How to Make Innovating Podcast Content

Across all industries, the need for specialized knowledge and insights has never been more critical. People buy from people, not company. And people want/need to be educated before they buy. This is where Innovating Podcast Content comes into play. In this article Andrew Ginter, VP of Industrial Security at Waterfall Security Solutions and co-host of The Industrial Security Podcast, walks us through the strategy to create content in your niche.

The Industrial Security Podcast is dedicated to dissecting the complexities of SCADA technologies and industrial control systems security. Through a unique blend of expert interviews and deep-dive discussions, Andrew and his team offer a rare glimpse into the challenges and solutions shaping the future of industrial cybersecurity.

This article showcases the innovative approaches behind podcast production, commitment to public service through education, and the strategies employed to navigate podcasting within a corporate setting.

The Unique Approach to Podcasting by Andrew Ginter and His Team

Andrew Ginter, co-host of The Industrial Security Podcast, shared insights into their innovative approach to podcast production. The podcast, produced with Podcast Israel, aims to serve the public by featuring experts in the field without imposing the hosts’ opinions.

They adopt a unique production technique to maintain listener engagement and ensure the content focuses on the guest’s expertise.

Credit: Photo by Convertkit on Unsplash

Key Elements of Their Production Process to focus on innovating Podcast Content:

• Co-hosting with a Professional Producer: The podcast benefits from the dynamic of having a professional producer as a co-host. This setup allows additional insightful commentary and maintains a multi-voiced dialogue, avoiding monotonous monologues.
• Focus on the Guest: The podcast prioritizes the guest’s knowledge, aiming to “show a piece of the elephant” in industrial cybersecurity. This focus dictates the format and production process, emphasizing the guest’s insights while the hosts facilitate and enrich the discussion.
• Sandwich Format: After experimenting with various formats, they settled on the sandwich format. This approach involves a dialogue with the guest, enriched by tangential questions and post-production commentary, making the content more accessible and engaging for the audience.

The Motivation and Impact

The podcast’s creation was somewhat accidental, from collaborating with podcast producers. Recognizing a gap in the field, especially with the inconsistent nature of existing content, the team had the idea of a podcast that would be different. A podcast focusing on the guest and empty of host biases, to ensure innovating podcast content.

Objectives and Outcomes:

• Public Service and Education: While the podcast aims to educate and serve the public, it also enhances brand awareness for Waterfall, the company behind the podcast. By showcasing expertise and providing valuable information, they establish themselves as leaders in the field.
• Awareness Versus Lead Generation: On the distinction between creating awareness and generating leads: the podcast serves as an awareness tool, reaching audiences through education and engagement without directly measuring the conversion to leads.
• Innovative Marketing and Community Contribution: Waterfall’s commitment to education and community support is evident in its marketing strategy. The podcast is part of a broader effort to educate the market about industrial cybersecurity and unidirectional gateways, a niche technology essential for securing critical infrastructure.

Challenges and Solutions in Podcast Measurement

Measuring the impact of a podcast, especially in terms of direct return on investment (ROI), presents challenges. The podcast primarily boosts awareness, with tangible returns like client acquisition being difficult to attribute to the podcast directly. However, innovative approaches, such as tracked links and exclusive content for podcast listeners, offer potential solutions for gauging the podcast’s influence.

Strategies for Enhancing Measurement:

• Utilizing Tracked Links and Exclusive Offers: To better measure the podcast’s impact, employing tracked links in show notes and offering podcast-exclusive content can help quantify audience engagement and conversion.
  
• Balancing Budget and Value: Despite the challenges in directly measuring ROI, Waterfall acknowledges the intrinsic value of the podcast in building brand reputation and supporting the cybersecurity community. Their willingness to invest in the podcast reflects a broader strategy of contributing to industry education and awareness.

Keeping a Niche Podcast Fresh and Engaging

A successful niche podcast thrives on the diversity of its guests’ expertise. This approach ensures the content remains engaging and informative. Guests are chosen for their unique insights into industrial cybersecurity. Lastly, this also ensures Innovating Podcast Content.

The podcast sources guests from various events and platforms, focusing on those who can offer the hosts and the audience new learning opportunities.

Photo by Chase Chapell by Unsplash

Explaining Complex Topics Simply

The field of industrial cybersecurity is not just complex; it requires a broad spectrum of knowledge. Designing security systems for critical infrastructure involves understanding everything from physical processes and safety systems to cybersecurity threats.

This broad requirement means the podcast can explore a wide range of topics, allowing every episode to delve into new areas and produce innovating podcast content.

The “Elephant Theory” of Podcast Success

The Industrial Security Podcast’s approach to exploring industrial cybersecurity mirrors the “elephant theory,” where each guest shares their perspective on the field, akin to blind men describing different parts of an elephant.

This strategy ensures a comprehensive exploration of the subject, making each episode valuable to the larger cybersecurity puzzle. By focusing on the depth of knowledge each guest brings, the podcast remains a vital resource for anyone interested in securing industrial operations.

