How Can A Virtual Assistant Can Help You With Your Podcast

The podcast industry is booming, and a virtual assistant is your ticket into this exciting arena.

According to Podcast Insight’s October 2021 data report, there are more than two million active podcasts. Over one-third of Americans report listening to podcasts regularly, which means that nearly 104 million people tune in to hear audio content on a daily or weekly basis. 

That means that nearly 60 percent of all US consumers are podcast listeners!

With shows and topics ranging from true crime to global news, sports, and even discussions of the paranormal, there is indeed an audience for every niche podcast production.

PODCASTING IS AN EFFECTIVE MARKETING TOOL

There are many reasons why hosting a podcast can be an effective marketing tool for any business looking to increase its client base. First, the demographic of podcast listeners are the ideal target audience: people aged 26-35 with higher incomes on average.  Secondly, podcast listening is widely used by the curious for self-improvement. Podcast listeners report that they turn to podcasts to learn or get helpful information. These thoughtful, insightful folks are the ideal client or customer! Because podcasts are often subscription-based, listeners tend to return often for new episodes.  Positive podcast experiences can create a bond and build loyalty between the listener and podcast host. Finally, creating and publishing a podcast is inexpensive. With a relatively small investment, you can create professional-sounding content and have access to an enormous audience base.

Sounds good, right? But if you are like most small business owners, adding a podcast to your already busy daily to-do list does not sound appealing or even remotely feasible.

So... let a virtual assistant help you!

The right virtual assistant can help manage your podcast from the pre-production phase all the way up to delivery, marketing, and promotion. A virtual assistant can work on both your podcast’s administrative and creative aspects and make sure everything runs smoothly. 

A podcasting virtual assistant can:

RESEARCH SUBJECTS AND BOOK GUESTS: The average podcast runs 22 minutes in length. New podcasts are released daily, biweekly, weekly or monthly, depending on how much content you have or how often you desire. If your podcast is an interview format, inviting and speaking with experts requires scheduling and booking guests, building out research packets, and outlining topics. Your virtual assistant can handle all the administrative back and forth with scheduling and work to develop content guides, interview questions, and prep the guest to ease each conversation.

ASSIST WITH SET UP AND LOGISTICS: Podcasts can be recorded and produced using simple tools like a phone or laptop, microphone, headphones. Solo podcast hosts often record at home, in a closet or room prepped to muffle sound, and interview guests remotely. You don’t need an elaborate setup or professional equipment to make a great-sounding podcast -- you just need a great virtual assistant! A podcasting virtual assistant will know tricks to make the sound quality of your recording sounds professional. Your podcasting virtual assistant will test all equipment and incoming and outgoing sound waves to ensure the recording platform is operational and that everything is captured appropriately.

MANAGE THE RECORDING OF EACH EPISODE:  There are many applications available for podcast recording with low or no-cost subscriptions. Popular options are Audacity, Zencastr, Spreaker, Iris, and Squadcast. Your podcasting virtual assistant will likely have a favorite and can advise which one would be best for your use. They will utilize the platform’s features to produce a quality recording by ensuring that each track (host and guest/guest audio) matches volume and output. They will listen for any background noise, interference, or static, and advise on how to record cleanly, so each recording session is done in a timely and efficient manner. 

EDIT THE RECORDING:  Professionals use expensive and intricate audio editing software, but inexpensive options can be just as powerful. Programs like Adobe’s Audition, Audacity, GarageBand, and Reaper all offer tools that allow a virtual assistant to combine tracks, edit out background noise, level audio, take out any extra “um’s” and “uh’s,” sniffles, barking dogs, etc., and improve the overall sound and flow of the recording. Mess up and call the guest the wrong name, or forget your place in your script? That is no problem for a virtual assistant who will edit errors out of your final product. They can also be responsible for adding intro and closing music, inserting advertisements, musical stings, or other produced elements you desire. The audio engineering aspect of a podcast can run the gamut from simple, straight-to-upload limited editing, or intensive, highly post-produced episodes. The decision about how much time to spend finalizing your podcast will be up to you and your virtual assistant. In either case, your podcasting virtual assistant will create a single, tight. MP3 file, ready for upload.

POST-PRODUCTION WORKFLOW: A podcasting virtual assistant can help you add tags, show, and description notes to your podcast for SEO purposes, and they will upload episodes to the podcasting hosting site of your choice. Buzzsprout, PodBean, Captivate, RSS and Resonate offer different levels of production assistance like transcription and affiliate marketing integration, cross-platform analytics, and listener statistic support. Your virtual assistant can ensure that all the nitty-gritty details involved with getting your final podcast into the ears of subscribers are taken care of.

MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA PROMOTION:  Finally, your podcasting virtual assistant can get the word out about your latest episode and help you build a buzz around your podcast. They can create a transcript from your conversation and help you turn it into a supporting blog post on your website. They can use content from your conversations to make graphics for social media pushes and even create video clips for upload onto YouTube (if you recorded video while you talked). They can be tasked to link your podcast to conversations on social media and respond to inquiries and comments left by listeners.

START YOUR PODCAST TODAY!

The podcast industry is growing steadily and is an excellent, inexpensive marketing endeavor for your small business. Like with video content, audio can convey emotions and passion and create a real bond with your listeners. Your voice and business will become known to your audience and clients in a way that will naturally emphasize connection through transparency. They will feel like they know you and are in constant communication with you. You can use your podcast to convey your brand and views, which can, in turn, build loyalty and convert listeners into customers and clients.

Podcasting virtual assistants can help you manage your podcast, record and edit the episodes, engineer the audio, market the final product, and interact with your audience. 

Contact Freedom Makers today and tell us that you would like to add a podcast to your small business! We have military spouse virtual assistants who are skilled at all areas of podcast production and promotion. They can advise you how to get started, will handle the workflow from start to finish, and  help you add value to your business!