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From their humble beginnings 20 years ago, podcasts have become a wild success story, and today they play a role in book marketing campaigns. Savvy authors interested in selling their books and building their brands know the value of niche audiences – and podcasts deliver. When you're promoting a book, the allure of a mass audience quickly fades with the realization few are book buyers. It's the opposite with podcasts and blogs, where audiences have specific interests and are much more likely to pay close attention. When people arrive with knowledge of your topic, they are better prospects.

Podcasts are longer-form audio interviews similar to the radio, but three distinctions exist. First, anyone can listen online at the time of their choosing. Second, the conversations can be more freewheeling; third, and they are unaffected by other programming elements such as newsbreaks or commercials. Once you get going in a podcast, the discussion is open-ended and can conclude when the topic is covered rather than when the clock runs out. You want to respect the audience's time and not ramble on forever, but you won't be cut off too soon. It makes for better and more natural conversations.

Thought leadership is an increasingly important element in author branding, and many writers establish their own podcasts to do it. Being regarded as a thought leader opens many doors, from client inquiries for your business if you're a nonfiction author to speaking engagements, media interviews, and more. Given the competition that exists today in every field, podcasting is a low-cost and easy way to engage your audience. It also fits well with social media and can be cross-promoted on your accounts. Every year, podcast listenership grows, and more people tune it; evidence it is here to stay.

When it comes to how to spend your time when marketing your book, keep this in mind about podcasts: they live on forever (or until you delete them). So if you devote time to appearing as a guest or launching your own podcast, they will still be available years from now, potentially selling copies of your book and promoting you as an author. The relatively low cost of setting one up and the potential for being a podcast guest by phone make them a no-brainer for many authors. If you'd like to get a feel for how they sound, pick one from a competing author or business and give it a listen.

From their humble beginnings 20 years ago, podcasts have become a wild success story, and today they play a role in book marketing campaigns. Savvy authors interested in selling their books and building their brands know the value of niche audiences – and podcasts deliver. When you're promoting a book, the allure of a mass audience quickly fades with the realization few are book buyers. It's the opposite with podcasts and blogs, where audiences have specific interests and are much more likely to pay close attention. When people arrive with knowledge of your topic, they are better prospects.

Podcasts are longer-form audio interviews similar to the radio, but three distinctions exist. First, anyone can listen online at the time of their choosing. Second, the conversations can be more freewheeling; third, and they are unaffected by other programming elements such as newsbreaks or commercials. Once you get going in a podcast, the discussion is open-ended and can conclude when the topic is covered rather than when the clock runs out. You want to respect the audience's time and not ramble on forever, but you won't be cut off too soon. It makes for better and more natural conversations.

Thought leadership is an increasingly important element in author branding, and many writers establish their own podcasts to do it. Being regarded as a thought leader opens many doors, from client inquiries for your business if you're a nonfiction author to speaking engagements, media interviews, and more. Given the competition that exists today in every field, podcasting is a low-cost and easy way to engage your audience. It also fits well with social media and can be cross-promoted on your accounts. Every year, podcast listenership grows, and more people tune it; evidence it is here to stay.

When it comes to how to spend your time when marketing your book, keep this in mind about podcasts: they live on forever (or until you delete them). So if you devote time to appearing as a guest or launching your own podcast, they will still be available years from now, potentially selling copies of your book and promoting you as an author. The relatively low cost of setting one up and the potential for being a podcast guest by phone make them a no-brainer for many authors. If you'd like to get a feel for how they sound, pick one from a competing author or business and give it a listen.