Setting the right expectations for podcast interviews is in a major factor in success. As a guest, you have to know what you’re going into, what to expect from the experience and how to measure it. Measuring is important because you’re investing time, talents and treasure into this strategy of podcast interview marketing. Even if you’re not working with an agency like Interview Valet or a publicist, you’re booking yourself and investing time into it. Regardless of your personal set-up, podcast interviews take time and effort at a minimum.
Here are a few common hopes for podcast interviews:
- Build my brand/brand awareness
- Reach new people
- Sell more books
- Get hired to speak
These are a great place to start. However, you’ll want to take it a step further and set out measurable key performance indicators related to your hopes.
How you can measure podcast interview marketing:
Send listeners to your website to take some kind of action. If you’re an author doing a virtual book tour on podcast interviews, give away a free chapter of your latest book. If you’re a business, let them download your latest digital guide or get a free “something” related to your sale. If you’re a speaker, have a video they can engage with so they get to know you better. Maybe you want to focus on building your personal brand. You may have a Facebook group or online community you want people to join, so that could be a CTA for you. All of these calls to action can be measured with your marketing software and tokens. Then you can say whether it’s working.
Setting the right expectations in podcast interview marketing:
We all have to start somewhere. And getting on NPR Fresh Air probably isn’t a starting point for most of us. Keep in mind, podcasts reach niche audiences. It doesn’t have to downloaded 1 million times a day to be effective. This strategy is meant to laser-focus you on your ideal audience.
Interview Valet Founder Tom Schwab lays it out like this: “Sure, there are more fish in the ocean. That sounds like a great place to go fishing. But a barrel-full of fish -while a smaller amount – is much easier to fish in. Where would you rather fish?”
Finding the right fit for your message is important. This includes the size if the audience with the show, as well as how engaged the audience is.
Let’s talk about timing expectations. As you can see with Aaron Walker’s case study, you may experience an immediate result with podcast interviews. However, the long-game should be your focus. To see truly great growth, you’ll need time and effort. There is no silver bullet or magic potion that will make you the most famous _____ in your niche. Marketing – any kind of marketing – is a marathon, not a sprint. Well, at least a 10k, anyway.
Launching a podcast interview marketing journey as part of your overall marketing strategy will require a little patience. But you should see some immediate results that excite you, when you’re focusing on the right metrics and the right podcasts.
image source: measure success
