Tips to Use a Podcast to Grow Your Personal Brand: A Guide for 2024

So you’ve decided to build your personal brand to monetise expertise, build online presence, find new projects, or promote your business. Where to start? In 2024, with social media and content hosting platforms growing so rapidly, there are plenty of opportunities to do so. Podcasting is also an option, even if it’s not always the most obvious one when you start thinking about where you want to begin.

In this piece, we’ll talk about podcasting as a medium for personal brand growth and how to leverage it even if you’re not Joe Rogan.

What is a personal brand?

Let’s define it first. A personal brand is the unique combination of skills, experiences, qualities, and values that defines an individual and distinguishes them from others. It represents the way you present yourself to the world, both personally and professionally.

But how to convey all that in practice? With content. The content you create on your, say, Medium blog, YouTube channel, Instagram page, or podcast is what makes people know you’re an expert and get back to you when they want to learn something new from this particular niche you talk about.

So before starting to make content as an expert or an influencer in a certain niche, think of these aspects:

• What are your skills, knowledge, and expertise in a specific field that helps define your personal brand? Demonstrating competence in your chosen area can set you apart from others.
• Identify what makes you unique or differentiates you from others. Your USP (unique selling proposition) is a key component of your personal brand and helps you stand out in a crowded market.
• Think of the channels you’d like to be active on. Not a fan of writing? No worries—Instagram Reels or YouTube might be the best option. Feeling nervous on camera? A text blog on LinkedIn or podcasting can be a choice. However, increasing your visibility through various channels, such as social media, networking events, or professional platforms, contributes to building and maintaining a personal brand.
• Start networking now! Building relationships and networks within your industry or community contributes to your personal brand. How you engage with others and the reputation you build through these connections are essential.

To wrap it up, a personal brand is the perception that others have of you based on the way you present yourself, your actions, and the value you provide with your content.

Can a podcast be the right medium for personal branding growth?

Absolutely! Podcasting is a powerful tool for developing a personal brand, since hosting one allows you to share your knowledge, expertise, and insights on a specific topic or industry. And consistently delivering valuable content can position you as an authority in your field, helping to establish your personal brand.

Here’s the checklist on how to become a pro at podcast hosting even if you’re just beginning:

1. Select a specific niche or topic within your industry where you have genuine expertise and passion.
2. Stay well-informed and conduct thorough research on the topics you discuss to always provide accurate and up-to-date information to establish credibility with your audience.
3. Maintain a consistent and reliable publishing schedule, as regularly releasing high-quality content builds trust with your audience and establishes you as a reliable source of information.
4. Bring guest experts onto your podcast to share their insights and perspectives. This not only adds variety but also reinforces your credibility by association.
5. Conduct well-prepared and insightful interviews that showcase your ability to engage with experts in your field.
6. Relate your personal experiences and stories that demonstrate your journey and expertise.
7. Boost engagement by encouraging listener questions, comments, and feedback.
8. Address listener enquiries in your episodes, showcasing your ability to provide valuable insights and solutions.

But returning to podcasting being a good choice for personal brand growth: The conversational nature of podcasts and the ability to listen to them in the background allow listeners to connect with you on a more personal level, helping to humanise your brand and create a stronger emotional connection with your audience, so hosting your own show is definitely something you need to try!

🔴 How to get the most out of a podcast for networking

Bringing in guests for interviews or collaborating with other experts in your industry expands your network and exposes your personal brand to new audiences. This can also enhance your credibility by associating your brand with other respected figures in your field.

To achive this and make your guests actually work for your branding and expertise, invite influential guests or experts in your industry—this provides valuable content for your audience as well as opens up opportunities for networking. Guests are likely to share the episode with their networks, extending the reach of your podcast.

Collaborate with other podcasters in your niche for co-hosting episodes, cross-promoting each other's podcasts, or participating in joint projects since cross-promotion helps you tap into each other's audiences and build a network within the podcasting community.

You can also host virtual events or webinars related to your podcast content and invite industry experts or thought leaders to participate and share their insights.

After connecting with individuals through your podcast, events, or online platforms, follow up with personalised messages to express your appreciation for their contributions. If you want to use these people's expertise and network again,  nurturing these connections over time is vital, as it builds relationships that extend beyond the initial podcast interaction.

How to repurpose podcast content to other platforms

Another strong point of podcasting is that you can repurpose the content you create specifically for it into other forms of content, such as blog posts, social media snippets, or videos. This increases the reach of your content and reinforces your brand across various platforms.

For instance, you can convert your podcast episodes into written transcripts as it caters to those who prefer reading over listening and improves accessibility for individuals with hearing impairments. Transcriptions can be published on your website, blog, or as downloadable PDFs.

To expand on the key points discussed in your podcast episodes, you can create blog posts. This allows you to provide more in-depth insights, additional examples, or supplementary information. Blog posts can then be shared on your website and other content platforms.

To share your podcast on social media, extract short, engaging snippets from your show episodes. Quotes, highlights, compelling moments, teasers—all these will work. You can then share them as infographics, feed posts, videos, or short clips, such as Reels, TikToks, or YouTube Shorts.

Another way to repurpose your podcast is to summarise an episode in email newsletters: include links to the full episodes and highlight key points to keep your email subscribers engaged. Newsletters can also feature exclusive content or behind-the-scenes insights related to your podcast.

When you record enough episodes of the same or similar topic, you can compile a series of related podcast episodes into an e-book or downloadable guide to let your audience consume this content in a different format and provides additional value. Bu the way, e-books can be offered as lead magnets to build your email list.

Personal brand with podcasting: Successful Examples

Several podcasters have successfully grown their personal brands through their shows, so here's the list of the most popular ones for your inspiration.

Joe Rogan

Joe Rogan is a comedian, UFC commentator, and actor who gained immense popularity with "The Joe Rogan Experience." His long-form interview podcast covers a wide range of topics, featuring influential guests from various industries. The podcast's success has significantly elevated Rogan's profile, making him one of the most well-known podcasters globally with his show exclusively acquired by Spotify.

Tim Ferriss

Tim Ferriss, an entrepreneur, author, and investor, hosts "The Tim Ferriss Show." The podcast features interviews with high-achieving individuals from different fields. Through his podcast, Ferriss has expanded his brand as an authority on productivity, self-improvement, and lifestyle design.

Gary Vaynerchuk

Gary Vaynerchuk, a serial entrepreneur, author, and motivational speaker, hosts "The GaryVee Audio Experience." Vaynerchuk shares insights on entrepreneurship, marketing, and personal development. The podcast complements his strong online presence and has contributed to his reputation as a business thought leader.

Brené Brown

Brené Brown, a research professor and author known for her work on vulnerability and shame, hosts the podcast "Unlocking Us." With her show, Brown continues to explore topics related to human connection, resilience, and personal growth.

Lewis Howes

Lewis Howes, a former professional athlete turned entrepreneur, hosts "The School of Greatness." The podcast features interviews with successful individuals across various domains. Howes has used his podcast to build his personal brand as a motivational speaker, author, and lifestyle entrepreneur.

Pat Flynn

Pat Flynn, an entrepreneur and online business expert, hosts "The Smart Passive Income Podcast." Flynn shares insights on building passive income streams and online businesses.

Sophia Amoruso

Sophia Amoruso, the founder of Nasty Gal and author of #GIRLBOSS, hosts "Girlboss Radio." Her podcast features interviews with successful women in various industries, and it aligns with her brand as a businesswoman and advocate for women's empowerment.

If they could do it, why don’t you? Just believe in yourself, your personal branding, expertise, and others will do too. Happy podcasting!