Podcast Dynamics in a Corporate Setting

Running a podcast within a corporate structure presents unique challenges and opportunities. Unlike independent podcasters who make all the decisions, a corporate podcast host often has to deal with organizational dynamics and varying perspectives on the podcast’s value.

The key to success lies in demonstrating the podcast’s benefit to the company, especially in enhancing brand awareness and educating the market.

Key Stakeholders for a successful Podcast in a Corporation

• Sales Team Support: Positive feedback from the sales team, who value the podcast for creating engagement opportunities with listeners familiar with the brand, helps reinforce the podcast’s value.
• Executive Backing: Strong support from top executives, such as the CEO, is crucial. It validates the podcast’s role in educating the market and spreading awareness about the company’s offerings, which is particularly important in niche markets.

Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash

Measuring Success and Overcoming Skepticism

While some skepticism may arise regarding the podcast’s investment of time and resources, focusing on modest budgeting and the passion for the project helps mitigate concerns. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), like the number of downloads, provide tangible metrics to gauge the podcast’s impact.

Anecdotal evidence from sales interactions and the steady growth in listener numbers also validate the podcast’s success.

What it takes to run a Corporate Podcast

• Passion Project: Dedication from the host, often working beyond regular hours, underscores the podcast’s role as a labour of love, contributing to its continuation.
• Educational Focus: The podcast is an educational tool aligning with the company’s mission to inform the market about niche technologies and solutions.

Growth Strategies and Listener Engagement

Consistency in publishing and maintaining high-quality content is paramount. The podcast’s growth is attributed to consistent output, quality control, and listener feedback.

Engaging with the audience through events and social media helps tailor content to listener interests, fostering a community around the podcast.

Embracing Vendor Participation

Incorporating vendors as guests offers a twofold advantage: it enriches the content with diverse industry perspectives and provides listeners with valuable insights into available solutions and technologies.

This approach broadens the podcast’s appeal and helps demystify the market for listeners, potentially leading to direct benefits for both the listeners and the featured vendors.

Balancing Content and Promotion in Niche Podcasts

When integrating vendor guests into a podcast, striking the right balance between informative content and promotional opportunities is essential. Informing guests they can share about their company towards the episode’s end encourages them to focus on delivering value first.

Vendors, often experts in their fields, can provide deep insights into specific technologies or solutions, enriching the podcast’s content while keeping self-promotion in check.

Starting a Podcast in a Niche Market

Launching a podcast within a niche requires careful consideration of the unique dynamics of the targeted market. Seeking advice from podcasting experts can tailor a strategy that resonates with the specific audience.

What works in one sector might not apply to another, making customization key. For those venturing into highly specialized areas, offering valuable insights without falling into repetitive self-promotion or critique becomes crucial.

Key Strategies for Niche Podcasting Success:

• Engage with Podcasting Experts: Consulting with professionals can provide insights tailored to your market’s needs.
• Focus on Adding Value: Prioritize content that educates or enlightens, removing repetitive self-promotion or criticism.
• Cultivate a Niche Community: Building a dedicated community around the podcast can amplify its reach and impact.

The Role of Curation in Enhancing Podcast Discoverability

There is a lot of available content out there, curation is vital especially in niche markets. Curated lists, like the Beer ISAC, offer a valuable service by highlighting relevant episodes from various sources, enhancing discoverability for listeners and podcasters.

This approach not only filters the signal from the noise but also fosters a broader awareness of the subject matter, connecting audiences with content they might not have found otherwise.

Benefits of Curation for Niche Podcasts:

• Enhances Discoverability: Helps listeners find relevant content amidst the vast array of available podcasts.
• Builds Community: By pointing listeners towards content that interests them, curation helps foster a sense of community among those with shared interests.
• Promotes Content Variety: Encourages exploration of different perspectives within the niche, enriching the listener’s understanding and appreciation of the subject.

Conclusion

Andrew Ginter’s journey in the niche world of industrial cybersecurity podcasting offers valuable insights for specialized content creation and innovating podcast content.

Through The Industrial Security Podcast, Ginter and his team have developed a formula that engages and educates their audience, ensuring the content remains fresh and relevant.

Their approach, prioritizing guest expertise and adding value through post-production commentary, set a benchmark for quality in niche podcasting.

Moreover, Andrew’s experience underscores the importance of balancing educational content with subtle promotion, demonstrating the potential for podcasts to serve as powerful tools for brand awareness and thought leadership in highly specialized fields.

The challenges of measuring direct ROI from such initiatives highlight the need for innovative strategies to gauge audience engagement and impact.

Those embarking on the journey of niche podcasting can build a dedicated community around their content by adding value, engaging with experts, and leveraging the power of curation. The success of The Industrial Security Podcast exemplifies how passion, dedication, and a clear focus on the audience’s needs can transform a niche podcast into a vital resource for its listeners.

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