The category king of inbound marketing (HubSpot) sees podcast interview marketing as a great new marketing tool for brands and businesses. Since marketing is more than one tool, it makes sense that podcasts would end up included in that tool box. We had the pleasure of having a conversation with Kierran Petersen, Associate Producer for HubSpot’s podcast, The Growth Show. Kierran told us that inbound marketing with podcasts is a natural step in the marketing evolution, and HubSpot already sees the value.
An inbound marketing strategy can include tactics like social media, blogging, SEO, video… and now podcast interview marketing!
A conversation with HubSpot: How to do inbound marketing with podcasts
How have podcast interviews impacted your marketing?
Kierran [KP]: Our team thinks of podcasting primarily as a brand play right now. We use it to have interesting conversations that wouldn’t be at home anywhere else, with people in our industry we respect. I would say that the podcast has allowed us to dive deep on certain topics (like mental health in the workplace, growth across industries, PR, branding and more) in a way that the podcast format doesn’t just allow, but encourages.
Interview Valet’s Dan Moyle [DM]: We see our Certified Guests™ using interviews to drive new business as well as increase brand awareness. I love what Kierran says about having interesting conversations not at home anywhere else – that’s the beauty of a podcast. It’s a personal, intimate conversation that can’t happen in a blog or in a social media post. They happen between people in the natural setting of an actual talk. Then the listener gets to “peek in” on the conversation. It’s great.
How does the time and effort of podcasting compare to writing blog articles? What’s the ROI comparison?
[KP]: Since our show isn’t leads-driven, the ROI comparison between blog posts and podcasting would be a little like comparing apples and oranges. I’m not sure I can say much beyond that, since the creation and goals of a blog post and the creation and goals of a podcast episode are pretty wildly different.
[DM]: For some folks, writing an article is torture. Rather than face the blank page, it’s easier to simply talk and answer questions. It takes less time, which means the payoff for inbound marketing with podcasts is more cost-effective. For HubSpot, the podcast itself is more for inviting thought leaders on to share their experience, which is great for those guests. I bet they’d say the ROI of going on a great podcast like The Growth Show beats out writing another blog article any day (provided they don’t like to write!).
Where is podcast interview marketing headed in the next 2 years?
[KP]: We’re going into a period of change. 2017 and onward looks to be a time where quality is going to have to come before quantity. For companies looking to market themselves, it’s not going to be about how many shows you can get on, but instead, it will be about finding the few shows that have the audience you want to speak to, and making sure the things you’re talking about are relevant to them.
[DM]: I love what Kierran says about relevancy and quality vs. quantity. This goes for the numbers of shows as well as the size of the show. Sure, getting on one of the largest podcasts out there sounds great. But if you think of podcast interview marketing like fishing, the big shows are like the ocean. Think of your ideal audience as salmon. You’ll find a lot of salmon in the ocean, but if I give you a barrel of salmon to fish from, which do you prefer?
Podcasting allows listeners to find their preferred audio niche, much like how cable TV and then streaming services have taught us to find our niche programs over the years. You can find your engaged audience in your specialty on a “smaller” show that connects much better with you and your message, rather than speaking to a large audience that barely notices you. I’d rather reach 500 ideal listeners who connect with me over 500,000 passive listeners that could care less.
How do podcast interviews fit into an inbound marketing strategy?
[KP]: In the coming years, I think podcast interviews will become one part of an overall marketing strategy. But just like any other part of inbound marketing, the story is key. You need to be creating content that adds value, and doesn’t just add to the noise.
[DM]: An inbound marketing strategy includes creating content, driving leads to your website, converting them into clients and delighting them so they become your evangelists. Test and double down on what works; rinse and repeat. Where guest blogging once helped, podcast guest appearances now perform better for many.
We believe so much in the power of inbound marketing with podcasts, we put together the 2017 State of Podcast Interviews report just for you. With insights like the comparison of advertising ROI between Facebook ads and inbound marketing with podcasts (podcasts win!), you’ll find great lessons. You can learn all about the current state of affairs in the podcast universe with this report. Visit the “SOPI hub” below to downoad your report, see the infographic and get involved in the conversation with us.
Thank you to HubSpot, The Growth Show and especially to Kierran Petersen for taking the time to think about the questions and to let us know what HubSpot thinks about inbound marketing with podcasts. We appreciate the connection we share.
