Podcasts are on the brink of an explosion.

Some of us are in love with them. Others, well, they don’t even really know what they are.

Why Is Podcasting On The Brink Of An Explosion?

For entrepreneurs and small businesses, podcasts are HUGE.

No wait… they’re mammoth.

You may be wondering, “Why is that?”

Well, thanks to one of my fellow Fire Nation Elite Mastermind buddies, Paul Colaianni of The Overwhelmed Brain, I have some stats to share with you on podcasting today that will help answer your “Why is that?” question…

Edison Research: Podcasting by the numbers

According to a survey of just over 2,000 Americans in January of 2012 by Edison Research and Arbitron:

Less than half the people you know even know what a podcast is;
1 in 6 people will have listened to a podcast in a month’s time;
The largest percentage of listeners are between the ages 12 and 34 (followed by 35-44);
40% of podcast listeners have a household income of $75k or higher; and
About 1 in 5 smartphone users are podcast consumers.

Now those are some powerful stats.

I can visually see this bubbling up of a massive explosion just waiting to happen…

What is a podcast?

The fact that not many people even know what a podcast is makes way for a massive, eye-opening revolution when people realize that on-demand, targeted content is available to them, at their fingertips, FOR FREE.

So what does this mean for you as an entrepreneur or small business owner?

Well, if you’re interested in starting a podcast, it means GREAT things for you, because anyone can do it.

Really.

Top 4 Benefits of Podcasting

Here are 4 of the top things the EntrepreneurOnFire podcast has given John that I know a podcast can give you, too.

1. A personal connection with your audience

Podcasting allows you to literally be in the ears of your listeners. Talk about a prime time to get your message across!

Once you start building an audience who listens to your podcast, they’ll start to get to know you.

They can hear your voice, your sincerity, your passion. This personal connection is hard to find in today’s online world since most businesses run purely off from websites, online chat support and forums.

With podcasts, you’re able to connect with your audience on a whole new level.

2. Instant credibility

Thought leadership is important – something every business should consider if they want to have a chance at getting their audience to listen to them above all the other noise.

What is it that your audience wants to know more about?
What do they struggle with?
What can you provide through a podcast that can help them?

With podcasts, you can release content that is consumed at a time when people likely can’t do much else: they’re driving, working out, taking their dog for a walk.

Make that time valuable for them by providing them with the content they want to hear. As a result, you’ll gain the credibility you need to grow your business.

3. A wide reach

Podcasts are not only available on your computer, they’re also available on your mp3 player, cell phone, and as of late, even in the dashboard of your car. All you need to get access to a podcast is an Internet connection – something that is becoming more and more common regardless of where you are in the world.

A podcast isn’t something that has a shelf life or that is tough to get a hold of. Apple Podcasts and many other platforms are making it easier and easier for anyone to listen, anytime they want.

Oh, and remember those stats I listed at the beginning of this post? If your target audience is under the age of 45 with an annual household income of $75k or more, then chances are you’ll be talking to the right people.

4. Connections and Relationships

Connecting and building relationships with others in our industry and niche is one of the most important things we’ve done for the growth of our business – and our personal growth!

Podcasting gives you a platform to offer people, and that’s valuable.

While you might have trouble asking someone in your industry or niche to have a 30 minute one-on-one call with you, you won’t have trouble finding great guests to accept an interview on your podcast.

It’s a win/win: you get to connect and build a relationship with an incredible individual, and they get to promote their expertise to your audience.

Bonus: A strong presence

Because of their reach, podcasts also give you the opportunity to have a very strong presence in your industry. This is because you have multiple platforms doing some of the work for you.

Take a blog for example: when you publish your blog site, you likely don’t have a platform that is featuring you if you’re just starting out.

With podcasts, you have the power of iTunes featuring you, which is searched over 4 millions times a day and has over 575 million active subscribers.

And if you do your research beforehand, you’ll realize that there are some easy and powerful ways to use the iTunes New and Noteworthy, What’s Hot and Top Podcasts sections to gain maximum exposure so you can be found easily.

Podcasting is a powerful medium

Podcasting is such a powerful medium for entrepreneurs and small businesses, and because it’s sitting right on the brink of an explosion, the possibilities are endless.

If you’re looking to create a personal connection with your audience, gain instant credibility in your niche, reach millions of people around the world, and establish a strong presence in your industry, then podcasting might be for you.

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