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Are "podcasts" still relevant?

by TheAngelGuy
28 replies
Or are they more of "yesterday's" technology and type of thing.

I know that "webinars" are certainly today's "thing," and even though there can be audio-based downloadable webinars, it's hard to gauge the truth behind some of the hype of whether podcasting is still relevant or not.

Hence my question for you experts -

Is "podcasting" still relevant - enough for someone to get into it to deliver content, if there is going to have to be time and effort invested to just get this started, which may be more profitably put elsewhere?

Thanks for your thoughts, opinions, and ideas,

- Paul
#podcasts #relevant
  • Profile picture of the author asiancasanova
    Podcasts are still very relevant if you ask me. I'm still into it and I have no regrets at the moment.
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  • Profile picture of the author TheArticlePros
    [DELETED]
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    • Profile picture of the author CMGbz
      Originally Posted by JaRyCu View Post

      I can't stand webinars, but I will listen to a podcast on occasion, especially if they're from people I really like and/or respect.

      -- j
      Isn't a webinar replay just a podcast with slides :p

      I'm with you though... this webinar BS is out of control. In our swipe gmail we get at least 50 requests a day...

      I will browse a replay here and there but no way will I sit for 2 hours on one. Some marketers I see are doing one everyday... I know they still convert but pretty soon I imagine they'll lose subscribers because its essentially becoming the same as sending pitchy hype emails everyday.

      I wouldn't doubt if the word webinar in the subj line or body will start to leave a bad taste in people's mouths and throw up a spam flag. You just watch people will start referring to it as something like virtual classes, live telepub meetings... etc.

      And, I can't remember or don't think I've ever seen or listened to a webinar where there was NO pitch or sales motive in the near future. ie: product launch, follow series to promote something, etc.

      Just think about how much respect someone would get to throw one of those up showing a hot new tactic or traffic method to help people instead of thinking about their conversionrate in the last 20 min of their presentation.

      I'm still baffled why list owners don't every now and then or a couple times a month just don't go to SlickDeals, per say, and send out a really good coupon or 40% of F&F discount to say Foot Locker that they found just to show their subscribers that they are looking out for them... to show they aren't a marketing robot.

      In all our niches, we ask ourselves before every... "is this message something we'd send to our closet friends"
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  • Profile picture of the author jamesrich1
    I have never listened to a podcast but I have been on a ton of webinars. I believe all forms of marketing is still relevant. I think webinars are more effective because they incorporate video, audio and social interaction.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mary Davis
    I think it does add value as yet another medium to reach out to your audience - people learn and absorb in a variety of ways.

    However, when it comes to webinars, I will not participate in a live one. I am a time miser, and want to be able to control the pace of the information that's presented. I want the option to fast forward through parts that are not relevant to me, as well as to be able to rewind and re-listen to parts that are.

    Give your audience choices and options, instead of trying to dictate their behavior.
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  • Profile picture of the author MichaelHiles
    Get this! People still print ads in newspapers
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    • Profile picture of the author Resale Rights Ninja
      Originally Posted by MichaelHiles View Post

      Get this! People still print ads in newspapers
      lol

      I think podcasts are an awesome way to establish yourself as an expert in a niche, especially on iTunes.
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    • Profile picture of the author Michael Oksa
      Originally Posted by MichaelHiles View Post

      Get this! People still print ads in newspapers
      I was going to mention that people still read books. Same basic idea.

      It's not the medium that makes the content relevant (though Marshall McLuhan may not have agreed).

      All the best,
      Michael
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    • Profile picture of the author TeamTCW
      Originally Posted by MichaelHiles View Post

      Get this! People still print ads in newspapers
      I agree with you, can't be ignored a method!
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  • Profile picture of the author shane_k
    The problem with your question is you are going to get both yes and no answers because some people will believe that yes they are, and some will believe no they aren't.

    so who should you listen to?

    The only people you should listen to is your customers.

    If your customers are telling you they want your content through podcasts then that is how you give it to them.

    Even if everyone on this list tells you that podcasts suck and don't work anymore, but your customers are clamoring over your podcasts and loving them then you listen to your customers.
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    • Profile picture of the author PatrickIcasas
      Originally Posted by shane_k View Post

      The problem with your question is you are going to get both yes and no answers because some people will believe that yes they are, and some will believe no they aren't.

      so who should you listen to?

      The only people you should listen to is your customers.

      If your customers are telling you they want your content through podcasts then that is how you give it to them.

      Even if everyone on this list tells you that podcasts suck and don't work anymore, but your customers are clamoring over your podcasts and loving them then you listen to your customers.
      Hear hear.

