It seems like everyone’s starting a podcast these days. So is the market saturated? No; that’d be like saying Superbowls are saturated because they’re so popular. And if you have a niche – like an ecommerce business – that you want to promote, it’s possible to carve out an audience for yourself. You just need to know how to do it.
That’s why we’ve put together this post. It’s not just about how to start a podcast; it’s also about finding that ecommerce audience that wants to listen to yours.
What problems can your ecommerce business solve? What customers do you want to reach? Answer these questions, learn how to start talking into that microphone, and you’ll be amazed what kind of audience you can attract.
In this article:
- What is a Podcast?
- The Benefits of Starting a Podcast for Your Online Store
- 7 Steps on Starting a Podcast
- Promote Your Podcast
What is a Podcast?
A podcast is a digital audio recording that is similar to a radio broadcast in spoken word format. When publishing a podcast, you release an episode that consists of a longer or shorter audio clip, with new episodes released on a regular basis. Listeners can listen to the podcast live or download these episodes to listen at their convenience
Famous podcasters like Joe Rogan and Tim Ferriss have turned their audio publishing hobbies into veritable empires. By finding engaging topics of conversation and offering serious value to their listeners, they’ve been able to build audiences that rival the greatest radio hosts of all time.
But your ecommerce podcast doesn’t have to conquer the world like this. You just need to use it to amplify your message. And that’s where the benefits start kicking in. After all, podcasts aren’t only popular and accessible, but people love to dig into them. When you create your podcast, you’ll be creating content that people want to try out.
The Benefits of Starting a Podcast for Your Online Store
Think of podcasts as a top-of-funnel solution. They help you get more people thinking about you and your store. They won’t make you any sales—directly. But they will do something else. They’ll get you the ever-critical currency of the modern digital environment.
They’ll get you attention.
Let’s look at some of the other benefits of starting a podcast for your ecommerce business:
- Low friction. These days, podcasts are so ubiquitous, there are all sorts of software solutions for pulling together a podcast. You don’t need to be an audio engineer. You don’t need expertise in production. You simply need a topic, a little bit of skill with the spoken word, and a software solution that takes care of distribution. There’s really no reason you can’t start one yourself soon.
- Amplifying your message. At first, a podcast might feel like you’re speaking into the void. But if you want to amplify your message, stick with it. It only takes a short time to record. And once you’ve built up an audience, every minute you spend recording has that much more leverage with your customers.
- Solidifying your brand. People want to know you. What do you think? Who are you? What’s your angle? This will help you become more memorable and earn a corner of the customer’s mind.
7 Steps on Starting a Podcast
Ready to start a podcast? Then it’s off to the races. Let’s explore some of the key steps one-by-one so there’s no guesswork.
Step One: Know Your Podcast
Your podcast needs an angle (and a name). What is it? If you’re saying “we’re just going to talk about ecommerce,” well, that’s kind of vague. You need some sort of angle that will separate you from the pack.
Think about the people in your audience. What problems are you solving for them? What are their curiosities—the ideas that might spark them to listen? Come up with a list of 5-10 concepts like this, then choose the one that stands out the most. And don’t be surprised if a name emerges from this podcast.
This might sound like easy work, but it’s not. It’s also essential. You wouldn’t build a skyscraper without a foundation. At the very least, know what your unique perspective is, because that will help you as you go through the rest of these steps.
Step Two: Pick a Format
Short, quick hits? Longform interviews? Solo monologues?
Now it’s time to pick a format. You want to pick something that isn’t only right for your audience, but right for your recording schedule. For example, if you want to create a Joe Rogan style podcast with longform celebrity interviews every day of the week, it’s probably unrealistic for most people with a full time job.
Here are some common format types you can choose from:
- Interviews. Do you want regular guests? This is valuable to your audience and could help you leverage the audience of your guests, attracting more attention. It’s also more work-intensive to seek out and book guests.
- Multiple or single hosts? A single host is more flexible, but it also has fewer perspectives. Some people like the minimal approach, while others tune in to podcasts for the banter and repartee between multiple people.
- Scripted podcasts. Think of these like documentaries. You can write it in advance, tackling a subject from ecommerce in depth.
- News recaps. Short, episodic roundups can be valuable. You’ll have to do a bit of research to cover the news of the day, but if you get a reputation for being a good curator, you can attract an audience.
At this point, you should also choose the length of the podcast. It’s easy to look at the success of the Rogans and Ferrisses of the world and assume you should also do multi-hour podcasts. But many people find they succeed with podcasts that are just 40 minutes or so.
