Podcasts have taken over in the past few years. The next evolution of radio, today you can find a podcast on almost any subject that you like. There are podcasts of people playing tabletop games and podcasts from sports commentators. Podcasts about murder and podcasts about politics. There are even podcasts about business.

If you love podcasts, you may have been curious about starting one. You may have even wondered if a podcast would help to promote your business so that your brand gains more recognition. Fortunately, if you do it right, the answer is yes. Podcasts can help to boost your brand.

How Podcasts Can Boost Your Brand: Finding Your Audience

A Statista poll in 2021 found that an estimated 120 million people listened to podcasts that year. These were listeners across all ages and demographics. If they had access to a podcast platform and an interest, they listened to podcasts. To a brand trying to find their audience, that’s a staggering number.

Podcasts also help you to reach your target audience because they are voluntarily listened to based on the interest of the listener. If your target audience is young entrepreneurs trying to launch their startups, you might find them listening to business podcasts. If you want to attract book lovers or creatives, you can find bookish or creative podcasts. Conduct market research on the kind of subjects your target audience takes an interest in and you’ll find a podcast for them.

How to Use Podcasts In Your Marketing

So now that you know the ways that podcasts can boost your brand, the next question is how to leverage that resource. There are a few ways that you can work podcasts into your marketing. The right choice for you may depend on your budget and skillset.

Start Your Own Podcast

If you’re passionate about media and the podcast format, one way to boost your brand is to start your own podcast. Many professionals seeking to break into an industry will gain a name for themselves by building a podcast following. Writers may create a podcast talking about their writing process, while fashion designers might start a podcast covering fashion trends.

Podcasts are under the control of the creator, meaning you don’t need any official credentials to create one. They’re an accessible medium with a number of affordable hosting platforms. It can take a lot of time out of your schedule, but if you find a posting schedule that works for you, this could be a viable option.

Sponsor a Podcast

If you don’t have time to create your own podcast, but you do have some room in the marketing budget, consider sponsoring a podcast. This offers a number of benefits. For one thing, you can support a creator whose podcast you like. You can also boost visibility for your brand. Some podcast sponsors might get their brand name added to the title of the podcast. Others get an ad spot in which the podcast host will promote your brand for you.

This is much like working with an influencer. Find a podcaster who is popular with your audience. Offer them a sponsorship deal and set the terms: an ad spot, an attribution, etc. Then when your target audience listens to the podcast, they’ll be able to learn about your brand and how to reach you.

Apply a Guest Spot on a Podcast

Another way to promote your brand through podcasting is with a guest spot on someone else’s podcast. Many podcasters are constantly looking for guests to interview or to co-host with for an episode. Find podcasts relevant to your industry. Make sure you familiarize yourself with the podcast before applying so you get a sense of the process and the tone of the podcast. From there, you can email the podcast host and ask to be a guest on their podcast.

There may be a wait of several months depending on how many requests the podcast host receives. It’s best to plan your guest spot in advance to be safe. At the end of the interview or episode, the podcaster will likely ask something like, “Where can people find you on the internet?” This is a great time to promote your website, your social media, and anything else about your brand.

Once your podcast episode airs, make sure to spread the news. Share it on social media and tell your friends and family to listen in. This will both help to boost the podcaster’s audience — something they’ll be grateful for — and to boost your own brand recognition.