Since its beginning in the early 2000s, podcasting has developed rapidly and steadily. So, by now, you are probably aware of podcasts. You may even listen to at least one of them on a regular basis. Check out these statistics from 2021 to get a better idea of the popularity of podcasting:
Nearly 12 million Canadian adults (38% of the 18+ population) have listened to podcasts in the past year.
Nearly 9 million Canadian adults (29% of the 18+ population) listen to podcasts at least once a month.
Have you been thinking about starting your own podcast? Although it may seem complicated, podcasting is simpler than it appears!
What is a podcast, exactly?
A podcast is essentially a collection of spoken articles or audio episodes that are all centered on a single topic or theme. People can subscribe to the podcast using a podcast listening app on their phone and listen to episodes on their headphones, in their car, or on smart speakers anytime they choose. Podcasting allows you to take your favourite show with you and listen to it whenever you want. It personalizes shows and makes them available on demand.
This is what distinguishes podcasting from broadcasting and is one of its benefits. Unlike broadcast media, a podcast listener will not hear messages from your competitors. When they tune in to your podcast, they are solely listening to you. And, unlike other kinds of media, listeners typically devote their full attention and time to podcasts since they deliver your content in a way that is easy to consume. This can certainly help strengthen brand loyalty for businesses in highly competitive industries.
Podcasting provides a unique way to expand and engage an audience along with numerous other benefits. Podcasts are helping businesses from around the globe with boosting revenue, increasing brand awareness, and providing an updated content marketing channel. Now is an ideal time to start a podcast, whether you’re a brand, a hobbyist, a non-profit, or someone with a message to share.
How does one get started with podcasting?
Before you begin your podcast, take a step back and consider “why”. Ask yourself questions such as what do you want the world to know about you? What are you hoping to motivate your audience to do?
Here are a few reasons why people start podcasts:
Thought leadership
Create fresh content
Brand awareness
Grow a new or existing audience
Once you have determined your “why”, it’s time to find out if there is an audience that is interested in your podcast idea. What type of podcast listener are you looking for? What demographics, hobbies, social media platforms and behaviors do they have? This will help you decide what type of content you wish to share and whether you are sharing it with the right audience.
When it comes to the length of a podcast episode, there is only one correct answer: it depends! There is no “one-size-fits-all” duration, and the length will be determined by a variety of factors. Podcasts can range in length from a few minutes to a few hours. Most podcasts, though, are between 20 and 40 minutes long. But remember, you can do whatever seems appropriate for you and your listeners.
Other steps to launching your podcast include choosing a cool name for it, deciding on the format (episodic or serial), and obtaining your recording equipment. Although podcasting equipment can seem intimidating, a professional-sounding recording does not require a sophisticated setup. You may be surprised to learn that all you’ll probably need is a laptop, an internet connection, a USB microphone, headphones, and free recording software.
How do I determine and target my demographic of listeners?
Your first step is to consider your podcast’s niche when identifying your target audience. For example, podcasters within a specific industry will find that their target audience is easy to determine. What types of people work in your field? Is there a certain set of people who would listen to your podcast in that industry? That’s your target market.
If you already have a few listeners, try to learn more about them. If you can figure out what they have in common, you will have a better idea of how to define and expand your audience. If you have social media followers, you can quickly define your target demographic.
Podcast surveys are another excellent method to gather detailed information about your listeners. Nearly every well-known podcast conducts annual listener surveys, and you should as well. Using Google Forms, Survey Monkey, or other similar tools to collect surveys is a quick and easy method to see who is listening to your podcast. Knowing the key demographics of your podcast listener is usually one of the easiest and most accurate methods to define your audience.
Where do I post my podcast?
When it comes to podcasting, it’s not as simple as recording your audio and uploading it to iTunes or Spotify. You will first need to choose a podcast hosting service, which is similar to the process of choosing the best hosting platform for your website. Platforms that host podcasts, however, store and broadcast your audio content while helping you grow your audience.
TechRadar shares a useful list of the top podcasting hosting providers of 2022. Among these are BuzzSprout, which is a top platform for new podcasters and is one of the easiest to use. Podbean is an excellent choice for price conscious users. Libsyn offers unlimited bandwidth and is one of the oldest podcast hosting services. Learn more about these and other top podcast hosting services on TechRadar’s website: https://www.techradar.com/best/podcast-hosting.
