The best podcasts for content marketers

Content is king and a new medium may be in line for the throne: podcasts.

Covering niche content, podcasts—digital, episodic radio shows available 24/7—can be about anything, ranging from humor (WTF with Marc Maron) to narrative (Welcome to the Nightvale) to long-form journalism (This American Life). A study by Edison shares that 38 million Americans listen to podcasts monthly; that number is only rising.

Podcasts have existed for decades—then known as “audioblogging”—but the term first came about in a 2004 Guardian article. Thanks to the success of Serial, podcasts have been on tons of publishers and content marketers’ minds on how to create and monetize them and have been popping up in unexpected categories.  Most interestingly, business people and marketers are turning to podcasts for industry education in order to stay informed and up-to-date on their industry.

Why do people choose podcasts? There’s a myriad of reasons. For one, podcasts are the most time-efficient educational resource. They are available to listen to whenever with your mobile device (or desktop, but the future lies in mobile) for as long as you want. Some are upwards of an hour, some are less than 10 minutes. Whether you’re on a coffee run, on your morning commute or working on other projects in the office, podcasts free up your attention and are often thought to create more intimacy than general listicles. Plus, they’re free and there’s nothing content marketers and human beings love more than free things.

With business education podcasts on the rise, we thought we’d gather up the best podcasts for content marketers. These podcasts talk about marketing, social media, writing, email best practices and even technology. Below are 10 podcasts we recommend to our fellow content marketers to stay in the loop.

Happy listening!

10 Amazing Podcasts for Content Marketers

By Emily E. Steck

From the straightforward to the humorous, these are the podcasts every professional in content marketing and related fields should listen to.

  • The Craft of Marketing

    By Emily E. Steck

    Thanks to a successful Kickstarter funded by fellow content marketers, each week digital strategist and content marketer Seth Price interviews industry veterans and geniuses about "marketing goodness." Listen for the best tips, hacks and strategies marketing professionals want to share with small business owners, entrepreneurs and fellow marketers.

  • Claim Your Fame

    By Emily E. Steck

    In Andrew Davis' podcast for Content Marketing Institute (CMI), each week he speaks with a guest marketer, who shares his or her story as well as tips for success. Compacted in a tight 30-minute episode, Davis informs listeners with practical know-how they can apply to their own businesses after each informative interview.

  • Content Inc.

    By Emily E. Steck

    Joe Pulizzi—a founder of Content Marketing Institute—sits down twice every week to give one key takeaway about content marketing, business and the entrepreneurial spirit in 10 minutes or less. Focused and to the point, this shortform podcast is the perfect pick-me-up to listen to while grabbing a cup of coffee.

  • The Superheroes of Marketing

    By Emily E. Steck

    No, they aren't part-time crime fighters, but they are committed to helping small-to-medium sized business owners make the most of their presence on the web. With fun segments and introductions (including a brilliant "In a World" intro), these ladies certainly entertain and inform with their interesting interviews, unique brand of fresh humor and useful marketing approaches.

  • Rough Draft

    By Emily E. Steck

    Want to listen to quick and easy podcasts? Demian Farnworth of Copyblogger hosts this podcast 4x a week, 4 minutes a day. For content marketers and content creators, this show is your shortcut to becoming a better writer.

  • Content Warfare

    By Emily E. Steck

    Marketer Ryan Handley interviews the "internet's most prolific content creators" every week to discover their secrets for standing out in a sea of content. Focusing on topics such as content marketing, thought leadership, writing, audience, social media and podcasting, this podcast is worth the listening time thanks to Handley's energetic zeal and thoughtful interviewing.

  • This Old Marketing

    By Emily E. Steck

    Content Marketing Institute's Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose believe that telling stories to attract and retain customers is, perhaps, the oldest of marketing disciplines. In their podcast (which runs 60 minutes or less), they explore the latest content marketing news, upsets, controversies and trends aimed at the more experienced marketer; it's a great educational—and often very entertaining—podcast.

  • The Lede

    By Emily E. Steck

    Shortform podcasts, FTW. Copyblogger's Jerod Morris and Demian Farnworth answer questions and talk about copywriting, content marketing, email marketing, conversion optimization and more. If you're looking for a short, valuable podcast about content marketing, this is a must.

  • Exponent

    By Emily E. Steck

    Tech and content marketing work so closely together that it's essential for any content marketer to understand what's happening in both industries. Stratechery's Ben Thompson and the Harvard Business Review's James Allworth host this tech-related podcast that analyzes the news and the state of the industry in an engaging, thoughtful conversation every week.

  • The Marketing Companion

    By Emily E. Steck

    _The Marketing Companion_, according to fans is "the equivalent of a Snicker’s bar wrapped in bacon. Satisfying, interesting, and leaves you wanting more.” Hosted by Mark Schaefer and Tom Webster, this podcast tackles content marketing, business, social media, tech and digital marketing in 30 minutes of less.

Image: Unsplash

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