The phenomenon of podcasts has grown exponentially over the last few years, with over 1 million podcasts and 48m total episodes to listen to.
It is predicted that there will be more than 500m podcast listeners worldwide by the end of 2024. For business owners and entrepreneurs, featuring as a guest is vital for personal branding to get your name in front of the right audience.
Podcasting is fundamentally different from other forms of digital content in the sense that it’s content people consume when they are away from their computers. Once you’ve downloaded a podcast to your smartphone, you can listen to it as you work out, as you commute to work in the morning, or if you’re out and about doing errands.
This gives you a valuable way to engage with potential followers on a 24/7 basis.
Personality
Being on podcasts also gives you an opportunity to showcase the personality of your brand.
Personal branding is all about discovering what your USP is and then communicating it to the audience listening to podcasts relevant to your brand.
As people consume podcasts in a personal environment such as in their home or at work, for example, their connection to your content is more intimate and is the perfect medium for cultivating an authentic personality.
The more high-quality podcasts you appear on, the more trust you will gain to cultivate a larger following.
Guesting
Being a podcast guest, or even creating your own podcast, also gives a valuable platform to tap into thought leadership and market your expertise within your personal branding strategy.
One of the main reasons that we develop content is to establish credibility and a reputation as a thought leader in the market. Podcasts can help with this as the audience hears your expertise on a subject from your own mouth.
If you’re passionate about your subject then this will be apparent in your voice and your authority will naturally shine.
Networking
Lastly, featuring on podcasts as a guest gives you an opportunity to network with people also working within your industry and can benefit your business in the long run.
By appearing as a guest on a podcast relevant to your business or niche, you’ll be coming into contact with other members of the industry and forming relationships.
With the marketing podcasts I’ve been invited to be on as a guest, I’ve gotten to know the podcast host and the other guests present if it’s not just myself. We’ve exchanged ideas and gained inspiration from one another which we’ve taken away after we recorded the episode.
Forming these relationships means you might be introduced to some of their industry connections and you may be invited back for a repeat appearance on the podcast to discuss new trends, for example, which further cultivates your personal brand as an expert.