Blog or podcast? When it comes to your content marketing strategy, it’s crucial that you have just that—a strategy.

Too often entrepreneurs who use content marketing to drive their business traffic aren’t clear enough on their strategy. 

They might post a blog one week and a podcast the next and then two weeks later, a video.

Bottom line, they’re inconsistent. 

This can be a huge problem that impacts their overall brand and, as a result, their sales.

After all, the goal of content marketing is that you build a loyal fan base that knows what to expect from you.

If you look at the biggest online entrepreneurs who use content marketing—think Amy Porterfield, Michael Hyatt, or Pat Flynn—they have a consistent strategy that allows their followers to know exactly what to expect from them.

Their followers expect a certain type of content from them each week, and they get it!

So my question to you today is: What’s your content strategy?

Not clear on it yet?

No worries! My goal is that by the time you’re done reading this blog post, you’ll feel 100% confident in your new content strategy.

So let’s dive in!

Blog or Podcast?

Basically, there are three different ways you can offer free weekly content on your site: a blog, a podcast, or a video.

Since most of my experience is with writing and podcasting, I don’t dive very deep into video. If you have a weekly video and want a good example of what that should look like, check out Marie Forleo.

But if weekly video is a bit too advanced for you right now and a blog or podcast is more your cup of tea, then stay with me, because I have SO MUCH for you to learn and apply.

First of all, what’s the difference between a blog and a podcast on a practical level?

Let’s compare.

1. Blogs have a lower start-up cost. 

Whether you’re using a blog or podcast as your weekly content, you need to set up a website to host the content. And once you have your website set up, there’s virtually no extra cost to creating a blog on it.

Perhaps you could spend money on high-end SEO plugins or purchase a stock image subscription, but you could technically start a blog without those. (Especially if you use one of the nine sites I recommended for copyright-free photos.)

Podcasts, on the other hand, require a bit of money to get started. Here are some of the basic costs:

• Microphone you can plug directly into the computer. (One of my friends has used the Blue Snowball iCE USB Mic for podcasts, and it has a decent sound. It costs $49.99 on Amazon.)
• If you find the sound still isn’t high enough quality, Amy Porterfield recommends the Heil PR-40 Dynamic Studio Microphone for $329 and the Focusrite Scarlett Solo preamp for $109.
• If you need some soundproofing for your microphone, the Pyle Sound Isolation Recording Booth Shield works pretty well and costs $60.99.
• You also need a podcast host. One of the most popular hosts is Lybsyn, which offers plans starting $5/month. BuzzSprout has a free plan that allows you to upload two hours’ worth of audio per month. (I don’t recommend this if your episodes are longer than 30 minutes since you’ll want to upload a new episode each week.)
• There’s also the potential cost of editing if you don’t already have someone on your team to do it for you. You could hire out the editing tasks on Fiverr if you need.

2. Blogs can more easily incorporate SEO.

Google search bots analyze the written content on your site for keywords. If you use a good amount of those keywords and offer quality content that people care about, you’ll typically rank higher on search engines.

This is obviously a lot easier to do with blogs. 

You can also use more internal links (links to pages on your own site) and outbound links (links to pages outside your site). Both these help with your SEO.

If you do want to do a podcast, though, there are two things you can do to help with SEO: 1) Transcribe the episode and put it on its own separate page and 2) create a page for show notes that includes links to articles, products or freebies you mention in the show.

This is, of course, a lot more work. But it your heart is set on a podcast, I think these are two steps you really need.

You might think blogs are the easy winner in this debate. But that’s not the whole story.

3. Podcasts let your personality shine and build a more personal connection with your audience.

It’s much easier to have a conversational feel to your podcast and let your personality really show than it is with a blog.

It’s the same reason you want to have a tough conversation in person or over the phone rather than through email or texting.

There are some emotions that writing simply can’t convey as easily.

(How many fights have you gotten in with your husband because his text to you came across rude?)

With audio (and even more so with video), people can comprehend the inflection of your voice, the sarcastic comment that’s meant to be a joke, the cute laughter that your husband teases you about.

And as a result, your listeners feel more connected to you than they would if they simply read one of your blogs.

So if your personality is a big attractor to people who follow you, I would consider going with a podcast.

This doesn’t mean at all that your personality can’t shine through blogs! It’s just that it’s easier to make your audience feel that personal connection with you through a podcast.

(Plus, some people just find writing tedious. In that case, it’s podcasting all the way, my friend!)

4. Podcasting attracts a younger audience.

That’s why Millennials are more likely to use podcasting to build their personal brand rather than blogging.

This is likely because podcasting can have a more authentic feel to it (for the exact reason I mentioned above). Plus, it’s a lot easier to collaborate and invite leaders in your niche onto your podcast.

With a blog, you can still have someone write a guest post, but it’s not the same. Listeners love hearing the rapport of conversation around their favorite topics.

But what if, after reading these four points, you’re still undecided?

Can You Use a Blog AND a Podcast?

The short answer is yes.

But it’s really not that simple.

There are several entrepreneurs who do both regularly and it works well for them.

You have to know your audience really well and what they expect with each medium. Plus you have to know how to integrate the two.

That can be a bit tricky.

For that reason, I would encourage you to start with one.

Get really consistent with your one medium and then, if your audience seems to want more, add another!

Two entrepreneurs who do this well are Jenna Kutcher and Michael Hyatt.

I find Michael’s content strategy especially interesting because he has a blog for every single podcast episode. The blogs, in those cases, serve as show notes.

But he also publishes extra blogs that are definitely for the readers among his tribe.

I can’t help but wonder if it’s because his audience contains both types of people: Some who listen and some who read.

In fact, that’s the main question that should drive the decision you make about whether to do a blog or a podcast. 

What do your readers prefer?

Are they hungry for podcasts and the authentic communication it offers? Or are they avid readers who love to deep dive into your blogs?

Here’s the first step to finding out: Ask!

Speaking of which, I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on the matter.

Which do you prefer to consume? Blogs or podcasts?

Tell me in the comments below!