How do you choose the right topics and formats for your location-based podcasts and webinars?

Choosing the right topics and formats for location-based podcasts and webinars involves understanding your audience's interests and local needs. Start by researching the specific challenges, trends, and cultural nuances in the target location. Engaging with local experts or influencers can provide insights into relevant content. The format should align with the preferences of your audience, whether it's interviews, panel discussions, or storytelling. Finally, consider the accessibility and convenience for your audience, ensuring that the content is delivered in a format that resonates with them, such as live sessions, recorded episodes, or interactive webinars.

Hey there fellow content creators! Are those location-based podcast episodes or webinars falling flat? It might be time for a perspective shift. Let's ditch generic content and dive deep into what truly resonates with *your* unique audience. Think about it: Who are the people you're trying to reach? (What keeps them up at night). Surveys: Quick and easy way to gather a bunch of opinions. Interviews: Get those in-depth, one-on-one conversations going. Analytics: Your website and social media are packed with data gold! I have found helpful: Paying attention to social media comments, questions, and discussions. In my experience, the more specific my understanding of the audience, the better I could offer solutions tailored to them.

Keep tabs on industry trends for fresh content ideas. Use interactive content like quizzes or live Q&A. Engagement is key to keeping your audience tuned in. Share practical success stories. People love examples they can relate to – it's not just theory; it's real-world application. Add a surprise element, like unexpected insights from a guest speaker or a quick, exciting round. Break down complex topics into bite-sized episodes. Use visuals like infographics or slides to enhance understanding. Invite feedback through comments or polls. Bring in diverse perspectives for a richer experience. Stick to a regular schedule, be it weekly or bi-weekly. Share content on multiple platforms for easy access.

Knowing your audience is key! And data will help you get there. Think of all the data there is at each of your locations. Data around sales, POS, visitor source, demographics, weather, nearby events, social engagement — the list goes on and on. Things constantly happen in and around your locations, each thing being a data point. But the data is useless unless you are tracking. Tracking data allows you to develop a baseline for various aspects of your business. And from there, you can generate hypotheses around what drives behaviors, and create tests to see if your right. Some things will work, and some won't. But each outcome gives further data. With your baseline in place, your tests will give a better understanding of your audience.

Here’s the truth: if you don’t know your audience, you’re just throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping something sticks. You’ve got to dig deep. Who are they really? What problems keep them up at night? What do they actually care about? Skip the surface-level stuff—get in their heads. Use data, talk to them directly, listen to what they’re not saying. When you know your audience like the back of your hand, your topics and formats will hit every time.

Follow Trends: Stay updated on what's hot in location-based marketing. Ask Your Audience: Get direct input through polls or social media. Unique Angles: Explore fresh perspectives within your niche. Spot Competitor Gaps: Find opportunities others might be missing. Storytelling Magic: Share real-life case studies for a human touch. Answer FAQs: Address your audience's burning questions. Mix Content Formats: Switch between podcasts and webinars. Seasonal Touch: Connect your content with the time of year. Collaborate & Expand: Team up with influencers for broader reach. Interactive Elements: Keep your audience engaged with live interactions.

Okay, LinkedIn – let's spill the tea on why your posts are falling flat. ?? Think of your audience like that crush you're trying to impress... generic pickup lines and bragging about yourself just won't cut it. People connect with people, not resumes. Focus on THEM, not YOU: Put yourself in your audience's shoes. What keeps them up at night? What are their biggest goals? Share valuable insights: Did you solve a tricky problem at work? Share the process and lessons learned. Tell stories: Humans love a good narrative. Did a client interaction teach you something valuable? In my experience, ditching the corporate jargon and connecting on a human level has made a huge difference in my engagement.

Look at what your audience actually needs. What’s keeping them stuck? Customer feedback? Case studies? Real-world issues? That’s where your topics come from. And forget about your competitors—find the gaps they missed. Own that space. Keep it sharp. Keep it relevant. If it doesn’t hit home, it’s noise.

Think of what your guests want to get out of your podcast. Our podcast, the Local Marketing Lab, is designed to insights from industry pros to help drive growth at the local level. Listeners appreciated these insights, as we try to give at least one of two things that could do any given day/week to try to boost local marketing efforts. Although the topic is typically the same format, the actionable insights are rarely the same.

Trinidad & Tobago has stories to tell! Imagine your LinkedIn feed buzzing with posts about hidden gems, local legends, and the unique vibe of your home (that's powerful marketing). How do you tap into this? Think beyond "things to do" lists. I find success focusing on the 'experience' of a place – the sights, sounds, even the feeling of being there. This does 3 things: 1. Spark Emotion: Sunrises are beautiful, a fresh start... words matter! 2. Insider's View: You're the guide, not a travel brochure. 3. Builds Trust: Sharing your fave spots = relatable, genuine. In my experience, this works! People want to connect with the real you and the place you love. Bonus: location-related keywords are search engine gold.

