Let me tell you a true story about me and podcasting.
I have had a podcast since 2013, but as I indicate in my own Episode 140, Want to Excel at Social Media Marketing? You Need to be an Active Consumer of Social Media First, I was never a consumer of podcasts.
It was a conversation with a millennial marketer at one of my clients that changed all of that. She listened to podcasts instead of the Spotify which I religiously listened to in my car. One day I decided to go into my Apple Podcasts app, do some searches on podcasts based on keywords, listen to a few episodes, and then subscribe. Since then I have become an avid listener of podcasts, so today I want to share with you the best digital and social media marketing podcasts that I have been listening to recently.
One of the reasons why podcasts are so powerful is that we can listen to them in our downtime, like in the car, at the gym, or taking a walk, my three favorite times and places to listen. And that’s important because if you’re like most marketing consultants or managers, the chances are you’re quite busy. Being busy can definitely make it more difficult to learn from other marketing professionals about how to do your job better, especially if you don’t have a chance to attend marketing conferences.
Fortunately, there are a wide variety of podcasts available that can help you learn while doing other things as well. Going to the gym? Pop one onto your phone or let it stream, and see what the latest thinking is about the use of influencers. Sitting for hours in an airport terminal waiting for that delayed flight? Maybe it’s time to learn about upping your blogging game. No matter when you can listen, here are some of the best digital social media marketing podcasts to help boost your skills.
Note that stats show that the average podcast listener will listen to around 8 podcasts over the course of a week. I tend to subscribe to 10 or 11 at a time, which is why I am sharing with you exactly those podcasts which I am currently listening to. I also republish this blog post every year because some podcasts come and ago, and others emerge from new needs that marketers have. I sincerely hope you find a new podcast to listen to out of this list!
1. Your Digital Marketing Coach
Yes, in full disclosure, this is my own podcast. But like everything else about my blog, if I wasn’t writing about it, I wouldn’t be recommending it!
First, a little background. This podcast began with the name “Social Business Unplugged” as my original podcast concept was to have me speaking “unplugged” giving you advice as if we were in the same room and I was coaching you. With the release of my Maximize Your Social book and website, it made sense to unify the branding to Maximize Your Social. After publishing The Age of Influence, I recently added “Influence” to the title and rebranded as the Maximize Your Social Influence podcast. As I prepare for my next book, and in better alignment with the work that I actually do, in 2021 the podcast was rebranded into its current name.
I obviously have a background in everything digital and social media marketing, and since everything I do is about helping businesses and professionals with everything digital, it made sense to have the name “Your Digital Marketing Coach,” as if every podcast episode is a virtual consult. The official podcast description is as follows:
As Your Digital Marketing Coach, I am on a mission to provide you marketing professionals, agencies, entrepreneurs, and business owners expert advice, both from myself as well as my expert guests, on how to leverage Digital First Marketing to grow your business, one episode at a time, This podcast will include advice on a broad range of topics all with the commonality of being related to digital marketing and having actionable takeaways for your business. Topics discussed will include digital marketing, social media marketing, content marketing, influencer marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), blogging, podcasting, YouTube, video marketing, email marketing, marketing automation, as well as how to maximize digital marketing ROI from social media on sites like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, and TikTok.
2. The Content 10X Podcast
British content marketer Amy Woods brings us this podcast, which is focused almost exclusively on the various aspects of content marketing. According to the Content 10x website, the idea of their company is for marketers to get the most they can out of content. This includes techniques such as content recycling, where one kind of content can be revised or turned into something else entirely.
More about the podcast, though. Amy talks a lot about adapting on-site content for use on social media. Another thing she covers is how to adapt content posted on one social media platform for use on another one. Episodes cover the different social media networks and how to maximize them. At the same time though, Amy is careful to cover some industry trends. Doing so makes her podcast a center for subject matter experts to discuss their skills. She’ll also talk about responses to a crisis situation, and how to build social media profiles. Episodes come out once a week, with highly variable lengths based on the topic.
As an avid listener to this podcast, I can attest that it is only getting better – and more impactful – with time. You would think that a podcast that focuses on content repurposing would run out of things to teach, but that clearly is not the case with this podcast!
