According to information analyzed by Statista, there will be nearly 132 million podcast listeners in the United States by 2022, and the overall popularity of podcasts will continue to grow over the course of the next few years.
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And if you’re a learning and development (L&D) professional, you’ll want to consider leveraging podcasts to continuously engage your existing learners and to stand out in your industry.
If you’re interested in successfully leveraging podcasts, here are some things you’ll want to make sure you do.
Know Your Audience
Before you acquire any expensive audio or video equipment, make sure you fully understand your audience and what they will want or need to learn more about. For instance, a podcaster in the construction industry will cover very different topics than someone who is in the advertising industry.
So, you’ll want to do your research ahead of time to make sure you know what your intended audience wants or needs to learn more about to make sure you can regularly host podcasts about topics that will interest them.
And then make sure you know your subject matter inside and out or that you select a person on your team who knows the subject matter inside and out to host your podcast, as you’ll want someone hosting the podcast who will be able to answer important questions in real time.
Plan Your Podcasts
Podcasts should always be planned. Even if you want to host live podcasts once a week, for instance, you will need to plan out and organize what topics you’ll cover throughout your podcast and what you want to mention.
And you’ll want to predetermine a set frequency for your podcasts so that your listeners will know when to tune in to your podcasts on a regular basis. Make sure that you plot out your podcast plans and arrangements on a calendar, too, especially if you have multiple team members helping you with its production.
Interview Interesting Guests
Make arrangements to interview and speak with interesting guests on your podcast—guests who are both internal and external to your organization. For instance, you might want to interview your organization’s chief executive officer, or you might want to interview a well-known titan or figurehead in your industry who your audience will want to learn from or hear from.
Record, Store, Share, and Promote Your Podcasts
Be sure to record and store your podcasts in the cloud so that your audience members can access them at any time. Also, make sure that people can share your podcasts with others via e-mail or via social media. And be sure to promote your podcasts to others who are internal and external to your organization so that you can continue to grow your audience and reputation.
Curate Content from Other Successful Podcasts
If you don’t have the time or resources to host your own podcast, curate podcast content from other reputable organizations or professionals who work inside your industry. For ideas, view Forbes’s list of podcasts for working professionals and Inc.’s list of podcasts for entrepreneurs.
Follow the tips above to successfully leverage podcasts and to get started.