DIGITAL DNA
WORDS / ANDREA SEDLACEK
The new frontier in digital marketing is … podcasting ? It could be . And with the significant growth in podcast listening in 2020 , it probably should be your next marketing move .
Bruce Fisher , founder of Hawaii Aloha Travel , has been podcasting for 12 years .
my microphones ,” Fisher says . “ I record it using Audacity , a very common program , but you don ’ t need a lot of audio mixing because you ’ re just recording voice .” Audacity is a free audio editor available for download on Windows and Mac , but like Fisher says , your podcast setup doesn ’ t have to be elaborate or elite . You can even just use your smartphone to record , as the microphone quality on smartphones has gotten quite good , or you can invest $ 200 or less in an external microphone for your smartphone .
COURTESY OF BRUCE FISHER
A 2020 study from Edison Research , a leading market research company , found that 104 million Americans age 12 and older are consuming podcasts regularly . In a 2019 report , 23 % of people surveyed by Edison said travel was a topic they ’ re interested in when it comes to podcasts , putting travel in the top 20 topics , and 37 % said they listen to podcasts to escape . Metrics like these suggest that podcasting is a viable digital marketing option for travel advisors .
No one can prove this better than Bruce Fisher , founder of Hawaii Aloha Travel in
Honolulu . Fisher is currently in his 12th year of podcasting for his agency , right from his home office . “ I thought it would be great for business and great for our company ,” he says .
Podcasting : For the people Fisher ’ s background is in broadcasting — that ’ s how he originally ended up in Hawaii , working as a radio personality — but he doesn ’ t think that ’ s a necessity for other travel advisors to start podcasting . And you don ’ t need lots of expensive equipment to get started . “ I ’ m working with a basic audio mixer that I use for
CHRISTIAN HORZ / SHUTTERSTOCK . COM
You ’ re a podcaster now ! So you ’ ve decided to start a podcast . Amazing ! You have a great name for your podcast and cover art that reflects your agency and brand . Now what do you even talk about ?
Don ’ t get caught with imposter syndrome — you are an expert in what you do , and you have valuable insights to share . To get started on your podcast strategy , create a list of topics and fit them into a schedule . Let ’ s say your favorite type of package to put together is a European river cruise , maybe it ’ s even your specialty . Your list of topics could be each river you ’ ve cruised on yourself or planned for clients , so each podcast episode will focus on a different river and the experiences you can have while cruising on them . Your podcast schedule and strategy is now set ; it ’ s really that easy .
Your next step is to actually record something . Remember that your audience is travelers and potential clients , so leave the industry lingo at the door . As far as how long your podcast episodes should be — that ’ s entirely up to you . Some experts say
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