In the third part of our lookback at our CEOs talk at the 2024 B2B Marketing Expo, we look at what Luke had to say on understanding and utilising the power of your niche expertise to create a successful podcast.
Following on from LRB’s lesson one: why start a B2B podcast; and lesson two: using the guest system; Luke talks to the audience about his expert knowledge within the B2B space.
He started by saying: “Understanding your niche is crucial from the very start of the planning stage of your B2B podcast.
“You know your business and you also know your industry better than anyone. But it’s making sure that you’re tailoring your questions and content so that it engages with the wider sector through your experience and expertise.
“What are the trends? What is happening right now? What are the challenges? You can then discuss and highlight your thought leadership and opinions on the matter.
“You can even cover some controversial topics – as these are great for engagement and driving clicks to your website.”
Having thoughts and opinions on what is directly impacting businesses within the sector has traditionally been done through PR activities – but podcasting is a new tool available to marketers.
Luke explained: “Is there anything that people are talking about that you can provide an opinion and insight into? Or maybe you can ask a thought-provoking question that can then be discussed with guests, in the comments section, or when the podcast is shared on social media.
“If you are talking about it on the podcast, use your guests to start a discussion on the topic. Get your audience talking in the in the comments as interaction online means more eyes on you and your business.”
Often businesses that are within the B2B space need to take a prominent stand on any issues that are impacting the industry they are in – and want to work with or collaborate with others that are of the same opinion.
This can be achieved through podcasting.
Luke continued: “It can be hard to stand out in modern media by playing it safe at all times. There is no need to be controversial for the sake of it, but by taking a stance on an issue, you can leave an impression on your audience that can lead to further engagement in the future.
This all then feeds into the end goal of driving sales and growing your business through this useful marketing tool.
He concluded: “This is marketing without intent of selling. This is a part of the 80/20 split used in many other advertising strategies.
“In 80% of the content you should provide value to the audience, and 20% should be selling to them. This is where we’re trying to fill that 80% gap with an engaging, thought-provoking podcasts that delivers to your niche.”
Stay tuned for part four of Luke’s podcasting advice from his talk at the B2B Marketing Expo in our blog section.