Create a Successful Podcast to Promote Your Membership Site
March 19, 2020 8 min read
Introduction
With the fast-pacing digital world, a business must constantly adapt to newer technology to stay relevant. One of the most booming strategies is leveraging Podcasts. If you are already running a membership website and facing a slump in gaining new members, it’s high time for you to explore Podcasts. Podcasts not only help in boosting subscriber lists, but also enhance member engagement. This will be a new way for you to provide fresh content that keeps your audience coming back.
This article has come to you at the right time as it will explore the arena of membership Podcasts, how it can help grow your membership site, the podcast tools you’ll need, and real world examples of integrating podcasts on membership sites.
How Can a Podcast Help with Growth?
A report suggests that over 75% Americans are familiar with Podcasts of which 55% have been an audience to it. This growing trend and a rise in popularity presents a golden opportunity for membership businesses to expand their reach and diversify content.Reasons to Use Podcasts:
- Engagement: Podcasts are a unique and personal form of connection with your audience. It’s like the difference between a conversation over a call and a text chat. An effective, gap-less conversation happens over a call. Similarly, a podcast strategy would allow your personality to shine through your voice wherein the right articulation would jolt desired feeling among the listeners.
- Convenience: Podcasts are the most convenient form of Content to consume. You do not have to worry about keeping your device continuously in your hand like for videos and text. You can plug in a handsfree and get on with your day. Listening to a Podcast during a commute, workout, doing chores, is the easiest way to get the best of your time and multitask. This convenience increases the likelihood of your content being consumed regularly.
- Versatility: A wide range of topics can be covered due to its multiple formats. You can include interviews, storytelling, Q&A sessions, quick talks, behind the scenes, and a lot more. The variety keeps your content engaging and feels fresh.
Benefits for Membership Sites:
- Increased Traffic: When you promote your Podcast in a strategic manner, it can drive significant traffic to your membership site. It is smart to mention your membership plans and its features in your Podcast episodes to encourage listeners to explore. You can even link up your membership website in the Podcast banner to redirect traffic.</span
- Enhanced Trust: When you are consistent in providing valuable content through Podcasts, you establish yourself as an authority of your niche. This enhances your value and builds trust in your arena. You start being synonymous with your niche.
- Improved Retention: With the release of new, fresh, and interesting content on a regular basis, your members are not going anywhere. They will keep renewing their membership for the worth you provide and increase retention rate.
Best Tools for Creating Membership Site Podcasts
You cannot just record an audio in your phone and publish it as a Podcast. You need the right equipment and software to create a high quality audio experience for your valued members. Here is a list of some essential equipment and software to get you started.Recording Equipment:
- Microphone: A microphone is the most crucial part for generating a good quality, clear audio in the first step. The Audio-Technica ATR2100x-USB is one of the popular choices of beginner-friendly microphones for Podcasts.
- Headphones: Over-ear headphones like the Sony MDR7506 helps in monitoring the quality of audio during recording and editing. When you speak over a microphone, the voice is bound to change a little and may come off as very slow, very fast, too energetic, too plain. The headphones help in analysing it and reprimanding the audio.
- Audio Interface: An audio interface will help you with higher audio quality and multiple microphone inputs. Check out an audio interface like the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. Choose an audio interface based on Portability, Connectivity Options, Phantom power, Preamp Quality.
Recording and Editing Software:
- Audacity: To control your expenditure on launching a Podcast, use this free, open-source editing software which is excellent for beginners. It offers robust recording and editing features.
- Adobe Audition: When you’re comfortable with creating Podcasts and are ready to invest more, Adobe Audition provides professional-grade recording and editing features.
Hosting and Distribution:
There are multiple Hosting Providers available in the market. Choose the one that aligns with your Website seamlessly. Explore the hosting platforms of Lisbyn, Anchor, Castos, Podbean, Blubrry, Transistor, Captivate, and the like.Tools for Promoting Podcasts
- Social Media: Start promoting your Podcast episodes on various Social Media platforms. Create a buzz around your Podcast Episodes even before you launch them. Use paid-ads to reach a wider audience.
