Podcasting is the new blogging. Everyone's doing it, and you should, too, right? Not so fast.
At the 2024 Digital Deep Dive conference in Atlanta, Georgia, Brandon Hall and I shared our experiences with podcasting and lessons learned. While our podcasts have seen remarkable success — my show, "
Before diving into podcasting, firms must carefully consider the significant time commitment, the need for a clear content strategy, and the challenges in measuring success to determine if starting a podcast aligns with their goals and resources.
It takes a lot of effort
One of the biggest challenges is the time commitment and consistency required to create a successful show. As Brandon pointed out during our session, "The top 1% of podcasts have 21 [or more] episodes. If you can hit the 21-episode mark, you're now in the top 1% of all podcasts. When you talk about launching a podcast, everybody gets really excited. But what you don't realize is that the results take a really long time."
Many podcasts fail to make it past the first few episodes because the hosts severely underestimate the time required to keep the show running. After several years, Brandon's show takes him about an hour and a half of his weekly time. But at the start, it can take a lot longer. Budget half a day per week to start. That will decline as you gain experience.
Committing for the long term is also critical. Brandon and I suggest planning to produce your podcast consistently for at least a year, if not longer, to give it the best chance of gaining traction.
As for how often to record, Brandon recommends a weekly podcast schedule to keep listeners engaged and make it easier for your team to produce content. He noted, "You just get everybody into the habit of producing a weekly show … it ironically becomes easier."
You'll also benefit from having your episodes at the top of the podcast player list. Subscribe to more than a handful of podcasts, and you'll see how quickly new episodes get pushed below the first page of results.
It takes a long time to generate leads
Because a podcast takes a long time to generate leads, it must create value in other ways for your firm. And it can. Brandon noted, "If you pitch it as top of funnel or start thinking of it as top of funnel, it's going to take a really long time for you to realize that goal."
One way to maximize the value of your podcast is to repurpose its content into various formats, such as blog posts, videos, social media posts, and newsletters. Brandon said, "We think about our content in terms of whether we can talk about the same thing in multiple formats so that our potential buyers can consume our content in whatever way they find easiest. So we have videos, podcasts, Instagram and Twitter, TikTok, YouTube shorts, and newsletters. It's all saying the same stuff, but you get to choose how you consume it."
It's difficult to attribute revenue
Measuring the success of your podcast and attributing leads and revenue directly to the show can be a challenge, too. As I argued during the session, "Don't try to attribute business to your podcast. The podcast is just a way to create all the content that powers your content marketing engine."
In other words, your podcast should be a part of a larger content marketing strategy, not a standalone lead generation tool.
The difficulty in measuring podcast success and attributing leads and revenue is why many companies stop investing in podcasting. It's hard to justify spending the money when the leads aren't coming in the door. Having realistic expectations and understanding that your podcast's impact may not always be immediately apparent or easily quantifiable is essential.
Is podcasting right for your accounting firm?
While podcasting can be a valuable tool for business growth and establishing thought leadership, it's not the right choice for everyone. As more accounting firms explore podcasting as a marketing strategy, it's crucial to approach it with realistic expectations and a well-defined plan.
Before starting a podcast, consider the following:
- Do you have the time and resources to produce high-quality content consistently?
- How will your podcast fit into your overall content marketing strategy?
- What are your goals for the podcast, and how will you measure success?
- Are you prepared to commit to podcasting for the long term, even if results aren't immediate?
Firms that can commit to long-term investment and create valuable content for their target audience may find success in podcasting. However, it's essential to carefully weigh the challenges and considerations before diving in.
If you still want to start a podcast after considering these challenges, email me at