3. The Blogging Millionaire
Also called “The Blog Millionaire,” this podcast is hosted by Brandon Gaille. Before becoming a blogger, Brandon has a fascinating story to tell on his website. In a nutshell, he was a bullied child of a salesman. He learned the skills he needed to make money very young, and earned every penny he needed to attend college. After suffering a brain tumor Brandon started a blog and made a business out of it. He also sells online courses and does consulting, but mostly he’s a big-money blogger.
What’s in his podcast, then? Mostly, he offers a variety of techniques for blogging success. There are several methods he talks about, including becoming an influencer and old-school affiliate marketing. His main method of monetizing blogs is through affiliate links. You’ll also learn a lot about SEO techniques, in particular how to write the correct length of blog post and answer everyone’s burning questions. Ready to monetize? Brandon will teach you about the older techniques like Adsense, as well as email marketing techniques to include blog reach (and affiliate/influencer opportunities). If you’re a blogger, this is a great place to learn about making your hobby into serious cash.
If I had to pick one podcast in this list that I look forward to listening to every week, it is Brandon’s podcast. He hates fluff just as much as we do, and on each podcast he truly delivers the goods. Thank you Brandon!
4. Blogger Genius Podcast
The host of this podcast, Jillian Leslie, is also the co-founder of MiloTree, that pop-up widget that is popular with bloggers and also appears on this website promoting my YouTube channel. Jillian and her husband also recently co-founded MiloTree Easy Payments, an easy-to-use tool to allow any blogger or content creator to monetize their community through coaching, workshops, or private membership groups. Because of this background, Jillian is not successful unless bloggers are, and her passion for wanting to support bloggers is very clear in her podcast.
Not only does Jillian and her guests give advice for bloggers around obvious topics like WordPress and SEO, but she goes beyond that by providing advice on email marketing, social media marketing, and building a business through monetizing one’s community. I feel that out of all of the podcasts on this list, Blogger Genius is the closest one to aligning with the mindset of a blogger both through its content and its guests.
5. Social Media Entrepreneurs with Derek Videll
Formerly known as Instagram Marketing Secrets, and then Social Bamboo, Social Media Entrepreneurs is not only focused on Instagram and ecommerce marketing, but also dives into the entrepreneurial mindset in addition to covering social media marketing in its entirety.
Of course, those who want to focus on Instagram as a source of sales leads will probably like this podcast hosted by Derek Videll. Listening to his podcast, you’ll find that Derek has a longstanding background in sales and marketing. Originally, he worked in traditional door-to-door and relationship-based sales, an industry that’s undergone vast changes with the development of social media. In a nutshell, Derek is an entrepreneur who is also quite the hustler and hacker.
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Episodes range from a discussion of TikTok and how it is (or isn’t) a threat to Instagram, ways to stay motivated as a content creator (critical if you’re going to keep growing your following), and turning a profit on your social accounts. These episodes are useful for people who are trying to make money on Instagram and social media itself.
All in all a well-rounded podcast which gets very tactical on what you and your brand can do on Instagram and social media to have an impact on your business.
6. Simple Pin Podcast
Want to become a master at Pinterest marketing? Kate Ahl has a podcast for you, called the Simple Pin Podcast. As founder of Simple Pin Media, Kate is a specialist in this particular platform, and has a lot to say about it. Her company provides a variety of Pinterest related services. They’ll help you design pins, form a Pinterest marketing strategy, add followers, and even help you when your Pinterest account gets suspended.
So, what’s in the podcast itself? Kate covers a fairly wide variety of topics, though a good number of them are intended to sell her services. Earlier this month, she talked about when and how to hire a marketing coach for your business, a service she provides. Some of her other recent podcasts were reposts of other people’s podcast episodes where Kate appeared as a guest. She’s clearly a big believer in collaboration between marketing professionals. However, for people who engage in small-scale ecommerce like Etsy and Shopify-based shops, Kate’s insights are especially valuable. That’s because some of her episodes talk about using Pinterest to increase traffic to those types of Web businesses. Overall, a great podcast for both marketing professionals and small-scale creatives alike.
There is no other social network that has a singular influencer like Kate Ahl that everyone respects and looks up to as the authoritative source. If you are involved in Pinterest marketing, this podcast should be your guiding light.
7. Tube Talk
Tube Talk is my favorite go-to podcast for all things YouTube and video creators. If you were listen back to its earliest episodes, you would hear that this podcast has gone through a few iterations over the years, but it consistently provides timely and actionable advice both from the hosts as well as its lineup of guests that are interviewed.
