CEO and Chief Learning Strategist of InspirEd, an award-winning author, podcaster and transformational learning designer.
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Podcasting is a rapidly growing global phenomenon that has piqued the interest of advertisers. Since 2018, research from Midroll Media (via Rain News) found that 81% of listeners pay attention to podcast ads. It’s no secret that corporations and nonprofits are experimenting in this space to reach new audiences, develop a rapport with prospects and nudge them into their nurture sequences.
However, I often see a disconnect between the podcasting initiative and these organizations’ programmatic offerings. Informational podcasts are great, but to contribute to your competitive advantage, you should align podcasts with programs to give prospects a next step within your portfolio of options.
I consult with organizations that offer courses as gateway and premium offerings and that are generating substantial revenue. Here are the 10 tips I offer them to partner up effectively and generate measurable impact.
1. Invite course speakers to be podcast guests. Construct your interview to highlight the story of the speakers’ expertise, briefly explore the challenge and solution you’re addressing, and drop a quick-win nugget that they’ll explore further in the course. This helps develop credibility and curiosity that will improve course conversions, especially when paired with my next tip.
2. Place speaker interview episodes in your sales funnel as bonus content. Your prospect wants to solve a problem. Help them take a first step with the valuable interview episodes you’ve created that will naturally cultivate a thirst for more. Makes the purchase a no-brainer.
3. Include your course CTA in your episode show notes. It goes without saying that this is prime real estate to re-pitch your offer – particularly if someone is keyword searching for the solution your course provides and stumbles upon your free podcast content first. This will help them determine whether the purchase is a good fit.
4. Drop mid-episode ads for your course offer. But don’t be boring or your listeners’ thumbs will hit that 30-second forward button before your voice artist finishes the first sentence of the pitch. Tell a story in your ad about the problem and solution your course addresses and a benefit a real person got from participating. And keep it brief.
5. Level up your ad game with moveable content. Some tools and platforms allow podcast publishers to swap host-read content in and out, whether the content is a regional global intro or a fresh offer ad. This is called dynamic ad insertion (DAI) and it’s one ticket to using your catalog of episodes in alignment with your next big launch.
6. Leverage podcast content in freemium courses. For premium course offerings, I’ll often set up a freemium micro-course to whet listeners’ appetites for the bigger transformation a course and coaching experience will deliver. Podcast content, whether it offers an entire interview or excerpts, is a great way to repurpose that great work and tell the story of why participating in the bigger purchase is the game-changer your prospect is looking for. Upsell for the win.
7. Include relevant episodes as bonus content in your premium course. Play the long game to make sure this partnership between podcasts and your course offerings is sustainable by including episodes as bonus discovery content in your course. Whenever there’s a point where you could invite the participant to learn more with discovery content, offer assets you’ve created, such as podcast episodes. The bonuses for you are more downloads, more subscribers and an opportunity to introduce the participant to other products or services you offer that would interest them.
8. Align podcast themes with upcoming course launches. It’s perfectly acceptable to take stock of what you’ve created with your podcast and courses to find synergies you can leverage to implement these tips. A pro move is to create a content strategy that creates these magical moments throughout the coming year or sales cycle so they work hand-in-glove to advance your goals.
9. Livestream episodes at events. Build your listener base by inviting them to sit in on episode recordings at your conference or other large events. While the audience is assembling, guide them through the process of finding and subscribing to your podcast and encourage them to leave a review. And don’t forget to ask them to tweet nuggets from the live recording with your hashtag to build buzz for your episodes within your networks. By crafting a fun “studio audience” experience, where experts take their questions (whether you include that component of the conversation in your final live stream or not), you can transform your guests into podcast ambassadors.
10. Get involved in other podcasts to reach a wider audience. Book your speakers on other podcasts with audiences you want to reach and deliver your course's call to action. Buy ad spots on podcasts that can reach your prospects. Guest swap with other podcasts to share the wins and creatively draw interest to your show – which, as we know, is now aligned perfectly to pitch your courses.
It takes time and talent to create great podcasts and learning experiences, so forge collaborative alliances. These channels can make perfect partners and help promote each other while helping you grow your audience, connect with prospects and generate sustainable revenue.
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