Are Podcast Appearances a Relevant Promotion Strategy for Speakers?

Are Podcasts Still Relevant as a Marketing Activity for Speakers? 

The stats speak for themselves, 180 million Americans have listened to a podcast, and 38% of the entire US population listens to a podcast on a weekly basis. 

For context, those figures represent a doubling in the number of people listening to podcasts in the last eight years. 

Think about it, with most (if not ALL) of us owning smartphones, listening to a show on headphones or earbuds while we’re doing something else (driving, walking the dog) is a no-brainer. 

Hence the explosion in podcast listeners over the last decade.

So you can bet your you-know-what that doing podcast appearances is a great way to showcase your expertise to new audiences and grow your exposure simultaneously. 

But what about them specifically should appeal to you as someone growing a successful speaking business? 

Key Advantages of Doing Podcast Appearances as a Speaker

There are several advantages for speakers to consider when it comes to doing podcast appearances. 

Yes, it’s true that the potential business impact of appearing as a guest on podcasts might well be dependent on your specific niche (some industries and sectors just don’t have many podcasts to choose from).

However, from my perspective as someone whose niche is public speaking and who runs her own podcast, here are three compelling reasons you should consider becoming involved: 

#1: Podcast Appearances is a Great Way to Reach a Specific Audience or Demographic

Podcasts tend to be skewed at specific demographics or interests. It’s not like social media, where anyone and everyone can see your content. 

The people you’re about to get in front of have already been narrowed down into a group interested in the topic you’re about to discuss. 

In many ways, it means a lot of the hard work has already been done for you. It’s like running an ad without paying for the expensive targeting capabilities that usually accompany online advertising. 

#2: You Get to Talk About Your Expertise and Share Your Knowledge 

One of the most valuable skills we have as speakers is our ability to share our knowledge with others. 

Speaking opportunities allow us to do just that – share our knowledge with a group of people and make a positive difference in their lives and careers. 

But podcasts take that one step further. Not only do you get to share your experience and insights with an audience, but you also get to talk about a topic where you’re an expert, something you’re passionate about, and something nobody knows better than you. 

Just being a guest interviewed is enough to establish authoritativeness on a subject, but to actually get the opportunity to share your own experience and knowledge is a massive bonus. 

It can be just as powerful as landing a speaking gig, except the audience listens remotely rather than in person.

Appearing on other people’s podcasts is still one of the best methods for building credibility and thought leadership in your space because it’s more personal than a blog post or a LinkedIn article. 

People can hear your voice, get a feel for your personality, and establish more of a connection with you than they might with a blog post or article.

#3: They Can Deliver an Incredible Return on Investments (ROI)

Another huge advantage for speakers to do podcast appearances is that it can usually deliver incredible returns on investments in terms of business impact. 

For example, let’s say you appeared on one podcast, and that podcast had 1,000 plays or downloads. That might not seem like a lot at first glance, but let’s assume that each of those downloads was worth the equivalent of $10 to you as the speaker. 

That’s $10,000 in potential business impact for just ONE episode appearance! 

Compare that to the cost of running an online Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ad campaign, which might have an average click-through rate of just 0.5% and a cost per click of $3, and you’re quickly seeing that podcast appearances can be a far more effective marketing activity for speakers than paid ads. 

You can often snag a podcast appearance on a podcast for free, too. 

Hosts are always on the lookout for engaging guests, so if you’re quick to respond to their emails or reach out on social media, you’ll often find that they’ll be willing to have you as a guest for free.