The 5 Keys to Podcasting and Tapping into 500 MM Active iTunes Buyers

By Kris Gilbertson

Are you looking for a way to generate more traffic, leads, and sales for your business?

Are you looking for a way to reach a larger audience for your brand, products or services?

Then podcasting may be just the answer you’re looking for to helping you generate more quality traffic, prospects and sales.

Launching a podcast can be one of the most fun marketing strategies you do this year while positioning yourself as The Expert in your niche.

There are a few key specifics to launching a successful podcast though and making sure you stand out in the iTunes market place.

There are now over 1 Billion Podcast Subscribers — all who are seeking experts to entertain them, educate them, and most of all help them solve their problems in their business and their life.

#1: The First Key to Podcasting Success:

Dynamic Eye Grabbing Album Cover

Once you launch your podcast, iTunes has an amazing program called New & Noteworthy that will feature top new podcasts for 8 weeks to their directory of over 1 Billion Podcast Subscribers.

My clients have been able to dramatically, upon the launch of their podcast, increase traffic to their website, increase email opt-ins, and some even make sales within their first week — because of this Bonus Perk brought to you by iTunes.

Here is a snap shot of a 4 podcast clients that within their first week were having incredible success and being found for their brilliant expertise.

Just a few examples of what the Power of iTunes can do for you:

The Month Pillow by Sean Malarkey

– #1 New Top – Business Podcast and Reached #2 in ALL of iTunes Directory right behind Dave Ramey, driving traffic and creating a massive exposure and a new following for his book coming out in the fall.

Awakened Author by Ronda Del Boccio

– Generated Free Traffic, leads, and had sales from her podcast into her premium membership program within the first 2 weeks of her launching in iTunes.

And it doesn’t stop there, after your claim to fame in your first 8 weeks in iTunes is over, they will then Continue to Showcase you in their What’s Hot Section for each main category. This enables you to be easily found, discovered and your marketing message heard — as long as you continue podcasting.

The search feature in iTunes is also an incredible way that people find your show based on the key words that a listener would be searching for to help them or Experts that you may be interviewing on your podcast.

#2: The Second Key to Podcasting Success:

Clear Concise Title {WIFTL}

The dynamic image is what grabs the attention of the listener and the title is what moves them to want to click on your podcast and take a listen.

You want the title to speak Directly to your ideal listener avatar – or your ideal client.

The title should allow them in a matter of seconds help them understand what your show is about and how this can help them solve their problems or provide the entertainment they would want to listen to.

Using legible fonts and clear images is the key to success for iTunes. Always remember, less is more.

#3: The Third Key to Podcasting Success:

Podcasting Imaging (Intro + Outro)

Once you have the grabbed the attention of a listener to check out your podcast, you want to bring them in with your podcast imaging. Which is simply, an introduction that grabs their attention and lets them know what the show is about and the benefits for THEM.

Too often, I research podcasts in iTunes, that just start off with someone talking and no proper introduction or imaging. The problem here is they may have incredible information for me, but if it isn’t expressed within the first 90 seconds (which is actually a great amount of time to WIN over you’re listeners) on how it can help me, I might not stay tuned in and that is how podcasters lose thousands of potential listeners.

The other problem here is that if I don’t know you, I don’t know if your content is worth my time to tune in and listen. You want to Save Time for your listener and let them know right away what the episode is about and what the show is about to help THEM.

Remember it’s always – What’s In if For the Listener.

Keep it simple, short and to the point. A great show introduction for your listeners can be anywhere from 30-90 seconds, which allows you to still have room to bring on sponsorship spotlights for your show as well, and not take up too much bandwidth into the main program.

You also want to have a strong CTA (call-to-action) for your listeners. To bring them out of listening mode and into action for how you can help them.

Great offers can be discounts or coupon codes for your products or services, free mini-courses or eBooks to grow your email list, Amazon eBooks to drive sales for your books, or social media contests to engage your listener to take action and start to engage with your brand on other social networks.

#4: The Fourth Key to Podcasting Success:

Podcasting Show Format

As a podcast listener there are many different styles and formats you can create for your show and your listeners. You want to create a format that is engaging for your listener yet fun for you!

Your own personality and style should be encompassed in your show format.

For example, I love interviewing Top Lifestyle Experts and sharing their key strategies and pulling out incredible nuggets of wisdom for my listeners. Not everyone wants to create an interview-based podcast though. You may want to focus on your expertise to grow your audience.

Here are 3 Top Proven Show Formats That Work in iTunes:

1. Expert Based Interview Show
   Interviewing experts in your niche or similar industries that can benefit and ad value for your services. This allows you to be discovered by interviewing other experts and provide incredible content for our listeners.
2. Specific Topic Matter – Tip Based Show
   Short 10-15 minutes podcasts that teach one training point in a short burst of a podcast to showcase your expertise and give them a taste of how you can help them.
3. Talk Show Based Podcast
   Multiple guests that discuss and talk on topics that are based around a podcast theme for each episode.

#4: The Fifth Key to Podcasting Success:

Marketing + Consistency

Podcasting success is all about consistency. Let your audience know when you will be releasing episodes. This will allow you to start to create a habit with your audience and they will be looking forward to the release of your next episode.

* * * * *

Most of all have fun with your podcast! People are tuning in for you – your personality, how you interview your guests, and your unique spin on your subject matter.

The iTunes market is literally UnTapped when it comes to experts –there is a wide open market for you in iTunes to showcase your talent and start building your tribe today!

To learn how to start to generate leads, traffic, and sales on Autopilot for your business, join us on a Live Training Webinar August 14, as I share key strategies and a simple 5 Step Process to Create Your Own Podcast. http://bit.ly/1Podcast

About the Author

Kris Gilbertson is the Founder of the LifeStyleAcademy.com, Host of The LifeStyle Entrepreneur Podcast, Author of Podcasting for Profit, Positioning, and Promotion, and creator of the Podcasting Pro System.

She is a leading expert in how to partner with iTunes to create your own world-class podcast. Her clients praise their podcast enables them to reach their ideal customer, create a thriving tribe, increase their traffic to their website from over 40%-5000% and do what they love by simply using the power of their voice.

To book Kris as a speaker for your next event or to learn how to partner with her, please contact her at: http://lifestyleacademy.com/contact