What topics are most popular?
As of 2021, over 850,000 podcasts, totaling over forty-eight million episodes, were available online. With that in mind, it is reasonable to assume that there is a podcast for almost any topic you can think of.
As a small business owner, you may be interested in subjects such as brand building and company management. Of course, there are dozens (if not hundreds!) of business-related podcasts as well! Feedspot provides an up-to-date list of the top business-related podcasts from thousands of podcasts rated by traffic, social media followers, domain authority, and freshness. Here are their top five recommendations:
Anyone, regardless of experience level, can start a podcast. All you need is real enthusiasm for your subject and something useful to offer your audience!
People once thought of blogging as just another trend for creative individuals to dabble in and to keep up with personal online journals. Let’s fast-forward to the 2010’s. We have seen blogging evolve into something entirely different from its humble beginnings. We also know that blogging has been more than simply another trendy “thing” for quite some time.
In all reality, blogging is serious business these days. Your company’s blog serves as a major marketing tool, but it can also be much more than that; a blog can also educate your readers, provide a platform for you to share your company’s experiences (both good and negative), and more!
Are you thinking about having a blog on your website? Here are four benefits and reasons why companies should establish and maintain a blog.
Why blogging is beneficial to businesses
#1. Blogging as a business is an excellent way to boost your company’s online presence and to help it grow.
Blogging is one of the most effective ways for businesses of all sizes to attract organic internet traffic to their websites. Regularly updated sites with new content receives higher rankings from search engines like Google. So, by consistently publishing content that adds value to your website, you will begin to see a rise in traffic that also includes new prospects and leads. Most importantly, publishing fresh content for your site on a regular basis helps potential customers find you, remember you, and keep you in mind when they are ready to purchase your company’s products or services.
#2. Sharing your area of knowledge through a blog allows you to establish trust with your audience.
Writing useful blog posts for your target audience goes a long way toward helping you establish yourself as an industry expert or thought leader and thereby gaining their trust. Having others see you as a trustworthy and dependable source of information is an important first step toward building your current customers’ loyalty along with attracting new customers.
#3. A blog provides a platform for you to reinforce your company’s brand.
Every business has something that makes them unique, and blogging provides a terrific way to introduce yourself and to showcase your company’s personality. Your blog provides you with a unique opportunity to shine and to set yourself apart from your competition. One goal of blogging is to cultivate a personal relationship with your audience. Once they develop a sense of connection with you, their loyalty will often follow.
#4. Another important benefit of blogging for businesses is the development of new relationships.
Connections are frequently created not just with your consumers, but also with other business owners. Think of your blog as a networking tool, as you are contributing to your industry’s community. As such, participating in your industry’s community will help you build trust with clients AND create key connections for future business prospects.
What platforms are available to help promote my blog?
Now that you have a business blog and you are publishing great content, you are probably wondering how to spread your message far and wide. This is a vital factor to consider, particularly if you wish to realize the benefits outlined above.
You may find it a bit intimidating to learn that each month, users produce about 70 million new blog posts and over 409 million people view more than 20 billion pages worldwide. (Source:https://wordpress.com/activity/)
Housing a blog on your business’s website is the best place to start. However, you should also consider posting your blog content on websites beyond your own if you are to get any genuine traction. For example, sharing your content on industry or niche sites helps amplify your posts, allowing them to reach a wider audience. Interested readers will then find their way back to your own website.
Business blogs are essential tools for any company wanting to boost its online presence. A blog can boost your SEO, highlight your expertise, enhance your brand identity, cultivate customer relationships, and provide a venue on your website to publish shareable material.
As you can see, there are numerous advantages to business blogging. If you have not already begun blogging, now is a perfect time to do so! We have a dedicated staff of writers and editors at MYOB with many years of expertise producing content for a wide range of industries. Contact us today to learn more.
It is no secret that having an online presence – including a website and social media accounts – is an important aspect of any company’s online strategy. But what happens once you have set up your website and social media accounts? How can they work together?