      I would also add a caveat that if you want to make podcasts (or any other medium, really) work, you have to evaluate your content and make sure that it's relevant to your customers. Otherwise, your podcasts WILL suck.
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  • Profile picture of the author Reinie
    I definitely think so.
    We still use it as a main ingredient in our marketing efforts and we see good return
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    • Profile picture of the author fin
      I'm sure iTunes brings in more visitors than search engines for Pat Flynn.
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  • Profile picture of the author Randall Magwood
    They work excellent for Suzie Orman.
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  • Profile picture of the author HorseStall
    They are still a very relevant medium. In many cases they are no longer just audio, they are also video - in other words vodcasts are referred to as podcasts.
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve L
    i don't really see the need for podcasts. why not just publish your show on youtube (works on mobile) and let people know about new episodes via facebook, twitter, blog and email?
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      I think it somewhat depends on how you define the word 'podcast'. Originally, a podcast was an audio 'show' that took advantage of the Internet for distribution rather than depending on technologies like radio and broadcast television.

      Then marketers to marketers *******ized the term in the same way they *******ized 'newsletter', turning it into a term used to sucker people into signing up for a pitch list.

      If your market downloads and listens to audio, and you want to put the effort into it, I think that a good podcast could do you good in establishing yourself in your market niche. If you're simply looking for another way to spam people with sales pitches in lieu of promised content, you can likely find ways that involve less effort.
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      • Profile picture of the author force5
        Get this! People still print ads in newspapers
        Which we then look at online..weird!

        I find the issue with podcasts is keeping them going, it is easy to get someone to talk to for one week, but when it is week after week it becomes a lot tougher..

        I have just done 4, and I am trying to make sure I have people recorded a week ahead of time but it can take some planning.

        Paul
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    • Profile picture of the author agmccall
      Originally Posted by Steve Longoria View Post

      i don't really see the need for podcasts. why not just publish your show on youtube (works on mobile) and let people know about new episodes via facebook, twitter, blog and email?
      because people can not view video, tweet, play on facebook, blog, or email while they are driving down the road.
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      • Profile picture of the author abking
        Originally Posted by agmccall View Post

        because people can not view video, tweet, play on facebook, blog, or email while they are driving down the road.
        I totally agree with you.
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  • Profile picture of the author NewAge29
    I basically have Dave Ramsey Show and Dave Ramsey EntreLeadership podcasts on repeat 24/7.

    Podcasts are awesome when they are good content.

    I also learned how to speak Spanish with a podcast.

    Hola.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mike Hill
    Is the radio still relevant? Of course podcasts are relevant! Much like you wouldn't listen to a boring radio talk show or a country station if you like pop music, your content has to be on target, entertaining and add value to the person's life. The biggest tip I can give you is "Just be yourself"...
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  • Profile picture of the author Dan Lyons
    Podcasts are definitely still relevant.

    In fact, I would go as far to say that they are having a big renaissance. I put this down to the explosion of portable devices on the market.

    Also - interesting to note that a new survey (2012) conducted by Edison revealed that:

    - nearly 3 in 10 Americans have ever listened to a podcast..
    - one in 6 Americans have listened to a podcast in the last month...

    This was from a study of peoples aged 12 +

    Obviously as you can tell from my signature, I am a big fan of podcasting. But in my opinion and experience, this medium has enormous un-realised potential for traffic generation and authority.

    The fact that Apple are all over it with their new podcast app is a good indication that the hunger is there!
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  • Profile picture of the author OutsourceFactor
    Podcasts are definitely relevant. AND, if you're blogging in your niche, you have the makings of a podcast already. Take your blog posts, summarize them ever couple of weeks on a new podcast episode, and invite audience questions that you can answer.

    It's a great way to increase your audience size and build trust.
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    • Profile picture of the author Steve L
      Originally Posted by OutsourceFactor View Post

      Podcasts are definitely relevant. AND, if you're blogging in your niche, you have the makings of a podcast already. Take your blog posts, summarize them ever couple of weeks on a new podcast episode, and invite audience questions that you can answer.

      It's a great way to increase your audience size and build trust.
      true, i guess it doesn't hurt to re-purpose your content into the podcast format to get "more bang for your buck".
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  • Profile picture of the author Kate Luella
    yep def! they are becoming more and more popular with more and more smartphones going on the market, people love the consistency and diversity of (predominantly add-free) shows!
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  • Profile picture of the author JimDucharme
    The power of radio was always it's one-to-one delivery. Even in a room full of people, a good jock knows how to talk to each person individually. As well, long before social media, radio was really the only real time interactive channel -- it's bidirectional.

    Podcasts share these attributes and while webinars have the same capabilities, when in a webinar, you are very much aware that it's a group interaction where as, with podcasts, the theatre of the mind allows a good presenter to make a very intimate connection. Most of us don't conciously register that, in fact, if the host is doing it right, you definitely won't. That's a rather powerful tool for getting your message across.

    Regards,
    jim
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  • Profile picture of the author Bruce NewMedia
    One thing I prefer about podcasts is you can be busy doing something else while listening.
    You can listen only to webinars too, but the host will at some point shows slides and you'll
    miss a lot of content.
    _____
    Bruce
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