Maybe you haven’t visited a dealership website lately, but several dealerships host their own car podcast. So the question is: Is it worth the effort to get your own business podcast?
According to Podcast Insights, about 155 million of the US population fervently listens to or has listened to a podcast back this year. That’s more than 50% of the entire population and a good jump from 51% back in 2019. And 22% of those listeners listen to their favorite podcast shows while driving, either to work or school. This is why many people think that producing a podcast and create multiple episodes is a lucrative business. Not just people, but businesses, too. And car dealerships are no exception.
We’re not too sure, but the pandemic perhaps has had a significant role in increasing podcast listeners for the past few years. And maybe the long self-quarantine made us turn podcast listening into a habit. Of course, most podcasts are entertaining, but they also provide valuable information that people can apply to themselves or their businesses.
But the question still lingers. If you have a dealership and you’re thinking of creating your own car podcast, the most probable first question comes to your mind is: Is it worth it? Would it do my business good? This post will weigh down the pros and cons of owning and creating a business podcast.
What Is A Podcast? What Is A Business Podcast?
Remember those AM radio shows back in the day? If you don’t know what it is, you were probably born during the age of MTV and cable shows. But for those who are familiar, podcasts are similar to radio shows. Podcasts are shows where a person or a group of people talk about specific topics. Topics vary from podcast to podcast, depending on their niche. And some podcasts talk about anything business. Hence, there are business podcasts out there.
The only difference between radio shows and podcasts is that podcasts are done online and can be easily downloaded.
So why are podcasts essential? It all boils down to content. Most podcasts are well produced and focus primarily on their niche. This is why people can get addicted to podcasts really fast. It’s more information-driven, and they’re more engaging than written articles and less distracting than Youtube clips. One can listen to a podcast episode while working, driving, cooking, or just chilling at home.
As mentioned, podcasts grew some decent popularity over the past few years. It started out as a misconstrued and somewhat exclusive platform, but now it is one of the most popular platforms people go to to be entertained or get information. Entrepreneurs and business people, for example, listen to business podcasts to learn more about more effective ways on how to earn more income. On the other hand, car fanatics want to listen to car podcasts to know what’s new in the auto industry. With podcasts, the possibilities are endless.
Business Podcasts – Vital Information
There are many types of business podcasts out there. Some of them are owned by businesses, while some are savvy individuals who are keen on the topic. According to Forbes, 29% of small and medium-sized companies use podcasts to gain essential information and news about the market. Out of that percentage, 65% of them listen to podcasts weekly. In addition, researchers found that up to 72% of business owners with 100 to 500 employees listen to podcasts like religion. So, if you’re thinking about producing your own cat podcast for your business, below are the advantages and disadvantages you need to know.
Listen Up: The Pros And Cons
Like most things, there are always the advantages and disadvantages of having a podcast for your business, specifically for car dealerships. Below are the information you should need to know if you’re still on the fence.
Pros Of Business Podcasts
Now maybe the perfect time to start your own business podcast when you have a car dealership. Whether you’re new to this thing or just wanting to give it a try to benefit your business, the advantages are all the same. Below are a few but critical advantages of having your own car podcasts.
Easy Way To Advertise Your Dealership
Modern technology allows today’s businesses to advertise their brand and company with minimal effort and more minimal spending. And having a business podcast is one of the newer ways to do such a thing. When you have a podcast, you let the listeners know more about your business without worrying too much about the air time fees. And, when your podcast becomes more popular, other businesses would want to have their products and services featured on your program. That’s like hitting two birds with one stone, actually.
And the best part of it all is that it’s not just an avenue for promotion and potential income; it’s that podcasts are not that hard to set up. All you will need is a high-quality microphone and the best podcast software, and you should be able to start. Easy and cost-effective, who doesn’t want that?
A Great Avenue To Build Your Business And Brand
Car dealerships should never stop looking for ways to make their business heard from all angles. And, one way to do that is through producing a business podcast. Have you listened to one podcast episode before? You might have noticed some sections of the episode that the host dedicates to their sponsors. But instead of paying a podcast to advertise your dealership, you can create your own podcast to promote your business anytime you want. This can save you so much more from paying for other podcasts.
When you release a podcast episode regularly, your audience would want more and would follow your channel and fervently wait for the next show to be on air. This will create a domino effect when your listeners start to spread the word about your podcast to fellow-minded individuals. Thus, this creates more solid brand awareness, and your business can benefit from it entirely.
Create Content With A Minimal Budget And Effort
As mentioned, podcasts are an excellent avenue for your business to build and grow a large audience. And although a Youtube channel may be arguably more effective in getting viewership, one benefit of creating a podcast is that it’s more affordable. You don’t need to buy an expensive camera and other gadgets and spend hours of editing. With podcasts, all you need is decent audio recording equipment and a basic audio editing knowledge, and you’re not going to be bad at the start. Once it is set up, the only thing you need to worry about is a topic to talk about, and you’re all good.
Cons Of Business Podcasts
Back in 2005, Wired Magazine stated in their issue that “Podcasters Will Rule The World.” That bold statement came with Adam Curry, former MTV VJ slash pioneer podcaster, on the cover. But did podcasters really rule the world? Not quite. A few years after 2005, bloggers and Youtubers started to pop out of nowhere. And let’s not forget the social media influencers. With all these “superstars” from different platforms, it’s kind of hard for podcasters to stay relevant.
Nevertheless, podcasts are still an effective way to convey your business to a broader audience. Just keep in mind these few disadvantages.
Not As Accessible
One of the apparent disadvantages of owning a business podcast is that it can only reach a particular demographic. And these are the die-hard podcast fans and those who love to get information old-school like AM Radio. But unlike the radio, listening to a podcast requires you to have an Internet connection. Therefore, your podcast won’t reach those places that have limited means to go online. It may also be challenging to get those who are hearing-impaired, although you can always provide a transcript.
The good news is that most people rely online to research what used cars to buy. Therefore, most of your audience is likely to have an Internet, and they would be able to reach you.
Finding Time From Your Hectic Schedule
When your business podcast already picks up a considerable amount of listeners, they will expect you to release episode after episode. And we all know how busy car dealerships can be. Clients left and right, financial sheets here and there, recon checking, you name it. That is why when you’re planning to create a podcast, you may find it challenging to keep up with the episodes when your hands are tied. The bad thing about this is that you may lose your audience in the process when you can’t keep up.
When you start a business podcast, you must really stick to a schedule until you get the hang of it. Make sure to layout your editorial calendar ahead of time and think of your topics beforehand so you’d be able to keep up. Also, if you can find an intern who can plan out your podcast episodes for you. Finally, make sure to choose someone tech-savvy and knowledgeable when it comes to social media engagement.
Editing Is Another Story
Anyone can press the record button, talk for a while, hit stop, and send it for the world to listen. However, these types of podcasts don’t attract anyone at all. It may take some serious editing skills to make a decent episode. And if you don’t have time to record an episode, imagine if you need to find another schedule to edit. There is also a trend right now with podcasts that include videos to upload episodes on Youtube. This only means that they have to edit both the podcast and their video counterpart.
As a car dealership, you don’t need to pressure yourself to create a Youtube video. Instead, start with a simple podcast. For editing, you can use programs that are easy to use yet can deliver excellent audio quality. Of course, you also need to buy better equipment to build your podcast.
In Conclusion
In this day and age, the possibilities of reaching your audience are endless. When you want a fun and practical approach, building a business podcast is the way to go. It may require your dealership some time, but when you can find ways to organize your processes through programs like a car appraisal tool, then you’d be able to find ways to run your business and build your podcast at the same time.
