Yesterday marked the first anniversary of the audio podcast series known as the Tweep in Profile® - a short interview with members of the Twitter community, taking listeners beyond the avatar. Guests discuss who they are, what they do, and how they use social media.
This podcast is published by Andy Donovan, president of Donovan Group Inc., a communications and event management company in Toronto.
When Andy contacted me in the summer of 2010, asking if I’d be interested in conducting the interviews and producing the podcasts, I said yes immediately, because I love Andy’s energy, and I thought the project would be fun. It is.
From text to audio
Andy originally created the Tweep in Profile® as a written segment for his monthly e-newsletter. “Then I decided to bring these profiles to life through the human touch of audio,” he says.
Since then, we’ve interviewed Parker Mason, Danny Brown, Greg McLachlan, April Dunford, Ann Evanston, Rosemary Yeremian, Dave Fleet, Eden Spodek, Gini Dietrich, Michael O’Connor Clarke, Carol Roth, Dean Heuman, Erica Allison and (soon to be published) Rachel Foster.
Benefits of an audio podcast program
So has it been worthwhile producing a monthly podcast? Andy says yes: “Over the past 12 months this series has helped me to develop relationships with those that I have had on the program, as well as build profile for both the Tweep in Profile® and my company. In this time I have been interviewed by the media on the features and benefits of the Tweep in Profile®, and have been able to increase both search engine and social media optimization by incorporating the podcast into both traditional and social media PR and marketing programs."
Andy’s not alone in his enthusiasm for podcasting. A recent BBC piece questioned why podcasts hadn’t gained more traction, then pointed out how well they can work for niche audiences.
Marketing expert John Jantsch has also written extensively on the power of podcasting for small business, as a medium for featuring customer stories, opening doors, building your network and more.
From my own experience, I concur. My podcasting clients enjoy having their own “Internet radio show,” which allows them to narrowcast to a specialized audience.
Tips for success
Andy offers this advice to small business owners who want to add podcasting to the communications mix: “If you are looking to venture into podcasting, whether you are co-ordinating on your own or hoping to secure the talents of someone else, you really need to do some research – from the basics of conducting an interview, to the mechanics of recording and editing a high-quality piece, to learning how to distribute the end-product in order to attract, engage and retain a solid listenership.”
[Because I don’t want this post to turn into a testimonial for me, I’m omitting all the kind words Andy says about me as a podcaster. Suffice to say: If I ever need a reference, Andy is first on the list.]
Like Andy, I believe that podcasting allows you to bring stories to life with the human touch of audio. As he marks the first anniversary of the Donovan Group Inc. podcast series, Andy says: “I am happy to see how the Tweep in Profile® is progressing as a solid educational program for both newbies and veterans of social media alike."
Listen to the Tweep in Profile®
You can find the latest Tweep in Profile® social media news release here. The whole series is on iTunes here.
Interested in podcasting for your own business? I’d love to speak with you.
UPDATE: Read this American Express OPEN article on "Why small business should find a voice in podcasting."
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How authors and other experts can use audio products
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Yes, podcasting is mainstream
Podcasting works
12 reasons to podcast
Video version of a webinar: Podcasting 101 for Communicators and Marketers
Finally, a partial list of my podcasts about podcasting
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I'm so proud and congratulate you guys. Glad to hear your story. It will also serves as an inspiration to all aspiring small business owners. For them to rise and be known.
Posted by: Starting a New Business | January 05, 2012 at 05:04 AM
Guys, I do commend you for hosting this podcast. You contributed a lot in this business! Keep posting!
Posted by: cisco ccna | February 14, 2012 at 11:38 PM