A new year is always a great time to reflect on how to improve yourself. One of the best ways to self improve is through furthering education. Podcasts offer a convenient way to allow us marketers to learn new tricks of the trade, as well as hear from some of the industry’s best.
The problem comes down to time, though. We are all very busy. With so many podcasts to chose from, and not enough time in the day to listen, I thought it would be helpful to provide a categorized lists of some of the industry’s best podcasts.
What makes a great podcast? A lot factors into the production of podcasts to really make a podcast “great”. The way the host and the guest actually speaks is huge for podcasts. There can be extremely valuable information that just isn’t absorbed by listeners simply because one of the speakers does not pronounce their words well, is hard to understand due to a heavy accent, or talks too fast.
Another downfall for podcasts is uneven percentages of promotion to information. If it takes until minute 4 to finally get to the introduction of the podcast and past all of the advertisements, they’re doing too much promotion. We can only set aside so much time to listen, so we want to get the meat and potatoes in a reasonable amount of time. Advertisements < Info
Here’s a list of podcasts make the mark and are well worth a listen for digital marketers.
SEO
This SEO-focused podcast teaches listeners the basics of SEO. The hosts Ross Dunn and John Carcutt provide SEO info to beginners in the industry who struggle to swallow all that SEO has to offer. Simplifying very technical terms, SEO 101 has episodes that cover Google’s keyword planner, ranking factors, authorship, and more.
SEO Podcast – Unknown Secrets of Internet Marketing
eWebResults.com created the SEO podcast not just for SEO’s, but for marketers as a whole. Whether you specialize in SEO or need to figure out what SEO is because a new client just asked for it, the SEO podcast has got your back.
Chris Burres and Charles Lewis host this Internet Marketing Podcast and answer the burning question: How do you get your website on the first page of google?
Marketing
This podcast is literally marketing over coffee. The hosts John Wall and Christopher Penn record each episode on Thursday mornings in a local coffee shop, over coffee. The episodes are a quick 20-minutes, but filled with actionable marketing information. The topics John and Christopher routinely cover are social media, SEO, email marketing, copywriting, and offline marketing campaign ideas.
Hosted by MarketingProfs, the Marketing Smarts podcast features in-depth interviews with marketers from all walks of life. This half hour, weekly podcast delivers actionable insights and real advice to help marketers make smarter decisions.
The Marketing Companion Podcast
Be prepared to laugh! Mark Schaefer and Tom Webster claim their podcast is the most entertaining marketing podcast there is. And, they may be right. Pick a marketing topic from their episode guide or subscribe to get episodes delivered free to your email account every other week. Get a preview of their awesome humor and even more awesome information with their animated video below.
Want to improve conversions? Of course you do! The Conversion Cast podcast is designed to solve all of our conversion problems with tips from goal achieving experts like Chris Dayley, John Dwyer, and Talia Wolf.
One of my favorite parts about the Duct Tape Marketing podcast is that it’s not just about marketing. This is an inspirational type of podcast that inspires both marketing and business success. One topic may be focused on how to build a good life and then the next discussing the rules of copywriting.
Tune in on the Duct Tape Marketing website or on iTunes each Wednesday for a new episode.
Social Media
With over a million downloads, the Social Pros podcast is worth a listen every now and then. My favorite thing about the Social Pros podcast series isn’t necessarily their podcast. The information they provide for each episode helps listeners make actionable moves based on information they just heard. The recap is a great reference point with links to resources and a brief bullet point explanation of what’s included.
This is the Social Media Examiner’s podcast series and covers everything social media. The host, Michael Stelzner, is the founder of SME and is the man behind many of the best social media events like Social Media Marketing World. With a background like that, you can expect great content on his podcast, especially with guests like Brian Fanzo, Pat Flynn, and Sunny Lenarduzzi.
Although this podcast isn’t releasing any new episodes, it’s still a valuable tool to improve your LinkedIn marketing with. Hosted by the talented Jabez Lebret, The Missing Link was a weekly podcast that focused on helping online businesses succeed on LinkedIn. Play any of the 70+ episodes and get tips on LinkedIn Premium, handling PR on LinkedIn, and much more.
Content Marketing
Don’t be thrown off by the title. This Old Marketing podcast is far from outdated. It features the tips and advice surrounding content marketing and is hosted by The Content Marketing Institute, so you know you’re getting great info from some of the industry’s best.
Skeptical? Check out one of their podcast reviews:
“Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose deliver an awesome podcast with This Old Marketing. Their format is creative and compelling. Their content is terrific for marketers interested in mid to advance level understanding of content marketing trends and strategies. A must podcast for all marketers who want to accelerate their content marketing game.”
Content marketers! This is another great podcast for you hosted by Ryan Hanley. What’s great about Ryan’s podcast is that it doesn’t just focus on content marketing. Ryan covers a range of marketing topics, but provides a focus on content. Some of Ryan’s most recent topics have been about creating authentic speaking performances, how to hug your haters, and how to create valuable audio content.
Copyblogger FM focuses on anything and everything writing-based. Get your typing fingers ready and tune into this podcast each Monday.
It takes a lot of creativity and self discipline to be a writer. Most writers procrastinate and struggle to get the first word on paper. The Writer Files speaks to writers who want to keep their productivity and creativity juices growing. Avoid writer’s block with this weekly podcast featuring Kelton Reid.
Entrepreneurs
This podcast is for those who don’t believe in the 8-5, Monday through Friday gig. The host, Brian Clark, is an entrepreneur himself and invites guests to share their advice on how to improve business and strategy for freelancers, consultants, CEO’s, and coaches.
It’s a podcast that leaves you with a notebook full of new ideas for your business and clients. You can expect to hear from fellow entrepreneurs like Gary Vaynerchuck, Darren Rowse, and Dave Pell.
This entrepreneurship podcast is hosted by Chris Ducker, a serial entrepreneur and bestselling author. His podcast is a twice-weekly show, with episodes focused on business growth and entrepreneurial spirit. Youpreneur features guests like Jay Baer, Stu McLaren, and Mike Morrison. Learn how to monetize your brand, create membership-based services and more by tuning into Youpreneur.
Is there a podcast that you enjoy missing from the list? Comment below with your favorite digital marketing podcast to listen to!