All your marketing channels, whether online or off, should already be working together to increase brand awareness, generate engagement, and drive conversions. Here are some ways that your website and social media should be interacting together.
#1. Connect your social media accounts to your website.
To get the most out of your online presence, ensure your website visitors can view your social network accounts and vice versa. By encouraging website users to join your social following, you can improve traffic to your website while also increasing customer loyalty and expanding your reach. On your website, remember to add social media icons and links to your social media accounts. Then, in your social profiles and ‘about us’ sections, be sure to include a link to your website.
If you want to highlight your social media even more, consider embedding a Twitter/Facebook live feed on your website. However, if you do this, make sure you are consistently adding updated content to your social media platforms to keep the stream fresh. Keep in mind that the branding should be consistent throughout all your business’ social media channels and your website.
#2. Encourage people to visit your website by sharing on social media.
Share information from your website on social media on a regular basis. Both your website and social media are designed to engage your audience with quality content. By directing your social media followers to your website, you can encourage them to read your blog posts and/or other web pages, which increases the possibility of converting them into customers. As well, when you are driving more visitors to your website via social media, you’re also increasing the chances that your content will be shared elsewhere on the web, potentially improving your SEO. At MYOB, some of our website clients have requested e-newsletters from their website, or monthly blogs. These are both wonderful sources of content that successfully attract traffic from social media to your website and vice versa.
As we have mentioned in previous blog posts, social media provides a ton of opportunity for engagement, allowing you to rapidly react to and reply to customer comments and queries, as well as urge followers to visit your website for more information. Using social media to enhance the human aspect of your business generates an emotional connection, which builds relationships and nurtures trust and loyalty.
#3. Track your progress by using analytics.
Using analytics and data provides important insights on how well your content is driving traffic from your social media platforms to your website. Setting up Google Analytics for your website is an essential part of capturing that data (https://marketingplatform.google.com/about/).
Monitoring your social media and website can help you recognize both the successes and the areas that need improvement. For example:
• Determine the type of content and posts that perform best across social media and your website, so you create and share the types that do well.
• Use your social media data to better understand your target audience and develop content for them, and vice versa – use your website visitor data to customize your social media posts.
Over to you
Your website is one of your strongest branding and marketing tools. There are many different types of websites that may work for your business:
• Sites that act like brochures
• Interactive sites with chats
• Sites that require logins for membership
The same techniques for creating the interaction between your website and your social media platforms will apply regardless of the type of website you have. At Mind Your Own Business Inc., we will collaborate with you from the ground floor and build a customized website that meets all your business needs. Contact us to get started today!
Is it possible that a typo – or a series of them – can turn off a potential customer? You’d better believe it! These days, many people begin their purchasing journeys online, so a flawless website that grabs and keeps their attention is critical. Remember, first impressions matter.
Whether intentionally or unintentionally, poor grammar, spelling, and punctuation on your site can negatively influence how people see you or your brand and may even damage your or your brand’s reputation. And, with so much of a business’s communication tied into branding, marketing, and emails, improper grammar can completely affect the interpretation of what you are trying to communicate.
Here are a few reasons why proper grammar in your brand messaging is so important to your company’s success.
#1. Without proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation, your brand’s message is at risk of being confusing and even completely misunderstood. You have most likely spent a lot of time and effort to decide on the best message for your target audience. Producing content that contains mistakes in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and even style may significantly dilute the message you worked so hard to establish. Your brand does not benefit from confusing messaging.
#2. Poor grammar, spelling, and punctuation alters the consistency and impacts the trustworthiness of your brand message. People look for brands on which they can rely. Trust is earned. By delivering a consistent message, your business becomes one they can trust. Consistency can refer to several things, but it is especially important when it comes to your wording.
#3. Your brand’s credibility is at stake if your content contains grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes. As we mentioned earlier in this post, typos are one of the key reasons why people may become turned off by a brand. Attention to detail is critical. People simply do not trust brands that seemingly fail to put in the time and effort to create error-free content.
#4. Poor grammar, spelling, and punctuation can negatively affect user accessibility. It is important to keep in mind that not everyone who reads what you have written will easily ‘get’ what you are saying. Some people are attempting to figure out the meaning of every word, regardless of whether it is correct or not. In addition, English may not be the native language of your potential customer. Grammatical errors and other typos may result in potential customers being unable to understand your message. Or, even worse, they may misinterpret you completely.
