possible. Embed your podcast on your website in addition to posting it on other platforms. If you don’t have a website yet, you should consider creating one to host and publish your podcasts.
1. Challenges in Embedding Podcasts on Websites
Most podcasters don’t use their websites to promote their websites. This could be due to fear of violating web host’s Terms of Service, or due to the technical issues involved. While many web hosts offer unlimited storage and bandwidth, you might find your podcasts will cause slow loading problems.
2. The Podcast Audio Player
However, most web host providers now appreciate the importance of podcasts as one of the main types of website content. If you wish to embed your podcast on your website, you have to consider the type of audio player available. The player can make or break your podcasting efforts.
The podcast audio player can make all the difference when mobile listeners have a lot of content to digest. If your podcast player doesn’t match up to their standards, they will simply move to something better.
When you have a great audio player for your website podcasts, you can convert search traffic to your podcast listeners. A great podcast player will aid in turning casual listeners into loyal fans.
You can opt for podcast player plugins for WordPress, native hosting audio players, or a stand-alone podcast player plugin.
3. Leveraging Show Notes For SEO
A good podcast audio player goes hand in hand with extensive show notes for a podcast on your website. Show notes open new opportunities for users to find you on search. If you have multiple podcasts embedded on your website, it becomes easier for users to discover them from Google and other search engines.
These notes also offer a summary of the broadcast and persuade someone to listen. They also remind a listener about the previously covered content. You can also use show notes to include links to resources, people, or products.
4. Embedding Podcasts on WordPress
If you have a self-hosted WordPress website, you can embed a podcast using an embeddable podcast player. To embed your podcast, here are the steps:
- Get the embed code: “under a podcast episode or podcast logo, you’ll find the “share” button. Click here and toggle to go to “embed”. Go to the embeddable player options and then click on “more options.” Copy the embed code from here.
- Embed code on your WP site: Go to your WordPress post and paste the code and transform it to “preformatted.” Now publish the post.
- For Wordpress.com, there’s no support for an embeddable player. You need to copy the file URL into the post and then publish the post.
Some of the most popular podcast embed players for websites include:
- SpotifyTransistor
- Simplecast
- Podbean
- Megaphone
- OmnyStudio
- Buzzsprout
- Castos
- Fireside
- Backtracks
- Pippa
- Audioboom
Different embed players have their pros and cons. It’s crucial to find a player that suits your website and your podcasting needs.
Why embed Podcasts on Your Website?
1. Less Stressful and Hassle-Free
Publishing your podcast on podcast services like iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and others requires RSS feeds for upload. If you don’t host the file on your website, you’ll also need a podcast-specific RSS feed. When you are a podcasting beginner, this can be a complicated task to undertake.
The smartest strategy is to upload your audio file on your website, giving you an automatic RSS feed. You can then move your podcast to any publishing platforms you like. Taking less time, this is a hassle-free strategy to embed a podcast on a website.
2. Better Interactions
Now that podcasts are a social experience, you want to maximize the interaction with listeners.
So, on the podcasts page, add contact forms to allow listeners to provide feedback. You can also include comment sections to increase engagement with listeners. From these interactions, you’ll be able to source for new podcast ideas and topics to address in the future.
3. Create One Promotional Hub
It is possible to share your podcasts on multiple platforms from the website and include links. Moreover, you can collect emails from subscribers who are essential for future marketing purposes.
Transform your website into a significant promotional hub for your podcasts.
4. Reach New Listeners Through Search
Websites are an integral part of digital marketing. Most internet users start their online experiences with a search on Google or other search engines. Their results usually lead them to websites. That’s why integrating your podcasting efforts on your website should be a common practice.
When people search for new information related to your niche, they will find you on search results. If you have a podcast page, they will come directly to the podcast and listen to it.
SEO-optimized website is a powerful marketing tool. Boost the traffic and conversion rates by adding podcasts to it.
When creating podcasts for your website, it’s advisable to use keywords and phrases that your target audience will use. It will make it easier to find your website. This is an effective strategy to gain relevant traffic and gradually gain more subscribers to your podcasts.
5. Showcase Past Podcast Episodes
You can create an archive of past podcast episodes and make it easy for your subscribers to find them in one place. Unlike other digital marketing tools, podcasts enjoy more longevity meaning users will continue looking for them.
With an archive, it is easier to showcase all your podcasts and present yourself as an authority. Listeners will discover this treasure trove and share it with others leading to brand awareness and other benefits.
Wrapping Up
Podcasting is the future of digital marketing. It is a powerful tool for every business that wants to reach a highly engaged audience.
With more people now on mobile, you have a tremendous opportunity to reach your target audience through podcasts on your website. Moreover, these tips will help you embed the podcast on the site. It is a smart strategy to leverage the power of search for your podcasting campaign.