- Email Marketing: Keep your existing subscribers and members informed regarding new episodes and encourage them to listen and share among their groups. Use an Opt-in form on your membership website to increase your email list so that they too are aware of your consistent content releases.
- Website Integration: An important step is to embed your Podcast player with the membership site so that the visitors get easy access for listening to Podcasts.
Using ARMember to Provide Podcasts
With the ARMember membership plugin, you can have seamless integration of adding Podcasts to the site. Start leveraging ARMember with the following tools to start providing Podcast Content.Content Restriction for Special Access to Members
With the help of content restriction rules, it’s a cakewalk to restrict podcast episodes to a specific membership plan. This can encourage users of a lower or free plan to upgrade for exclusive content format.Custom Podcast Membership Plan
Create a separate plan to provide only Podcasts. This will invite a dedicated set of members who are interested in consuming audio content only and are ready to pay for a non-interrupted experience.Use Pay Per Post Feature for Individual Podcasts
There would be a group of people who are not subscribed to receive your podcasts. However, in your marketing communication, they found one of the topics useful and interesting to them. In such a situation, have a feature for people to buy individual podcasts by using the feature of Pay Per Post.Add Audio Content with Online Course Module of ARMember
If you are working on developing an LMS website for providing teaching learning solutions, integrate audio in your course for creating a Podcast Series of online courses. How to use Podcasts to boost your membership site’s online course? Here’s what you can provide.
- Supplemental Material: Use podcasts to provide additional material for your courses. Add interviews with industry experts, detailed explanation with examples for complex topics, or quick learning tips.
- Q&A Sessions: Host an audio podcast specifically to answer multiple questions that you receive from your students and course participants. This will help add a personal touch and provide a feeling of involvement.
- Student Spotlights: Talk with students one-on-one or feature successful student’s for their notable contributions. This will motivate other listeners and create a community.
To understand the steps to integrate podcasts with online courses, that is audio to the course module, watch this video 👈.
Examples of Membership Site with Successful Podcasts
- The Minimalists: The Emmy nominated and Netflix stars come together to dive deeper into the topics covered in their public podcast in the membership plans
- SaaStr: A site for SaaS entrepreneurs, SaaStr offers exclusive access to top-notch Podcasts for industry experts
- Smart Passive Income: Pat Flynn’s site provides members with access to exclusive podcast episodes, webinars, and more to scale up your online business.
- Membership Academy: A membership podcast for membership business that offers tips and strategies to sustain your membership business.
- CreativeLive: An amazing membership website with a diversified content offering. There are multiple podcast episodes and audio content that complement their online courses, thus providing additional, bonus insights.
- Teachable: An engaging podcast that would help you thrive in your Learning Module based website with their tips, success stories, and industry news.
Conclusion
Podcasts are going to make your Website diverse in content offering. This is a fresh way to engage with your audience and explore the latest technologies. Use the right tools and strategies to add value to your membership offerings. Podcasts will help you experiment with various topics and gain member feedback. Stay ahead of the ever-evolving digital landscape and dip your feet in the world of Podcasts before a big wave crashes you aside to the shore.
FAQs
1. Why add a Podcast to membership sites?
Podcasts can help in enhancing engagement, driving traffic, and add a personal touch to build trust in your existing and new audience.2. What equipment is must to start a podcast?
The minimum you would need is a microphone, headphones, and recording/editing software such as Audacity or Audition.3. How to Promote a New Podcast?
Use social media, email marketing, and integrate the podcast player on your membership site. Platforms like iTunes and Spotify are also crucial for wider reach.4. What type of content should a Podcast include?
You can experiment with different types of content from interviews, storytelling, daily/weekly round-up news, storytelling, online course, spotlight on member’s and so on.5. How often should I release podcast episodes?
Maintain a properly defined schedule for releasing Podcasts. It can be weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, anything. Just create a schedule and stick to it for consistency.
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Brian Denim
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