How do you turn your blog into podcast content? As content marketers, we're always looking for ways to repurpose content so that we can get the most out of the effort we put in the content we create. One of the easiest ways to repurpose content is to turn videos into podcasts. Here's the easiest way to do it:
1. Find suitable blog posts
2. Repurpose your blog into a script
3. Invest in a good mic
4. Record your script
5. Record your Intro and Outro
Did you know that podcast listeners are 45% more likely to have an annual income of over $250,000? Here are some more stats to impress your content marketing friends:
49% of podcast listening happens at home
22% listen to podcasts while they're driving
80% of podcast listeners listen to most if not entire episodes.
You can find all these stats and more here.
This is article part of a larger series on repurposing content in 2019 .
With Amazon Alex and Google Home officially going mainstream, it's never been a better time to start creating audio content for your viewers to engage and entertain them.
Audio content is at the pinnacle of what makes your brand more than a brand. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it could truly transcend your brand to the point where it is now a lifestyle as well; people can read, watch, and now listen to your brand as they go about their days.
People can find you on Spotify and iTunes - people can tune in to you while they're going for their morning routine, whether that's commuting or exercising.
What's more, is that with more and more people starting to listen to podcasts around the house through the aforementioned devices, creating audio content helps you continue to add value to your viewers in a hands-free experience.
Now you could create a dedicated podcast, and maybe you should. But as a content marketer some of your best work may already be out there - in the form of blogs.
You're here to learn more about how to turn your blogs into podcasts, so let's jump right in.
And if you want to learn how to repurpose blogs into videos instead, check out our guide on that here.
I have a small juice machine in my house which is collecting dust. I should get back into it. When I first got the machine, I was in that honeymoon period where I wanted to juice all sorts of vegetables and fruits.
I realized that some foods are more suitable than others. Some, while possible to feed into the machine - just don't make sense because they didn't taste nice, albeit being healthy. The same applies for your blog posts when turning them into audio content.
Just because a blog post is well-written doesn't make it podcast ready. The good news is that it is easy to turn blog posts to become more listener-friendly.
You can start off by doing just that. What you're looking for is something that sounds conversational. A good test is to imagine this was a page from a non-fiction audiobook. Is it easy to follow even without reading? Do you need visual aids to explain certain concepts, or does it all flow naturally?
To be safe, you can create a copy of the blog, in case you make any edits which would become the "script" for your podcast.
This is the time when you take the blog posts and prepare them to be read on a mic.
Naturally you may want to remove any parts that would sound clunky or somewhat strange if it was ready with no visual aid, or just those sections that are too complex to be delivered in audio form. It all depends on your buyer persona and what you believe would make the most sense for them.
To get additional inspiration you may consider looking at other industry podcasts to see what genres, angles, and styles are being used to deliver similar content. If nothing exists in your niche in audio, even better! Look at related industries to see how they've went about structuring their conversations.
Granted, many podcasts are categorically designed as conversations with 1 or more people, but could still give insight in to the reading style and form of your podcast script.
They say that great audio is almost as important if not more important than video. Now imagine how important it is for an audio podcast. Steer away from headset microphones, as they tend to sound more crackling than proper mics.
A good mic doesn't have to break the bank. You can find decent lav mics from $10 upwards and condenser mics from $30 upwards. If you're going for that authentic podcast mic sound, you may look at a condenser mic like the Audio-Technica AT2020 which you would hear on some of our productions. Who knows, maybe after this exercise you decide to start a dedicate podcast as well!
When you're recording, make sure to read it in a relaxed and natural fashion. When we do this kind of content, our goal is always to make people feel like this is a conversation we're having with them, as opposed to a script we're rushing to complete.
Break your sentences further down if you need to and if it sounds easier to follow that way. You may find yourself breaking up your sentences more to make it flow better.
Packaging is everything. Take the time to record a dedicated audio intro and outro. You can draw inspiration from your favourite podcasts and YouTube shows to see how their intros are structured, and you can then build your own version from there. You would also be able to couple that with a music track. If you're looking for royalty free music, you can check out YouTube's Audio Library.
Now that you've read this, if you're looking to repurpose content into videos instead, don't miss this essential guide.
Need to brainstorm ways around taking your best blog posts and repurposing them into audio podcasts? Chat to us now or book a 15 min slot with us below.