Now more than ever, a powerful, clear brand voice is integral to successful marketing. Copywriting and podcasting are both powerhouse strategies that work together symbiotically to significantly amplify your brand’s resonance, reach, and overall impact. But how do you know which medium to invest in and when? 

It’s crucial to understand the unique benefits that written copy and the spoken word bring to the table and how they can complement one another in a harmonious, comprehensive marketing strategy.

My name is Lauren Dennis, and I work as a freelance SaaS technology copywriter (but also have a handful of clients outside the niche). 

When businesses reach out to me, they are looking for someone to create informative content and compelling narratives to drive customer engagement. So how exactly does copywriting achieve this? And in a digital, artificial-intelligence world, what role does the (human) written word really play for businesses? 

Jeff and I decided to team up for this article to demystify the profound importance of both of these mediums and clarify the respective roles they play in a solid marketing strategy. 

In part one, I’ll explain the far-reaching benefits of hiring a skilled copywriter, when investing in one as an enterprise-level business makes sense, and what goals it can help you achieve. I’ll define exactly what copywriting can and can’t do and how AI plays into the picture.

In part two, Jeff will break down the unique power and vast possibilities of a branded podcast for your business and how it can be an integral part of your marketing. He’ll also explain exactly how the two mediums can complement each other to take your marketing to the next level!

Part I

Copywriting and business: the pivotal role of copywriting in business success.

According to the SEMRush Content Marketing Global Report, 55 percent of businesses said quality content played a significant role in their success. 

Because, ultimately, good business hinges on strong relationships with customers. Strong relationships with customers come from building trust. Trust is formed by presenting a solution to your target audience that solves a problem for them and makes life easier. 

Copywriting is a key player in this equation. Strategic copy leverages the powers of persuasion to build rapport and does so not to sell but to solve. 

Good copy brings intelligence and ingenuity to a brand’s messaging, bridging the gap between them and their current (and potential) customers. It does this in five primary ways:

1. It serves as the cornerstone of successful marketing campaigns. Good copywriting is the engine behind your marketing efforts. Whether that’s email campaigns, landing pages, social media, blog posts, etc. Your use of language can truly make or break lead-generation efforts. 
2. It can significantly boost conversation rates by implementing strategically communicated value propositions. A skilled copywriter can effectively communicate your product’s or service’s value proposition to generate interest. 
3. It increases online visibility. Search engine-optimized copy can get your business seen by more people, helping you build authority as an expert in your industry.
4. It supports transitions, rebrands, and product launches. Professional copywriting can help manage transitions like rebranding and new product launches, making sure the messaging is effective, consistent, and will lead to conversions. 
5. It acts as a foundation for all stages of the customer journey (awareness, consideration, decision, retention, and loyalty). Even after a sale, copy remains an integral part of successful marketing through offering value-rich follow-up content as well as updates, deals, and new offerings. This engagement ensures customers remain connected to the brand and are more likely to purchase again or refer a friend.

When done right, copywriting can have a huge impact on the success of any company—making it well worth the investment. But what does this impact actually look like? 

The stats: What is the actual impact of copywriting on conversion rates? 

According to Pragmatic Institute, you have 10 seconds to get the attention of visitors to your website. And while most business owners are aware that what they say—and how they say it—matters, not all of them realize the extent to which language affects their bottom line and the skill required to make copy move the needle with measurable results.   

Here are a few stats to highlight the power of written content. 

• Compared to paid advertisements, written content consistently generates a higher number of leads that are likely to buy.
• Blogging generates up to 55 percent more website visitors
• Investing in blog content costs 62% less than traditional marketing tactics and generates three times the amount of leads.
• 81 percent of B2B companies say email marketing is their most used form of content marketing. 

The influence of written content in marketing is profound in both B2B (Business-to-Business) and B2C (Business-to-Consumer) contexts. 

And while AI is impressive and can help with content creation, it can’t replace the nuanced skills of a professional copywriter. 

To illustrate this point: I have one SaaS client that I write weekly blogs for using AI. Even though the blog topics are relatively straightforward, the process of optimizing each post, guiding the software, fact-checking, formatting, and adjusting the language takes me three to four hours. And that’s for a blog post! 

Not only that, but as you’ve probably heard or experienced yourself, AI output is only as good as its input. Meaning using AI and leveraging its strengths is itself a skill. 

To summarize, human copywriters have critical thinking skills, plus a knowledge of the craft, allowing them to craft a story that resonates deeply with readers—an attribute AI can’t replicate.

Now let’s take a look at when it makes the most sense to invest in writing services.

When businesses should invest in copywriting.

