How to Start Your Advisor Podcast

Since its inception, the popularity of podcasting has skyrocketed. In 2006, twenty-two percent of the adult population was aware of podcasting. In 2021, that number was 78 percent. 

Last year, there were 120 million podcast listeners in the United States. Experts expect that number to increase by 20 million a year to 160 million by 2023.

Those numbers make it clear: Podcasting is here to stay.

Financial advisors have seen great success using podcasts in their marketing and business development efforts. A successful podcast marketing strategy can provide financial service professionals several benefits, including:

• A new channel for connecting with clients and prospects
• Building an online audience to generate leads and referrals
• A way to improve traffic to your website
• A platform to establish your reputation as an industry leader 

Think of this article as a guide to help you plan, produce, and distribute a podcast.

Planning Your Podcast as a Financial Advisor

Abraham Lincoln is reported to have said, “If I only had an hour to chop down a tree, I would spend the first 45 minutes sharpening my ax.” The same attitude can be invaluable when approaching your podcast launch. Taking the time to plan your podcast will make the execution more manageable and more successful.

1. Define Your Content Topics

While some podcasts are solely for entertainment, a financial service professional’s podcast needs to be about valuable quality content. Therefore, creating a list of the topics for your podcast is imperative. 

Take time to plan out a few episodes. Then, for each episode, outline what you plan to talk about, who you are speaking to, and how you will bring a new angle to your topics. 

A few topic ideas when starting a podcast for your financial advisory include:

• Introductory and intermediate economic principles
• The latest current events
• Interviews with fellow advisors
• Interviews with community members or prominent clients
• Explaining finance FAQs

2. Identify Your Ideal Audience

Even though you may be alone in the room when you create your podcast, you should always be aware of the invisible audience who will download the finished project. It helps to take the time to make a persona, an imaginary person that is indicative of your ideal audience persona. The more specific you can get, the more you will succeed with your target group.

Think of all your financial advisory clients. Now out of all of them, think of your five favorite ones. 

• What do they have in common? 
• What interests them? 
• What worries them? 
• What can you share with them to provide real value, not just chit-chat?

3. Determine Your Primary Call-to-Action

What do you want a listener to do once they finish listening? This is one of the most important questions to answer about your podcast. 

• Include your social media handles to increase your following.
• Direct visitors to a page with a simple sign-up form if you intend to increase sign-ups.
• Include your website’s address and describe some of the resources it offers.

4. Decide on an Episode Length

For financial advisors, it’s best to keep podcasts between 15 minutes and 1 hour in length. You can experiment with different durations initially, but it is a good idea to settle on a uniform timeframe as soon as possible.

Pick a cadence of show releases you can commit to long-term. A daily podcast is probably not feasible. But having too few can make it challenging to stay in close contact with your audience. Some podcast hosts separate their shows into “seasons” to give themselves periodic breaks. They might do six episodes over three months and then take a short hiatus before starting again. 

You can also plan themes for different periods such as entrepreneurship, investments, politics, and travel.

Producing Your Financial Advisor Podcast

Producing a podcast can seem overwhelming at first. But getting started with a podcast does not require expensive equipment, and with the right tools and procedures, it can be quite a lot of fun.  You could make an excellent podcast using nothing but a modern smartphone if you wanted to. 

You can, however, improve your podcast quality by making just a few simple purchases. Here are some things to cover before producing your podcast. 

1. Microphone

It is unnecessary to get an expensive mic, but you should get something. Recording a podcast on your computer’s internal mic will not provide the quality you will want. 

We recommend using a USB mic as a beginning microphone rather than an XLR mic (the kind used mainly on a stage). Using USB cables makes connecting to your computer a straightforward process. If you use an XLR mic, you will need a digital mixer. 

2. Headphones

The way your podcast will sound in the recording will be different from what you hear in the room. You can monitor the volume and any digital noise or distractions the mic picks up by wearing headphones. 

One common problem new podcasters and guests experience is the unconscious tendency to move away from the mic as the recording progresses. By wearing headphones, you’ll be able to hear your voice start to get quieter, which will be a cue to lean back into the mic. As a result, monitoring sound can potentially save entire episodes.

3. Software for Recording/Editing

A wide range of software is available for recording a podcast, but it is not necessary to start with anything too complicated. Instead, look for a program with a simple interface that is easy to use. We recommend starting with something user-friendly like Garage Band as opposed to more complicated programs like ProTools or Adobe Audition. 

4. Recording the Conversation

Whether you’re doing a solo show or having guests, it is essential to find a quiet space in your home or office to record your podcast. Close the windows, turn off fans or loud appliances, and ask anyone near your recording site to give you some quiet.

Don’t be afraid to edit the final conversation. Taking the time to edit gives you the option to pause, take a break, or redo something during the recording. Let your guests know that they can request edits if they wish. You’ll be able to have a more natural and honest conversation. 

5. Maintaining compliance

Keeping your podcasts compliant is obviously of utmost importance to advisors and financial planners. However, you should avoid recommending specific investments in your podcast to keep it compliant. Your podcast should serve as a source of education, not advice.

Ensure your compliance team knows about your podcasting plans before recording your first episode. Give an overview of what the podcast will be about, who you intend to interview, and how often you plan to release new episodes. They can help you make sure your podcast won’t violate any standards and comply with pertinent guidelines. 

How to Distribute Your Financial Advisor Podcast

1. Hosting

You can host an online show for as little as a few dollars per month. Platforms like Podbean, BuzzSprout, and Lisbyn are industry favorites, but there are many, many more. Take your time to research the platform. Many of them offer free trials, which can be a great way to make sure you find a platform that works for you. 

You also need to make sure your podcast makes it onto the major podcast distribution networks. Apple Podcasts is the leading podcasts app, with a 43% market share. But there are many more, including Spotify, Audible, and Google Podcasts. So get your podcast on as many as possible to increase your reach.

2. Spread the Word

You will need listeners once you are ready to launch, and promoting your podcast can help attract them. Starting with your existing contacts is the best way to build a podcast audience. Reach out to your email contacts, social media followers, clients, and prospects. 

Create a blog post for each new episode to share on social media. You can also send out emails to announce your launch and subsequent episodes.

3. Measure your progress 

Getting your financial advisory podcast off the ground requires knowing what success looks like. Setting measurable goals is imperative. Analyzing specific metrics over time can provide valuable insight into what works and what does not.

As lovely as it would be to have a million listeners right off the bat, it’s best to keep your initial expectations in check. 

Start by setting goals and then conducting regular reviews to determine your progress:

• How many listens are you getting?
• How much of each episode are people listening to on average? 
• Are you getting reviews on the podcast platforms, and are they positive or negative?

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Podcasting offers financial service professionals a way to build their online communities and is a powerful marketing tool. 

If you have further questions about using a podcast to grow your business, feel free to contact us here.