Running a podcast is no walk in the park, especially when you’re targeting savvy marketers who rightfully demand authenticity and insights, not fluff. On a recent episode of Blame it on Marketing, we shared our unfiltered journey of starting and growing our podcast. It's a tale full of hurdles, experiments, and yes, even tattoos!
Before hitting record on our first episode, we knew we wanted our podcast to have personality. “We didn’t want just another B2B Demand Gen podcast,” Emma explained, “We needed something that lifted the lid on real marketing challenges.” Thus, Blame it on Marketing was born, complete with a logo inspired by the IT crowd, crafted by our talented friend Rebecca.
"We wanted to actually lift the lid on some of the conversations that people really have.” - Emma
Initially, there wasn't a detailed plan—just a mission to discuss marketing sins and share the behind-the-scenes chaos. We started with people we knew, like sales influencer Will Aitken, to keep the ball rolling.
Our tech stack was designed to be lean yet effective. “We use Adobe Premiere Pro for editing and Buzzsprout to distribute,” Ruta elaborated. Riverside became our go-to for recording, providing an easy and reliable setup.
“If you're impressed by our podcast, just know it's doable. We are not some crazy special.” - Ruta
While it sounds simple, maintaining consistency was key. Engaging with our audience on LinkedIn and experimenting with TikTok were ways to test the waters and expand our reach.
An eye-opener came when listeners started reaching out, finding our "refreshing honesty" valuable. This led us to form a community on Mighty Networks, with the domain blameitonmarketing.com.
“We thought there's actually a place for this. It'd be a nice space for people.” - Emma
The podcast took a bold step when it gained sponsorship from Dealfront. “We could’ve just covered our tech bills, but we reinvested in a Bad Marketing on Purpose campaign,” Ruta explained. This campaign included attention-grabbing stunts, like buying a star and even getting tattoos. It drove significant engagement, proving that not all 'bad' marketing is ineffective.
“We decided not to just cover our tech costs like sensible people.” - Ruta
The journey doesn't stop here. We're eyeing enhancements for our community, such as more interactive sessions and potentially offering accredited courses. Moreover, we’re eager to increase our presence across varied channels and enrich our content for specific platforms, though resources are currently a constraint.
“We're hoping to create more bespoke content for different channels because there's room for growth.” - Ruta
All in all, our podcast journey has been anything but linear, filled with learnings and moments of triumph and comedy alike. We're thankful for every listener, community member, and supporter along the way. Here’s to more marketing confessions and unexpected twists!