Businesses should invest in copywriting at various intervals throughout their development and growth cycle. Here are a few scenarios:

• Start-up phase. Communicate the vision of a new business and effectively articulate its unique offer to potential clients, stakeholders, and employees. 
• During rebranding. Refine your company’s message while staying focused on providing value for the customer.
• For new product or service launches. Help create excitement around the launch and drive sales.
• For ongoing content marketing. Create content like blogs, social posts, emails, etc., to maintain momentum and continue to grow it. 

Investing in professional copywriting is a critical move that can pay dividends across all stages of your business lifecycle. But is there ever a time when it doesn’t make sense? And what are the limitations of the medium?

What are the limits of copywriting?

Copywriting is ultimately a part of every business and every marketing effort, but it does have limitations. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• It won’t be effective where there is a lack of understanding about the target audience. No matter how well-crafted the content is, it will only achieve its purpose if it resonates with the intended audience. 
• It shouldn’t be used alone. Even the best copy can’t replace a comprehensive marketing strategy. It should be incorporated as a part of the overall marketing plan instead of a standalone strategy.
• Written words can never replace a human voice. Even if a skilled copywriter crafts an empathic, personal tone for your business, it won’t be the same as a human voice with the intonation, expression, and personality that helps create a deeper, authentic emotional connection with customers. This is where podcasting shines. 

Podcasts offer a personal touch—you can hear the speaker’s voice, emotions, and personality, which can establish a more intimate connection with listeners.

It’s important to remember that copywriting and podcasting are complementary, not mutually exclusive. A well-rounded content strategy involves leveraging the strengths of multiple mediums to serve a diverse audience.

Part II

Podcasting and business: audio’s unique role.

I’m biased, but podcasting, when done well, can be a refreshing form of content for most businesses. 

Podcasting by its nature is personal and intimate. It allows you to connect with your listeners consistently and over long periods of time. You are able to take your audience on meaningful journeys and powerful/fun/insightful conversations. 

Like most content, you probably don’t want a podcast for its own sake. You want the outcomes of what an intentional podcast will give you. 

I’ve been producing podcasts for over 10 years now and here are a few outcomes I’ve noticed that podcasts are very good at achieving: 

1. Improving existing relationships and making new ones. 

For example, one of our podcast hosts is a Managing Director and Global Co-Head of Real Estate for ZRG Partners. Another is a Founder and Managing Partner of Park Madison Partners. 

As you can imagine, they are both busy people. 

They regularly interview founders, managing partners, and CEOs of other real estate advisory groups, multi-family associations, and global investment firms, i.e. other busy people. 

The podcast creates a needed, positive reason for two busy people to spend time with each other.

2. Show your expertise and get more opportunities to increase your authority.

A podcast can increase your thought leadership through the association with your guests, your strategic partners and/or co-hosts, and through you regularly demonstrating your expertise. 

3. Support and inform your existing marketing strategy. 

As Lauren mentioned, podcasting and copywriting (as well as the rest of your marketing strategy) can and should complement each other. 

For example, one of our clients is rolling out the equivalent of a media company for their business. They were simultaneously creating blogs, podcasts, social media, newsletters, and member-only content at scale.

It would have been easy to buckshot the entire thing and work in content silos. 

Instead, we got clear about whether we wanted the podcast to inform the writing or the writing to inform the podcast. Once that was decided, we let the rest of the assets flow naturally. 

Those are a few of the major things a podcast can accomplish better than other content mediums. There are more results too, like generating leads and sales. We’ve documented four, five, and even six figure deals for some of our clients because of their podcasts—BUT, that said, I don’t recommend making this the goal of your show.

If you create an interesting and intentional podcast, good things will happen as a byproduct.

Defining your podcast’s ROI (impact).

There are lots of ways to evaluate the return of your podcast.

You can track everything from downloads to listen rates to time on page to social proof to leads generated. There are countless ways to work the numbers. The most important this is to answer one question:

What does success look like to you? 

Take these two very different examples. 

Client A had a message to share. They wanted broad reach to a diverse group of people. So we created a narrative, story-driven show with a lot of appeal. 

As a result, they got 10K+ downloads per episode and the show ranked internationally on top charts. 

For them, this show was a success. 

Client B was working in a technical, niche space. They wanted to help listeners better understand what they were doing and the impact of their software. So we created a show that discussed the before and after experience of using their software with the clients who were actually using it. 

As a result, they received around 100 to 150 downloads per episode. The listeners where new employees they were onboarding into the company and prospects who were going through the sales process. 

For them, this show was a success. 

Here’s another way to think about it: Podcasts (and most content) can serve three main needs:

1. The business’ needs
2. The audience’s needs
3. Your personal needs

Think of it like a guitar pedal with the different knobs on it. You have to tweak the knobs to dial in the sound just the way you want it.