Step Three: Get Your Equipment and Software
Now you need the infrastructure in place to record and edit your podcasts. The best thing you can do is invest in a clear microphone. You want a microphone capable of producing high, even sound quality. In fact, you may find that some audiophiles tune you out simply because your recording equipment isn’t up to par. Here are some potential microphones that might do the trick:
- Blue Yeti USB Microphone (currently $112)
- Shure MV7 USB Microphone for Podcasting (Currently $250)
- HyperX QuadCast S (Currently $150)
You can use free audio editing software like Audacity to trim down your videos, silence some of the noise, and handle issues like compression and EQ. If that sounds like a lot, keep in mind that a good microphone will do most of the work of evening out your sound. If you really want to make podcasting your thing, a good microphone is essential.
Step Four: Find Your Distribution Souce
At this point, you have everything you need to record a podcast. You’ve got 40 solid minutes of you talking in an audio file.
Now you just need a way to get that file out into the world.
And here’s where it can get a bit dicey. After all, there are a lot of podcasting solutions out there. And you’re never quite sure which one is right for you. That’s why we can help you out by telling you what to look for:
- Look for podcasting distribution software that automatically posts to Apple iTunes and Spotify. You want to automatically send your podcast out to as many popular distribution channels as possible. This does more than make it more likely you’ll be discovered. It will lower the friction for people who are already aware of your podcast.
- Look for podcasting software you can afford. Remember that many plans will charge you for more than you need. If you’re a single podcaster with only a handful of episodes per month, for example, you may not need the more expensive tiers of the software on offer.
So what is that software exactly?
- Buzzsprout
- Podbean
- Rumble Studio
- SoundCloud
- Anchor
There’s really going to be no shortage of podcast software solutions for your ecommerce podcast. In fact, you’ll probably find that the hardest part is picking just one. But do pick one that meets your criteria, because it’s better to start as early as possible. After all, don’t you wish you’d started a podcast 10 years ago to watch it grow throughout the podcast boom? Well, the second best thing you can do is start it right now, as soon as possible.
Step Five: Start Recording Episodes
It’s okay if you stink at podcasting at first. You can go back to the original podcasts of many of the greats and watch their development over the years. They didn’t have it all figured out at first, either. Neither should you expect to.
Now comes the hard part: consistency. You need to rapidly turn out new podcasts early on. Why? Because when someone comes across your podcast, they should see that there’s not just one episode recorded from weeks ago. It should look like a living, organic thing—something other listeners are tuning into.
Since your niche is ecommerce, you have some guidance about the topics you’ll pick. Maybe you’ll be addressing the problem your product solves. Maybe you’ll dive into the story behind it.
But as you track your success, make sure you observe what episodes podcast listeners are downloading most. What titles tend to get their attention? Those are the topics you can spin off and double down as you more clearly define your niche.
Step Six: Be Consistent
Now here’s the really fun part. You’re going to be at this a while. And unless you’re lucky enough to catch some ecommerce trend and ride that wave to the top, you may simply have to acknowledge that you’re going to be talking to a small audience for quite a bit.
It can be frustrating. You’ll feel like you’re talking to a wall. (In many cases, you may literally be doing that.) But try to keep the “1% better” mentality in mind.
Mr. Beast, the famous YouTuber, advises content creators to think the same: how they can improve their content 1% with each iteration. And with podcasting, the episodic nature of recording makes this a natural fit. What can you improve this time? Can you get better at cutting down intros and segueing straight into the content? Can you use any ad proceeds you have to invest in a better microphone? Can you outsource production to an assistant who can chop up the episode and write you better descriptions?
It’s not just consistency that will win the day. It’s your ability to stack these improvements upon each other. By the time you’re 10 podcasts in, there will be a difference. By the time you’re 100 podcasts in, you’ll be unrecognizable. In a good way.
Step Seven: Invest in Podcast Art
One final thing before you go and take on step one: don’t forget to invest in high-quality art for your podcasts. A bright, attractive, clear logo is going to be eye-catching and separate you from the less-professional podcast listings next to you on the Spotify and Apple lists. This is one investment that will pay dividends every time a listener is considering which podcast to download next.
How to Promote Your Podcast
Once you’ve done all the above, and you’re rolling, it’s time to promote your podcast. This is where your options are almost unlimited. Do you buy ads? Do you start a fresh social media account for it?
The first thing to do is to ask friends and people in your network for positive reviews. Good podcast reviews are worth their weight in gold. These will add credibility to your podcast on each platform, and potentially attract a new audience.
But here’s a fun tip: leverage other podcasts. Reach out to people with slightly larger followings and ask if they’d appear on your show. (Make sure it’s relevant to your particular ecommerce niche). They’ll likely promote their appearance with their network, resulting in more exposure for yours. You can also use these smaller guest appearances to establish a reputation for being a good interviewer and easy to work with, which adds credibility for when you ask for interviews with even more prominent people in ecommerce.
Making Waves in an Ecommerce Business Podcast
Chances are, success won’t happen overnight. But if you stick to a consistent schedule, implement these promotion tips, and invest in the right equipment, you’d be amazed at what you can accomplish. Just don’t forget your ecommerce audience—what they’re buying, what they’re thinking about, and the trends they want to follow.
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