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This post is part of the series, which is based upon the book 'Top 21 Marketing channels for membership sites published by The Subscription Coach Amanda Northcutt.
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Start your own podcast
Starting your own podcast is an immense undertaking, and your capacity to go the plan week after each week is something to consider prior to committing. Numerous owners of membership websites struggle with the decision to begin a podcast, or not since, as the SEO plan, it's a marathon, not the equivalent of a sprint.
The marketplace for podcasts is inundated to this point. However, if you go narrow and deep within your niche it is likely that you will increase the number of fans who will be qualified members for your site over time. The creation of your own show is an excellent way to open doors to influencers and even become one!
But, you need to take a commitment of 12-18 months to release 1-2 podcasts each week to give this marketing channel the chance to be successful. It's akin to of running a quick Facebook campaign, which can be easily evaluated over a brief period of time. Just like with other type of content, I recommend batch recording episodes, 4-10 in one sitting, so you're not burdened every week, or multiple times each week to make an episode.
Podcasting is among the most personal ways you are able to communicate with potential customers on any kind of scale sometimes, greater than writing the word. Handle your audience with care. Make sure to show empathy. you understand their struggles and have a way to resolve it. Your Membership!
Your topics in your podcast ought to attract people with the ability to grow into powerful users of your membership website. There is no other consideration. Like marketing strategies, casting a wide field will bring in prospects that will clutter your list of email addresses, or even worse, send out emails extremely early. Again, going specific and in-depth within your area of expertise is essential to your the success of your campaign.
Don't make the mistake of thinking that the volume of downloads is the only measurement you must track or. The questions you should be asking yourself when determining whether your business is succeeding include: Are listeners taking notice of my CTA and gaining access to my funnel for marketing? Are new members citing my podcast as one of the reasons they joined or where they heard about my brand? Does the authority I'm establishing by my show helping to build connections and trust with influential people in my field? Do I use my podcast as a way to build relationships with others by having relevant guests on my podcast?
Promoting your podcast on your list of email subscribers, current members via your social channels, as well as influencers. A podcast should be a thoughtful part of your strategy for content marketing however, because it's so big an enormous undertaking, it's worthy of a category of its own in my top 21 list.
Hosting your own podcast could be an effective instrument in your marketing. However, don't begin until you're ready to finish it. It's a good idea to consider the alternative option to running your own podcast is having an ongoing presence as a guest on other peoples' podcasts.
Be a podcast guest
The principles that govern guest blogging are applicable here pretty seamlessly. Those who have committed to hosting podcasts of their own are confronted with the same content production responsibility as bloggers. If you reach out to the best hosts in the right way will likely result in the granting of a number of fantastic guest spots. It could also reduce the burden of content creation of the host.
If you have your own show, being a guest on other podcasts will amplify your results with your podcast. In the end, those who listen to podcasts, are listening to...podcasts.
However, regardless of whether you host your own show , or do you don't, make sure to include an CTA whenever you're hosting the opportunity of hosting a guest. CTAs might be for downloading your lead magnet, offer a discount on the cost of your membership, or a brief consult, or any other thing pertinent to your site. If you have an own podcast, you should invite listeners of the podcast(s) where you are as a guest to join your own.
Start by identifying the podcasts on which you can provide value and insight for the listeners. It is likely that these are industry influencers' podcasts which have a similar audience to the target market. Guest podcasting can and should make up a part of your overall influencer marketing plan.
Avoid the mistake in reaching out the hosts with 100,000 subscribers first. Start small, get some experience and build a podcast CV, and start working your way up the ladder of influencers.
The email you send to an outreach host should contain a couple of praise for them, your the credentials you've earned for yourself (in an honest manner) as well as an example of any other podcasts you've participated in and/or hyperlinks to your own blog posts or YouTube channel., and perhaps some topics you'd be great to discuss in an interview.
Do not quit even if you're rejected. If you are rejected by an influential person within your field, in the first, second or third timearound, refer to the section on organic influencers here in order to establish their social network before trying again.