I love podcasts.
Reading takes all of your attention, so does watching video.
Podcasts and audiobooks allow you to use your eyes for something else like tidying, travelling, making things, in fact, anything that doesn’t require you to ‘hear yourself think’.
When I hear a great voice speaking excellent content, somehow, it comes alive.
Podcast conversations are often genuinely enthusiastic, and that fires me up. Similarly, it can be conversational, funny, sarcastic, even annoying, and you will get a different understanding from a different tone.
Many business use Podcasts as part of their content marketing strategy. The podcasts are, at least if they’re to be successful – informative, educational and or entertaining. I’ve learnt a lot from podcasts, and so often, it feels like I’m not really trying, and the knowledge has just snuck into my brain and set up camp.
Here are my favourite reasons that I love them.
Podcasts are portable
Whilst it’s possible to listen to podcasts on your computer, I prefer to take them on the move. I make a lot of 20-minute trips. Many podcasts fit into this time frame, and when you find one that’s regular, you can subscribe so that the next episode is already available when you’re next free. I split my time when I’m on the move between listening to podcasts and listening to music.
Either way, I download beforehand or even stream to my mobile. If I subscribe to a podcast, then they’re already there. I open the app and choose one.
I use the built-in iOS podcasting app and iTunes, but there are other ways for mobile, including Android Podcasting Apps and iOS Podcasting Apps.
Podcasts energise me
The best podcasts don’t talk down to their audience. Listening to Ideas energises me and can set me up for the day. I mostly listen to podcasts in the marketing/business/entrepreneurial space. Many podcasts feature people that have overcome obstacles and learned things that can help or inspire me or even make me angry and disagree.
Podcasts educate me
I’m an audio guy for sure, so I don’t know about you, but I tend to retain information that someone says to me. Do you ever find that someone has an excellent idea for a book but makes it over long, repeating and embellishing the same point? Â Sometimes a 10-minute audio overview can explain the concepts better than a whole book.
Podcasts give me ideas.
Sometimes I drift off whilst listening to podcasts, and whilst mulling over something in my head; I get an idea from a completely unrelated podcast topic. Eureka! Shebang – Pow – Blop – Whiz!
I understand content in a different way to reading
I read a lot, it takes a significant investment of time, and I certainly can’t do anything else whilst I do.
One challenge with reading is that the tone of voice in your head is your own. When someone is talking, there’s much less chance of mistaking the tone of voice.
They connect me with thought leaders in a new way and introduce me to new ones.
If I like someone’s ideas and have read their books, I might look for them in podcasts as I find it connects me to them on a deeper level. Please don’t misunderstand – I’m not deluding myself that I know them, but I do feel like I can approach them appropriately. And they often invite you to connect with them.
For example, John Jantsch is a very clever guy who helps me understand how to market my business. He’s knowledgeable, almost avuncular, insightful and has some great guests listening to his podcast.
As Shane Melaugh says – “You can’t immediately switch the people you hang out with in real life, but you can get this kind of exposure from podcasts…. It opens your mind to new ways of thinking about things – Conversational magic.”
There are podcasts on every subject and I get to choose
It’s possible to search for podcasts on pretty much any topic. Can you say that about Talk Radio?
I’m in control
My car only has a CD player and a radio. I frustrate myself flitting between 1 or 2 radio stations and the single cd. IT’s infuriating! I hate this song, shut up stupid, damn adverts…Can rewind, re-listen, subscribe, just pick one.
Podcasts are free
Not everyone shares my love of podcasts. Maybe you perceive them as complicated to access, and compared to turning on the TV or radio; they are, I guess. But, once you’ve got used to them, I think that they’re well worth the investment.
Some of my Favourite Podcasts
Interested in making a podcast and don’t know where to start? We can help. Â Get in touch