Podcasts are one of those tools that learning content and information product marketers should at least consider. They produce targeted traffic. They produce high quality traffic. And they increase your credibility in the marketplace. What more could you ask for?

But why do people like podcasts?

It's obvious why learning content product marketers should like and use podcasts. But why does the audience? What makes them so popular with their audience?

In this article I'm going to examine five major reasons that your audience likes podcasts.

1. They're short and to the point

Let's face it. We're all busy today. And senior executives are usually even busier than you and I. The internet lifestyle? For most people it's sixteen hour days six days a week. And on the seventh they cut back to twelve. Or just plain collapse. Because podcasts are short they can be squeezed into available time. Driving to work? Listen to a podcast. Grocery shopping? Listen to a podcast while you're walking. Doing laundry? Listen to a podcast while you watch the laundry go round and round and... Sorry. Where was I? Oh, yes. Anywhere and anytime you have ten or fifteen minutes you can squeeze a podcast in.

2. They're flexible.

MP3 players are tiny. They go anywhere. Jogging. Commuting. Dining alone. But podcasts aren't just for MP3 players. Most podcasts are played on the computer while the audience is working on other things.

3. They're info bytes rather than detailed information.

Picture this for a second. You're a busy executive. Or a consultant. You need to keep your eye to the sky. You need to know what's appearing on the horizon. You don't need to know everything. You have experts for that. What you need is a little bit of everything. Just enough to know if you should ask those experts to investigate for you. Podcasts are too short to give detailed information. They're great at summarizing and hitting the key points for you.

4. They open up possibilities.

So why does the executive or busy consultant need to know the summary but not the details. Because they're looking for change. For innovations. For ideas that they can use to drive vectored change in their own organizations. After all, their job is to see the future and redesign their organizations (or their clients' organizations) to meet that future. Podcasts help them track what is happening on the edge of development.

5. They're personal.

Do you like to feel like you know your mentors and teachers? You do don't you? There's a reason I knew the answer. Almost everyone does. People connect with people they know. People like to know people they connect with. (Which isn't the same thing)? Podcasts are an audio product. Audio and video products are the most effective products at letting your audience get a glimpse of you as a person. They hear your passion. They feel your grief. They connect with you as a person.

Do you want to learn how to create information products (learning content)? Check out my new free eBook "7 Myths and Seven Tricks in Nine Steps": http://www.learningcreators.com/myths.htm

Do you want to read more free information like this? Go to my blog: http://www.learningcreators.com/blog/

Glen Ford is an accomplished consultant, trainer and writer. He has far too many years experience as a trainer and facilitator to willingly admit.

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