Podcast guesting and webinars both offer unique benefits and can be effective tools for showcasing thought leadership and prompting your services. The main differentiator between these two is the format and method of delivery. Podcasts generally function as on-demand content and give audiences the freedom to consume it at their leisure. On the other hand, webinars allow for a more interactive, live experience.
Not sure if webinars or podcasts are better for you? Let’s analyze the pros and cons.
Webinars
If you’re a well-established business or entrepreneur with a large following, an educational message, and wish to interact with your audience, webinars are a perfect fit for you.
Pros of webinars
Higher interactivity and audience engagement
Webinars are fantastic for creating high levels of engagement with the audience you’re speaking to because they allow you to interact with them in real-time. Thanks to this live experience, you can utilize tools such as surveys, quizzes, polls, and Q&As to gain information from your audience and give them a voice. This can be effective when you have a dedicated audience and want to learn more about their pain points so you can address them using your offering.
Good for lead generation
Webinars create a perfect opportunity for a business or entrepreneur to present their offering while demonstrating value and authority. Plus, it’s common for those who sign up for a webinar to enter their contact information, which is useful for follow-up marketing efforts.
During your session, you can also gather information about attendance, engagement, and conversion rates. This way, you can refine your presentation strategy, encouraging higher engagement and an overall larger impact for future events.
Realistic practice for speaking engagements
Given that webinars are live, the presenter must possess the ability to speak confidently without making mistakes and be ready to adapt to unexpected changes. Even if there are hiccups or technical issues, as they say in theater, “The show must go on!”
This might seem daunting for some. But for those who have aspirations of leveling up to in-person speaking engagements to boost credibility and gain attention, this is the best place to practice. (And you don’t even need to leave the comfort of your own home!)
Cons of webinars
Higher bar of entry
Due to the need for visual presentation, webinars can require more equipment than other, more basic forms of communication, such as podcasts or blogs. If you want to present a high-quality webinar, you’ll need a decent camera, a good background setup, and pay for access to a platform to prepare and stream presentations.
Less room to make mistakes and refine your speaking skills
While this medium might be great for those looking to perfect their speaking skills for in-person events, it’s not necessarily a great starting point because there is no room for error when presenting live. Therefore, if you are new to speaking behind a mic or on camera, consider starting with a medium such as podcast guesting since mistakes can be edited out in a post.
You need an online following
Given that you need to bring attendees to your webinar, your following on platforms such as LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, or a newsletter matters. This can be difficult for those who don’t have a sizable audience and are looking to grow their following.
Lacks convenience and online discoverability
You can find podcasts in many corners of the internet, including podcasting platforms and video hosting sites. However, considering the visual nature of webinars, there are limited options for uploading this content. Additionally, hosts usually design their webinars to get immediate action from viewers.
Podcast guesting
For everyone from promising young businesses to seasoned entrepreneurs seeking to expand their reach to fresh audiences, cultivate an online following, and enhance their speaking abilities while refining their messaging, this next section is for you.
Pros of podcast guesting
Easy and convenient to consume
With podcasts, listeners can tune in whenever they want, whether they’re doing housework, commuting, or working out. Additionally, because podcast creators often design episodes with longevity in mind, unlike webinars, they can keep bringing in listeners—and potential new leads—for years to come.
Low barriers to entry
Just starting out and low on resources? No problem. Podcast guesting is one of the easiest mediums to start with since all you need is a decent mic (which should cost no more than $100) and a pair of basic headphones to get started.
Get in front of new audiences
When you’re a podcast guest, you’re securing access to ready-made, well-established communities, meaning that you don’t need to bring the audience. That’s why being on a podcast is a golden opportunity if you’re new to the online scene and looking to build your following.
Relaxed atmosphere for refining your message and speaking skills
Afraid that your “ummms,” “ahhhss,” and “you knows” might get in the way of you communicating your message? Or worried that your brain might shut down midway through delivering your best point? Fear not!
The relaxed nature of podcasting allows you to make mistakes and start over since the editing process eliminates errors and slip-ups. This is great if you want to perfect how you deliver your message and build confidence in your ability to communicate it.
Rising demand for educational content
While webinars might be more representative of a traditional classroom setting, a shift toward podcasting is occurring when it comes to educational content, a trend that we can expect to grow in 2024.
Interestingly, 61% of regular podcast listeners in the US possess a 4-year college degree, postgraduate degree, or advanced degree, and they’re hungry for educational podcasts. What’s more fascinating is that rising interest has created a new subgenre fusing entertainment with education.
The TED Radio Hour, Freakonomics, and Radiolab are great examples of podcasts grounded in academic research and packaged in a captivating format. According to Pacific Standard, 40% of podcast listeners express a desire for content that delves into academic research.
So, what does this mean for you as a podcast guest? You can step outside the traditional avenues of educating your audience and tap into 2024’s growing trend by turning your message into a fun and educational audio format.
Cons of podcast guesting
Engagement with the audience can be slow
Although you can add polls to episodes and request that listeners reach out via social media or leave reviews, your engagement with the audience is less immediate than other forms, such as webinars.
Obtaining audience contact information requires extra steps
Anyone can tune into a podcast, which is great for accessibility. But it means that getting their contact information requires you to incentivize them with a compelling call to action before you can continue communication.
You don’t always have control over the outcome of your episode
When guesting on someone else’s podcast, you’re handing over the ability to control what the finished piece sounds like. While this isn’t frequently an issue, if a host needs to shorten the episode to fit a specific time limit, they are ultimately the ones who get to decide what ends up on the cutting-room floor. Meaning that segments of your conversation might not make it to the final edit.
Wrapping up
In summary, if you have the following to bring together a large online crowd, are super confident in your verbal communication skills, and you have the resources to fund high-quality visuals, give webinars a go.
However, for those looking to get in front of new audiences, build their online following, and have the ability to improve their speaking skills while polishing their messaging, podcast guesting sounds right up your alley.
At PodWritten, we help with the latter. If podcast guesting sounds like a good fit for you, schedule a call with us today to find out how we can help you drive sales, growth, and awareness for your business through podcast guesting.