That is the question.
It’s the question I’m asked as soon as someone discovers that I manage the editorial team for Copyblogger.
You see back in March, there was a sudden influx of audio content here on the pages of Copyblogger. We launched our podcast network — Rainmaker.FM — and (of course) wanted to share the new content we were creating with all of you.
But we may have confused you, too. Based on the questions I get, we’ve certainly confused at least some of you.
I’m here today to set the record straight. I want to let you know what we really think about podcasting, and how it relates to written content, and where we see content marketing going in the future.
What’s so great about podcasting?
Podcasting boasts some pretty big advantages.
We’ve covered how podcasts have the power to connect you to your audience like nothing else.
But there’s something else that’s important to note about podcasts and we haven’t talked about it in detail here.
Podcasts are on-demand media. You can consume a podcast whenever you want, and almost wherever you want. And — this is a big one — you can consume podcasts while you’re doing something else.
I’ve listened to podcasts while:
- Walking
- Gardening
- Driving a car
- Cooking
- Painting walls
- Cleaning house
- Flying on an airplane
- Walking through a grocery store
- Making artwork
- Trying to fall asleep
Try doing that with a blog post!
That’s why we’re bullish on podcasting. There’s no other media that is as portable as a podcast, or as easy to consume while otherwise occupied.
It’s why we’re pouring an enormous amount of time and energy into creating and maintaining an entire podcast network.
And it’s why we’re giving that podcast network space on Copyblogger. Because we want you to find your favorite shows, and we want you to become a loyal listener.
We want to offer you content for all those times when reading on a screen isn’t convenient, or even feasible.
But wait: what’s that knocking sound I hear? Ah yes, it’s written content, asking for a moment in the spotlight.
Let’s give it some time.
Why written content rocks
Written content is how Copyblogger got its start back in 2006. It’s the foundation we stand on, and we always will. That’s not changing.
As a matter of fact, Copyblogger has been publishing five content marketing posts a week since we started publishing Rainmaker.FM content in March.
We’re bringing you our best content marketing tips, techniques, and guidance every Monday through Friday.
There are a few reasons written content rocks our world, and we think it rocks yours too.
You see, written content came first on Copyblogger, and there are a few things it does extremely well — even better than a podcast.
Written content on Copyblogger offers things like:
- Information that is quick to consume
- Easy-to-follow links to additional content
- Post images that add meaning to our words
- SlideShare embeds you can click through
- Downloadable PDFs you can keep for reference
- One-click access to author archives if you’d like to read more
- On-page infographics to supplement our information
- Easy access to social sharing buttons so you can spread the word
- Quick sign up buttons for upcoming webinars (see below for an example)
- Instant access to the rest of the Copyblogger site
Written content is here to stay. And the best news of all? There’s room for both.
“Is podcasting replacing written content marketing?”
That’s what people ask me, under their breath and wide-eyed with confusion.
My answer is no. There’s a time and a place for both written content and podcasting.
One big reason Rainmaker.FM came into being is we wanted to demonstrate that podcasting is a viable format for content marketing. We wanted to explore podcasting while offering you content in a brand-new form.
And we’ve picked up a few tips along the way.
Want to discover what we’ve learned about podcasting?
Join Brian Clark and Jerod Morris tomorrow, August 27, 2015 at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time for a free webinar, Start a Podcast to Attract Attention and Seed Your Content Library.
Brian and Jerod have used podcasts to drive audience attention, to seed courses and content libraries for email list building, and to drive digital commerce.
They’re ready to share what they’ve learned with you, as well as show you the nuts and bolts of how to do it with the Rainmaker Platform.
Start a Podcast to Attract Attention and Seed Your Content Library
Podcasting isn’t going to replace written content. Both written content and podcasting have too much to offer for either to supersede the other.
We’re thrilled to be able to deliver content to you in both formats, and we hope you’re enjoying (and learning) from what we create.
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