{NAME}, should you start a podcast?

  Hi {NAME},  In 2011, podcasting was an emerging medium. In 2016, there were 300,000 podcasts. This year, there are five million.  Podcasting isn’t as easy as it looks. It takes effort, time, and consistency to stand out amongst the masse of shows.  So if you’re looking to start a podcast or trying to grow your show, it’s time to go back to basics and ask yourself…  Why podcasting?   “The way you talk, the way you tell your thing, it needs to be story-focused. You need to take your investors or whoever your audience is on an adventure, on a story.”  - Max Cutler, founder of Parcast and former Spotify executive   What are Your Podcasting Goals?: Do you want to gain more exposure for your consulting business, build your ecommerce brand, or use it as an excuse to talk with your friends about a shared hobby?  No matter why you’re starting a podcast, always have a foundational goal to guide the rest of your decision making in the production process. Here are some valuable goals when thinking about starting a podcast.  - Networking: Podcasts are an easy way to connect with clients and people in your industry. Building relationships over our Foundr podcast is how we’ve landed some of our most successful course instructors and brand champions. - Brand Building: The power of podcasting is that you can control the message rather than relying on traditional media. Podcasts are a perfect medium to build upon a traditional business or brand. Think of it as another powerful social channel to share information without the competition of swipes and junk email filters. - Revenue Source: A podcast can bring in sources of income through sponsorships, subscriptions, or merchandise. More tips on monetizing a podcast to come. - Community Connection: The intimacy of podcasting provides an avenue to speak directly into the ear buds or smart speaker of an audience. Podcasting can be a medium to connect and build a community. - Transparency: In all industries, being open and honest about your business is critical. You could use a podcast as a transparency tool for your business, either externally to your audience or internally to your teams. - Expression: The medium is built on the ability to be creative and to have fun. Think of it as an audio blog. Sometimes, the only reason to start a podcast is that you want to express yourself or share your thoughts.  Reason enough to start? Get our [step-by-step guide](on how to start your own podcast.  [Hala Taha](  How Do You Get Podcast Listeners?: In 2018, Hala Taha worked as a corporate marketing executive when she started a podcast called Young and Profiting Podcast. Her goal was to help young professionals maximize their careers and learn from the best minds in business and entertainment.  Now, the Young and Profiting Podcast is the #1 Education and Self-Improvement podcast across all apps, with over 5M downloads. [We interviewed Taha]( last year about transitioning from C-Suite to business owner and “podcast princess.” ------------- Foundr: For young entrepreneurs, endless social media marketing channels can be overwhelming. Where do you advise they start?  Hala: You need to be where your target audience hangs out and where there is still organic reach. Where are all the other influencers in your niche promoting themselves and having success? That’s where you should be. And in terms of organic reach, LinkedIn and TikTok have a lot of it right now. With that said, there are still ways to grow on every platform, for example; on Instagram, utilizing Instagram Reels is an effective way to gain visibility on the platform.  The real key is to focus on one platform instead of trying to master several at a time. Really learn the ins and outs of the platform; use all of its features, post every day, study its algorithm, and reverse engineer what other influencers are doing well.  When it came to promoting Young and Profiting Podcast and my personal brand, I only focused on LinkedIn for several years. I purposely did not spread myself thin by also trying to win on Instagram. I posted every single day and experimented. I tried to stand out and be different. I saw what worked by putting content out there and then leaned into what worked.  Today, I am known as one of the most prolific influencers on LinkedIn. I am part of their official influencer program and speak at their events. And I have leveraged that social influence to help grow my podcast and business. Choosing to focus on LinkedIn was one of the best decisions of my life.  What Makes a Podcast Successful?: In the latest edition of the Foundr Magazine, we featured Max Cutler, founder of Parcast and Spotify’s former head of talk creator content.  Here’s what he believes makes a podcast successful:  - Intimacy: Make your listeners feel like your best friends. - Chemistry: Find co-hosts who have an off-air connection. - Premium: Make story-driven content that can be binged. - 360° Approach: Market your podcast content across your brand’s platforms. - Utility: Become an undeniable part of somebody’s day. - Don’t Half-A** It: If you have a podcast, make it a fixture in your business. [Listen](, [read](, or [watch]( our interview with Cutler.  [Max Cutler](  Want more podcasting support, tools, and frameworks? Bookmark the articles below: - [How to Get Podcast Sponsors Before Airing an Episode]( - [The Best Podcast Equipment for Beginners]( - [Podcast Marketing Guide: Market and Grow Your Show]( - [The Best Business Podcasts for Entrepreneurs]( [Need Support? Talk to us.]( [Claim Your Free Coaching Call](     [CAREERS]( | [ABOUT US]( | [COURSES]( Love entrepreneurship as much as we do? Join our community: [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [YouTube]( [Twitter]( [Spotify]( [SoundCloud]( [LinkedIn](      This email was sent to {EMAIL} by support@foundr.com. You opted in by signing up or receiving an epic gift from us. Level 1, 60 Wilson Street, South Yarra 3141 VIC AU [Unsubscribe from All Emails]( | [Edit Profile]( | [Manage Subscriptions]( | [Report Spam](   Â