Accounting Marketing: Launch a Podcast in 3 Simple Steps

The power of podcasting is undeniable. Podcasting can serve as a lead generation tool, brand building engine, and a community development tactic. We’ve seen these results from our own podcasts. Just last week, one of our Virtual CFOs told us that another CPA had referred an unhappy client to Summit Virtual CFO by Anders after listening to our Modern CPA Success Show.

Podcasting has been an essential part of our thought leadership strategy. It’s thanks to Vernon Foster, Founder of Arsenal, that we were able to build our strategy. His teachings aided us in launching our initial three podcast shows, and we have since added two more shows. We decided to bring him on our CPE webinar series so he could explain his process for building a podcast.

His process is simple and only three steps! Continue reading to learn what they are.

The Power of Podcasting

Know, Like, Trust

Before we dive into Vernon’s step by step process, let’s uncover just how powerful podcasting can be. After all, we all know that there are far too many accounting firm marketing strategies to count and choosing the right ones to expend energy on is important. So, why would podcasting be the right strategy for you?

Buzzsprout shared in a 2023 article that “72% of [podcast] listeners who have listened to a podcast for four or more years have purchased a sponsored ad” and “69% of respondents say podcast ads increase their awareness of products, brands, and services”.

What do these statistics show us? Podcasting builds a brand’s know, like, trust factor. What does that mean? For consumers to purchase a service or product, they must know a brand, like a brand, and trust a brand. When was the last time you purchased from a company you disliked or didn’t trust? Probably never (or as an absolute last resort). On the flip side, when was the last time you purchased from a brand that you liked and trusted? Probably within that last few days.

Podcasting allows you to build your brand and develop that know, like, trust factor. A good podcast often ranks on Google, is shared amongst friends and colleagues, and ranks on podcast charts. Sharing your insights into the accounting industry will allow your brand to spread like wildfire and could get you your next client.

Meet Your Next Client Where They Are

Podcast listeners are listening on the go. Which means you can meet them wherever they are. They could be driving in the car, at their child’s football game, at the gym, at work, etc. While webinars and social media are great methods of marketing, they are hard to engage with while doing other tasks. And unlike billboards, local newspapers, flyers, etc., podcasts have the power of transcending environments.

Influencer Endorsements

Podcast hosts can become influencers of some kind. One of our Virtual CFOs were recognized while at a conference, and while he certainly doesn’t feel like he’s earned celebrity status, he nonetheless has created a personal brand by hosting one of our podcast shows. Podcasts boost your thought leadership strategy and can help you and your accounting firm become an industry name in your given specialty.  

Content Recycling

Podcasts can also help you recycle content across other platforms. Not only can you create audio files that become podcasts posted on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast platforms, but they can also be recorded as video files first and be posted on YouTube.

These video recordings can also be spliced down into short, thought provoking or educational pieces, and be posted on TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, and other social media platforms of choice. Vernon had this to say about why accountants need to be jumping on the short video train: “Videos under two minutes long are preferred by 68 percent of consumers over text-based articles, emails and other media, and they're perfect for a quick updates and insights”.

Using podcasts to boost your social media marketing strategy is an easy and cost-effective way to generate more content with less effort.

Launch Your Podcast in 3 Simple Steps

Launching a podcast can feel overwhelming. It feels like there are so many complicated steps, and you don’t know where to start. Find high-quality microphone systems. Develop a podcast brand. Find high-profile guests. And the list goes on.

But podcasting doesn’t have to be complicated. Vernon Foster believes there are three main steps you need to take to launch a podcast.

First, Make a List of Topics

Finding the right podcast topics actually isn’t that complex. Think back to conversations you have had with clients or potential clients. What questions are they asking again and again? These are the perfect questions to record a podcast on.

Second, Record

You don’t need fancy equipment to get started recording. Budding podcasters often feel the need to have fancy microphones and recording software, but all you really need is a computer or phone with sufficient audio. Likely, the setup you use for client meetings will meet your audio requirements.

Simply turn the camera to face you, have your audio method of choice set up (this could be a headset or the audio that comes with your device), and record yourself answering one of the questions on your list of topics.

Lastly, Post

This last part may be the trickiest. It is true that some editing may be necessary. However, there are two editing details I want you to keep in mind. 1. Ums are not your enemy. We are all human. It is not necessary to delete every um, ah, like, or [insert your favorite filler word here] that you say. These filler words can make your message sound more humanistic and help your listeners relate to and like you more.

Second, your first few recordings aren’t going to be perfect. And that’s okay! You are answering a need that your listeners have, and that is the most important part. Perfection isn’t the goal. Thought leadership is.

You may prefer hiring a contractor to edit your podcast. Or, you may decide to go the DIY route. If you’d prefer the in-house option, there are several types of video editing software out there. Adobe Premier Pro and Descript are two that come to mind. Focus on a simple intro that could be stock music and an intro slide with your podcast’s title on it. Then, add your recorded video. Then, create a simple outro. This could again be a simple slide saying “thanks for watching” with some catchy stock music. Or, you could have a closing slide with a QR code linking to a CTA promoting a free consultation.

Just remember, none of this has to be complicated. Relevant content is more important than fancy imagery.

Keep Yourself Accountable

While this isn’t technically a step of the podcasting process, it is arguably the most important factor in a successful podcasting strategy: accountability.

Your listeners will come to expect regular content, so posting on a specific day and time will build expectation. They will know when your content comes out and will look for your latest content. This helps to build a loyal following and gain new subscribers.

Remember to set a cadence that is manageable. Quality is always better than quantity when it comes to content.

For more digital marketing tips for your CPA firm, check out our webinar replay on developing an omnichannel content marketing strategy. You can also check out our community of firm owners discussing how they market their firms.