Switch It Up: Try different podcast styles—interviews, solo talks, or group chats. Keep It Short: Respect your listener's time. Get Them Involved: Use polls, live Q&A, or shoutouts to keep the audience engaged. Pick the right platform: webinars on Zoom offer live interaction. Watch Your Tone: Is it a friendly chat or a serious talk? Adjust your style to match the mood. Visuals Matter: For webinars, visuals are key. Keep slides clean and engaging. Be ready: Test equipment, plan for hiccups, and rehearse. Smooth shows beat awkward pauses. Stay open to feedback: Your audience knows what they like. Keep It Simple: Complexity confuses. Keep it simple. Your audience should leave with clear takeaways, not a headache.

Got your topics? Cool. Now pick the format that fits. Complex topic? Go with a webinar—slides, screen sharing, and Q&A. Sharing a story or opinion? Podcast’s your move—interviews, anecdotes, quick tips. Match the format to the content. No one’s sitting through an hour-long podcast if you can say it in 10 minutes. Keep it simple. Keep it sharp. Deliver it right.

1. Know Your Crowd: Consider who you're talking to and what they care about. 2. Catch the Buzz: Stay on top of local trends for ideas that click with your audience. 3. Spice It Up: Keep it interesting by mixing interview chats, solo talks, and panels. 4. Local Flavor: Share area-specific stats and stories for a personal touch. 5. Buddy Up: Collaborate with local influencers or businesses for fresh perspectives. 6. Tech Check: Test your gear before showtime for a smooth performance. 7. Smart Scripting: Plan key points but allow room for natural flow during your chat. 8. Shout It Out: Spread the word using local channels, social media, and partnerships. 9. Review and Revise: Learn from each session, analyze, and tweak for improvement.

Got your topic and format? Great. Now, plan and prep. Don’t wing it. Create an outline, script, or slides—whatever keeps you on track. Test everything—equipment, software, internet. Tech issues will wreck your flow. You want it smooth. No distractions. Be ready for questions, and stay sharp if things go sideways. Preparation separates the pros from the amateurs.

Understand your target segments, where they get their content, and what types of content they consume. Each segment is going to be different. If you sell smoothies, you may target a younger age range, focusing your content more TikTok and Instagram. If you're a chiropractor, you may focus more efforts on Facebook. But no matter what your brand, don't think you need a grand plan in place to begin marketing. Get a couple ideas with some hypotheses, and try them out. Don't over produce. Perfect should not get in the way of progress. Try. Learn. Improve. If it works, do more of it. If it fails, fail fast. Fail forward. Don't fall into the trap of analysis paralysis.

Remember that word of mouth, likes, shares and testimonials are also important, so feel free to add a call to action to your podcast, asking people to do one of the above on your podcast/webinar platform based on what you marketing/podcast goal is

Organic channels are great. They've leveled the playing field in terms of giving everyone the ability to access massive audiences like never before. Your most loyal fans can also be your best marketers across these channels. Reward them for their loyalty and leverage their audiences. Paid channels offer an incredible means to accelerate growth. Yes, this approach costs money, but the value you get from doing it correctly with the right data, the correct content, and going after your targeted segments is unmatched. These channels should work together creating a seamless customer experience, while leveraging learnings from each respective channel to influence success on the others.

Content’s ready? Now, it’s time to get eyes on it. Create a landing page, registration form—whatever pulls in leads. Push it hard. Social media, email, blogs—hit every channel. You need eyeballs. Make it exciting. If no one’s hyped, no one’s signing up. The goal? Max reach, max engagement. Get them to show up, listen, or watch. That’s where the magic happens.

Content done? Now, track everything. Look at the data—attendance, engagement, conversions. What worked? What didn’t? Ask for feedback. Reviews, testimonials, suggestions. This is how you get better. Improve every time—your content, your delivery, your promotion. Make it tighter, sharper, more valuable. The goal? Constant growth. Always level up.

Collaborate as much as possible! Building an audience from scratch takes time. One way to accelerate this process is to collaborate with others that already have an audience. If you're a local operator, highlight stories of people in your community, show up at local events, collaborate on local marketing efforts, introduce yourself to other businesses in the area — become the "mayor". If you're a multi-location brand, start a podcast, leverage local influencers, promote user-generated content across your ad channels. Many of these ideas work across all types of businesses. Pick one, and try it! You never know what's going to work until you try.

Doing either collaborative-style podcasts/webinar or interview-style can help you capture the people you work with's audience also, which will help grow your podcast faster than if it was just you on your own.

Here’s the thing—real-world examples speak louder than theories. Did a podcast lead to a massive sales spike? Share it. Did a webinar cut through the noise and triple your leads? Tell that story. It’s not just about tactics; it’s about showing what actually works in the trenches. People love seeing proof that strategies pay off. And here’s a pro tip: Always experiment. Try new formats, fresh angles, and unexpected content. The biggest breakthroughs often come from pushing boundaries.