Building a loyal Audience with an Ongoing Podcast: A Strategic Approach for B2B Brands

You've likely heard the stories: a podcast that goes viral right after its launch, generating millions of downloads in just a few weeks, sometimes even days.

It's every marketer's dream—to make a small investment and reap massive returns, not to mention the ego boost that comes with such success!

However, just as only a tiny fraction of startups grow as rapidly as Facebook, Google, or Amazon did in their early years, most podcasts require more time to gain traction.

When it comes to typical growth, podcasts are better compared to SEO and social media efforts. For example, you wouldn’t expect your organization to gain 100K followers in a few weeks or months by simply posting 10 photos or videos on Instagram. Nor would you expect to dominate search engines with just 10 blog posts targeting competitive keywords.

Yet, many organizations approach podcasts as limited series—producing a set number of episodes and then stopping. As a result, few of these podcasts gain enough traction to build a sustainable audience.

As the founder of Springcast, I’ve seen hundreds of companies launch podcasts and have had the privilege of analyzing much of their campaign data.

In this article, we’ll explore a strategy that has proven particularly effective: the ongoing podcast.

Why You Need an Ongoing Podcast to Build a Sustainable Audience

I believe every organization should consider an ongoing podcast—not because it's my personal preference as a listener, but because the data shows it significantly increases the likelihood of achieving impactful results over the long term.

• Consistency Builds Trust: An ongoing podcast shows your audience that you are committed. When listeners know they can count on you for regular content, they are more likely to subscribe, engage, and recommend your show to others.

• Establishing Authority: Regular content output helps position your brand as a thought leader in your industry. Over time, you become the go-to resource for valuable insights and discussions.

• SEO and Discoverability: A consistent podcast strategy improves your brand’s visibility online. Each episode provides fresh content that can be optimized for search engines, boosting your website’s (and podcast’s) SEO performance.

• Cross-Promotion Potential: An ongoing podcast creates a platform for promoting other content initiatives, products, services, or even seasonal and limited series podcasts.

• Deepen Audience Relationships: Regular episodes enable you to build deeper connections with your audience by continually addressing their pain points, questions, and interests.

• Increased Viral Potential: Each episode presents a new opportunity to go viral. Statistically, the more episodes you produce, the higher the chances of one gaining significant attention (see also "Learn and Improve"). Sometimes, it takes just one standout episode to make your podcast widely known.

• Learn and Improve: By analyzing the performance and engagement of each episode, you can continuously refine your approach, increasing the chances of gaining loyal followers and receiving more recommendations.

Let’s face it—we all know a successful content strategy requires ongoing investment and consistency. Podcasts are no different. It’s time to move beyond the ‘experimental mindset’ and use our experience in content marketing to leverage one of the biggest content opportunities of the last decade: podcasts!

The Opportunity of an Ongoing Podcast

Imagine this: you’re an IT manager, and your department has been running an ongoing podcast about IT and cybersecurity for a year. Your follower count has grown to 20,000. Now, you’ve received a budget to hire five additional Cyber Security Engineers. How long do you think it would take to get the first application in your inbox after mentioning the openings on your podcast?

Compare this to the investment you would need to make with recruitment agencies—typically around 20% of the annual salary, or about €20,000 per hire. That's €100,000 for just five positions.

Now, consider your podcast budget. Can you really argue that €2,000 per episode is too expensive?

And that’s just one example. An ongoing podcast with a loyal follower base creates a flywheel effect for the entire organization. You can leverage your ongoing podcast(s) to give other initiatives a boost. Imagine being able to promote the following directly to your target audience:

• A new podcast series

• A new product or service

• A job opening

• An important announcement

An ongoing podcast allows you to become your own influencer. It gives you a platform to reach your target audience and generate immediate traction for whatever you aim to achieve. And this doesn’t just apply to your external audience; it’s also highly effective for internal communications.

How to Start and Maintain an Ongoing Podcast

Many people hesitate to start ongoing podcasts because they worry they’ll run out of ideas. As a result, they often play it safe by launching a limited series of 10 episodes. But, as you’ve learned, this approach is less likely to yield significant results compared to an ongoing podcast. Still, I understand—it can be daunting to keep up the momentum.

Here’s the good news: every episode can spark new ideas for the next one. Over time, people will start reaching out to you, wanting to be guests on your podcast. Your followers will begin suggesting guests and topics. Even better, you can actively ask them for input.

Here are a few tips to kickstart your ongoing podcast:

• Choose Broad, Evergreen Topics: Focus on topics that are broad yet relevant to your audience. These should be subjects with enough depth to explore over many episodes while remaining interesting over time.

  • Example Topics: Industry trends, case studies, expert interviews, technology updates, practical advice, and thought leadership pieces.

• Develop a Content Calendar: Plan episodes well in advance, aligning them with key events, product launches, or industry trends. This helps ensure a steady flow of content without scrambling for ideas at the last minute.

• Incorporate a Mix of Formats: Alternate between solo episodes, guest interviews, panel discussions, and Q&A sessions to keep the content dynamic and engaging.

• Engage Your Audience: Encourage listener interaction through Q&A segments, polls, and feedback requests. This not only drives engagement but also provides fresh content ideas directly from your audience.

Conclusion

Building a sustainable audience for your podcast requires a long-term commitment and a strategic approach. While limited series can serve as a good introduction, they often fall short in generating the lasting impact that ongoing podcasts can achieve.

By consistently delivering valuable content, you establish trust, authority, and deeper relationships with your audience. An ongoing podcast enhances your brand's discoverability and provides a versatile platform for cross-promotion and engagement. It allows you to continually learn and adapt, increasing your chances of creating content that resonates and even goes viral.

The benefits of an ongoing podcast extend far beyond simple audience growth; they offer a dynamic tool for promoting various initiatives within your organization, saving costs, and generating tangible business results.

It’s time to shift from a trial mindset to a strategic one and capitalize on one of the most powerful content tools available today. Start your ongoing podcast journey now and watch your brand’s influence and reach grow exponentially.

Key Takeaways

1. Build Trust and Authority: Consistently publishing episodes helps establish your brand as a reliable source of valuable insights and a thought leader in your industry.

2. Enhance SEO and Visibility: Regular podcast episodes contribute to better SEO, increasing your brand's discoverability online and driving more organic traffic.

3. Deepen Audience Engagement: Ongoing content allows you to foster deeper relationships with your audience by continuously addressing their needs and interests.

4. Leverage for Cross-Promotion: An ongoing podcast provides a platform to promote other initiatives, such as new products, services, or job openings, directly to an engaged audience.

5. Cost-Effective Growth: Compared to other marketing channels, an ongoing podcast offers a cost-effective way to achieve significant audience growth and tangible business results.

By embracing these strategies, you can transform your podcast into a powerful tool for building a sustainable audience and driving long-term success for your brand.