How can I avoid grammatical errors in my brand’s content?
When creating content for your brand, it is inevitable that you will commit a grammatical error at some point. Fortunately, there are a few ways to help you avoid, or at the very least catch and modify, these errors before they are published.
To avoid grammar errors in your business content and correspondence, consider these tips:
Make edits as you go. If you start editing straight away, you will save time later because you will have fewer edits to make at the end.
Use digital tools to help streamline the editing process. With a quick Google search, you can easily find a variety of free online spelling and grammar checkers. Some of these tools also provide synonyms, allowing you to use a broader range of words in your content.
Double-check your own work for typos. Even though your work may be reviewed by an editor before final approval, it is still a good idea to do your own proofreading before submitting it.
Outsource it to a team with writers and proofreaders. By hiring a specialized group to create and review your material, you can drastically reduce the grammar errors on your website and on your social media pages.
Over to you
All businesses, regardless of their size or industry, should understand the value of using good grammar, correct spelling, and proper punctuation in their online content. Whether it’s a quick tweet or status update, an email, or the more involved writing of a blog or a company page, you want to make a good first impression to people who are interested in your brand.
At MYOB Inc. we have several content writers and proofreaders on our staff to help you present your best messaging to represent your brand.
Have you noticed that a lot of businesses are willing to engage through online channels yet fail to provide any phone support these days? All too often, the online chat supports those businesses offer are auto-generated generic answers that are less-than-helpful. Let’s say you’re unable to log into one of your social media networks, either because you’ve been locked out or because the platform is down. Having the option to speak with a live person and resolve the issue over the phone would be helpful, right?
Research shows why people are becoming increasingly frustrated with online support:
55% of customer requests for service on social media are not acknowledged.
72% of Facebook interactions are never completed, in any channel.
Why going back to the basics to develop relationships can humanize your business?
In the long run, the ability to humanize your business through live phone support can certainly help your company stand out from the crowd. Human nature dictates that people prefer to do business with real people rather than logos and bots. And although face-to-face meetings and phone calls were once the norm for business representatives, artificial intelligence (AI), email and social media have contributed to a decline in personal human interactions over the last decade or so.
As well, too many companies are overlooking a key aspect when prioritizing the digital experience: talking on the phone with a real person is faster, easier, and more effective than typing messages back and forth. It may seem old-fashioned, but in reality, most people still want to talk to a knowledgeable human being – especially when they have customer service issues or are making major purchasing decisions.
Businesses may be losing potential revenue by hiding their phone numbers and making it nearly impossible to reach a live person. Customers who are irritated have little patience for automated support, and even those who aren’t irritated will notice when your company interacts with a human touch. However, savvy business owners understand that relationships are the true currency of business. And, amongst the rise of AI, humans now have the advantage of offering something unique and compelling to customers.
Ready to provide a “Talk to Human” option? Proper phone etiquette will go a long way
If you are ready for your business to be more “human” again but haven’t picked up the phone in a while, then you may need to brush up on your phone skills. Having a repertoire of good customer service terms on hand will help you communicate with your current and potential customers more effectively.
Here are a few impactful customer service phrases to consider:
#1. “Thank you for bringing this to our attention.”
In fact, the customer who reports the flaw is actually assisting your company with quality control. In these cases, the very least your company can do is express gratitude through this simple phrase. Being courteous does not cost you anything. It is important to be genuine with this as people are smart and can detect if you’re being insincere.
#2. “I will look into this for you.”
Even when you are unsure of the outcome, it is essential that you express a willingness to find the answer. Because one of your goals is to boost your customers’ trust in your brand, this helps demonstrate to them that you’re a professional who gets things done.
#3. “I apologize for the inconvenience.”
If a customer is dissatisfied, it is critical to demonstrate empathy, validate their complaint and let them know that you understand their concerns. Apologizing to a dissatisfied customer and admitting the error is preferable to making excuses.
At the end of the day, it is important to provide your customers with as many contact channels as you can effectively manage. Consider having a “talk to human” as one of those options; it will likely result in a positive experience for both sides!