A show like We Run On EOS is leveraged heavily for the audience and the business. The “personal” knob is turned way down. But for a show like Outdoor Sounds, the personal knob is turned way up.

Success looks different for everyone. The important thing is to define it up front so you know what kind of show to create and how to evaluate it.

When to invest into a podcast.

It depends. 

The first podcast I ever produced was on the business of board games. 

It was over a decade ago in 2012. I co-hosted the show with my cousin and wife for the board game publishing company we started. It was our main marketing driver helping establish multiple relationships in the industry and gaining us over 80k downloads during its two year run. 

The podcast was the first and primary thing our business invested in at the time. It was 100 percent the right move. However, my experience isn’t the norm and I don’t recommend starting with a podcast for most businesses. 

Usually, a good time for a business to invest in a podcast is when you have a stable flow of leads and sales, and want to focus on any of the following: 

• Increasing your authority in your industry
• Improving your network and/or establishing new relationships
• Focus your brand voice and create a company persona/story that resonates with your audience

Podcasts are usually a long play. So make sure you have the time and resources to devote to the show. If you partner with someone, they should be able to give you a clear expectation of the commitment involved and what’s expected of you.

And like any marketing investment, you’ll want some sense of budget. Budgets vary wildly. Some people/agencies can produce shows for a few hundred or thousand dollars. More often a podcast season will land you in the five or sometimes six figure range to complete. 

The important thing is to find a partner who you trust and enjoy working with. The right partner should be able to make any investment well worth it.

What are the limits to podcasting?

Audio is an amazing and fun medium for many business but here are things to keep in mind: 

Podcasts are a lot of work. I’ve seen stats saying somewhere between 50 percent and 90 percent of podcasts fail. A big part of this is people don’t understand what they are getting themselves into.

Podcasts are lousy at generating awareness (at least in the beginning). The effectiveness of podcast discoverability is an ongoing debate with many opinions. 

Real, measurable, sustainable growth takes time. 

Podcasts are an inefficient way to sell a product or service. I realize this might be an unpopular opinion and as I mentioned above, podcasts can help you sell and generate leads, BUT it shouldn’t be the reason you start one. 

Leads and sales can be a byproduct depending on your show’s quality and design. 

Podcasting is usually a long play. You shouldn’t expect any quick wins but if you’re able to stick it out, you can see amazing results. 

One of our longest standing podcasts is Leading Voices in Real Estate. I’ve been working with the host for around five years. When we started, he was getting a few hundred downloads per episode. 

Now he consistently gets several thousand per episode and has well over a one million in total. He often gets invited to speak and host live shows at conferences and he’s able to support his commercial real estate search business through nurturing relationships and meeting new people through his show. 

He’s truly given back to his industry and I’m grateful to have been a part of it.

How can copywriting and podcasting work together? 

There are plenty of ways copywriting and podcasting can and should work together.

For my team, we have a baseline for any podcast episode we produce: 

• Publish the audio
• Post the transcript
• Pull quotes and use them for  articles/blogs, images for social, and audiograms
• Write show notes to be used on the website and podcast platforms
• Reuse parts (copy and audio) for the promotional newsletter and social media

That’s the bare minimum. 

If you want to go above and beyond, try the following: 

• Audit past and upcoming articles. Do you have any podcast episodes or segments of episodes that support those articles? Add in an embed player in the section of the article that relates to the episode. I’ve seen a download increase of 2x to 4x for episodes featured in that way. 
• Review your podcast episodes for similar themes. Write original articles about those themes and feature the topics/opinions discussed in each episode. Include links. 
• Create Q&A style posts from your straightforward interviews.
• Create member-only content. Create exclusive videos, PDFs, how-to guides, and more for your members or community by summarizing your podcast episodes in unique ways. 
• Do keyword research or social listening to determine what your next blog posts should be on and use your podcast to conduct the research needed for those topics. 
• The possibilities are endless but the point is to think about your marketing strategy holistically and organize tasks to make producing easier.

Wrapping up.

In an ideal world, your marketing strategy should have great copywriting and audio working together to woo your audience and grow your business. 

If you can’t have both, be intentional about where to focus your efforts. Copywriting and podcasting have unique strengths and weaknesses. Use the information we covered in this article to make the next best step.

Huge thanks to Lauren Dennis for collaborating with me on this article! 

I started working with Lauren this year and completely recommend her for your next copywriting project. She offers a range of services, including ghostwriting, guide creation, tutorials, help articles, white pages, email marketing, and more. 

Feel free to email her with any questions or ideas you have. She’d love to chat!

And if you need help starting or improving your podcast, check out our full-production offering on our services page.