{"id":7275,"date":"2016-03-17T19:02:00","date_gmt":"2016-03-17T18:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mention.com\/blog\/?p=7275"},"modified":"2025-01-10T09:56:16","modified_gmt":"2025-01-10T09:56:16","slug":"podcast-influencer-marketing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mention.com\/en\/blog\/podcast-influencer-marketing\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Use Your Podcast as an Influencer Marketing Machine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

One year ago today, I launched Ramp: The InsightSquared Podcast<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After months of preparation and hours of editing, I published the first 3 episodes on every available podcasting platform. I had no idea if anyone would listen, or if there was even an audience for a podcast on a topic as specific as SaaS analytics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a pure content marketing experiment<\/strong> – something to try and see if it got results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, after 30 episodes, more than 30,000 downloads, and multiple podcast-influenced deals for InsightSquared<\/a>, I can confidently say that our little experiment was a success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the downloads and dollars don\u2019t fully encompass everything the podcast has done for our business. A company podcast offers value not just from the new listeners you engage, but also from the guests you invite on the show.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Tweet “Podcasting is both content AND influencer marketing. – @CaraHogan27”]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve realized that podcasting isn\u2019t just a form of content marketing – it\u2019s both content AND influencer marketing<\/a>. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, it\u2019s the best kind of influencer marketing. Podcasting helps you build organic, authentic, and powerful relationships with top names in your industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s how a podcast can help your company build relationships with the top names in your industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sign up for our free influencer marketing ecourse to learn how to build a full influencer marketing strategy in one week.<\/a><\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

How to build influencer relationships through podcasting<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Pursue the best guests<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The first step to using your podcast as influencer marketing is targeting top influencers. To launch the podcast, you have to start strong and interview the leading names in your space.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luckily, a podcast is the perfect cold ask. It\u2019s flattering, takes a minimal time commitment from the influencer, and offers a valuable and long-lasting piece of content. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because podcasting is still an exciting and rapidly-growing medium<\/a>, even high-profile influencers are often willing to appear as guests on industry podcasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Ramp, one of our earliest episodes was with SaaS Venture Capitalist Jason Lemkin<\/a>. He has a huge audience of rabid fans, and his episode continues to be one of our most popular a year later — gaining new downloads every single week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By starting with such a well-known name, Ramp quickly gained a solid reputation in the SaaS world. Referencing Lemkin made it easier for me to reach the next high-profile guest, and the guest after that.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Ramp<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

As the podcast grew, I made sure to keep the quality of the guests high — specifically seeking out influencers that InsightSquared wanted to build a strong connection with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Tweet “The access to influencers a podcast gives you is tough to beat. – @CaraHogan27”]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The access a podcast gives you is tough to beat. After an hour-long, in-depth interview with an influencer, it\u2019s almost hardnot<\/em>to build a relationship. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll learn something new, your listeners will love the episode, and – most importantly – your guest will have a positive and highly personal experience with your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make it win\/win<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You have to remember that the podcast isn\u2019t all about you and your company.<\/strong> If you\u2019re too selfish in your promotion of the podcast, you won\u2019t continue to book high quality guests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you interview a top influencer, make sure they\u2019re also gaining value from the experience. It\u2019s a symbiotic relationship – you\u2019re reaching their audience, and they\u2019re reaching yours. Whether they\u2019re trying to promote a new book<\/a> or raise the profile of their brand, they should gain something tangible from appearing on your podcast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Tweet “Make your podcast a symbiotic relationship – you and your guest both win. – @CaraHogan27”]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is obviously tougher to do when you\u2019re just starting out. When Ramp was brand new, the podcast only had a few hundred subscribers – nothing to brag about. I was often at a loss when pitching to prospective guests, since I couldn\u2019t impress them with data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I pitched the podcast as free content. If they were willing to give me just an hour of their time, I provided them with everything they needed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n