Tube Talk is hosted by the video marketing tool vidIQ, experts themselves in YouTube, so there are lots of anecdotes of both the company’s own YouTube marketing experiences as well as those of its customers.
Recently, Tube Talk has been hosted by Vyyyper, a truly unique, intelligent, and engaging tech YouTuber who has ratched up the value of this podcast even more.
If you are looking for one podcast to keep up-to-date with all things YouTube, this is for you.
8. TubeBuddy Express
TubeBuddy Express is another podcast about YouTube marketing hosted by VidIq’s main competitor, TubeBuddy. Whereas Tube Talk focuses on interviews and the personalities of the hosts, TubeBuddy Express is, as the name suggest, a fast-paced podcast which aims to provide you one-point advice in very focused episodes that last from 5 to 10 minutes.
Whereas Tube Talk can get very detailed with its tactical and actionable advice, TubeBuddy Express provides a lot of mindset and strategical advice. For that reason, listening to both YouTube podcasts is an outstanding combination to give you all you need to keep your YouTube marketing going.
9. Video Marketing Podcast
The Video Marketing podcast is a one-stop shop for YouTube channels and YouTube marketers. The podcast delves into the video aspects of online marketing. By focusing on industry leaders, with a hefty emphasis on YouTube, the Video Marketing Podcast offers insights for seasoned marketers and new faces, alike. By asking industry experts about their best practices and tips, Video Marketing allows listeners to take the information that best applies to them and leave the rest. Although the episodes are not laid out in a specific format or timeline, expert interviews can be applied to numerous niches, and are likely to provide insights to all marketers working in video.
Hosted by video marketing expert Dane Golden and joined by other experts Shelly Saves the Day as well as Gwen Miller, guests come on to discuss marketing trends and deliver their most effective marketing efforts, which readers can then turn into actionable marketing tips. If you are interested in business leaders working in video marketing, the Video Marketing Podcast can be an excellent tool for your marketing strategy.
10. Paid Search Podcast
This is among the favorite podcasts among those looking for information about Google Ads. The podcast offers digital marketing strategy insights to use alongside Google Ads. While it does not focus heavily on current trends, it does offer plenty of insight into the many different ways to effectively advertise your business. It remains one of the favorite marketing podcasts for Google Ads, because it combines the know-how of marketing experts who have specific experience in Google Ads, which can help tailor-make marketing content to work in tandem with the parameters of Google. Paid search can be difficult to understand for even the most experienced marketer, so having common issues and questions answered–including ask-and-answer segments–can be an incredible boon for marketers.
Business marketing tips often focus on generalized information, but the Paid Search Podcast dives deep into Google-specific needs, making it a great addition to your weekly podcast playlist.
11. Smart Passive Income
Last but certainly not least is probably the most famous podcast on this list which really needs no introduction, Pat Flynn’s main SPI, or Smart Passive Income, podcast. While the official name is all about how to generate passive income, its scope has matured and broadened over the years and includes everything from detailed advice on various aspects of digital and social media marketing all the way to business and mindset advice. Pat’s guests are literally the who’s who of marketers and business authors, and many episodes are deeply impactful in their education.
12. Self Publishing School
My most recent addition to this list might sound out of place here, but hear me out. In my decision to self-publish my next book, I am immersing myself in information about the topic and have found this podcast to be extremely insightful. What has been a pleasant surprise is how many marketing authors have been interviewed here not only to talk about their book, but also to share advice on how they marketed their book in vivid detail.
Not only that, marketers need to better understand the Creator Economy, and listening to how authors monetize their books gives you a really good feel for how creators are leveraging the written word as a platform to sell other products and services. As I tell my clients, if you want to engage with influencers, you need to understand that brand collaborations are only part of the Creator Economy, and listening to this podcast will give you a great understand of that.
Obviously, if you’re looking to self-publish a book, this podcast comes highly recommended as well!
My Current List of “On Deck” Podcasts
Unfortunately, I don’t have time to listen to every podcast out there. However, these are some of the podcasts on my radar to add to my list of podcasts to listen to in the hopefully not-so-distant future. So if you didn’t find what you were looking for in the above list, check out these additional popular podcasts that might be of interest to you, some hosted by names you might be familiar with:
13. Social Media Marketing Podcast
For another podcast hosted by a social media practitioner, check out the “Social Media Marketing Podcast” by Michael Stelzner. The founder of Social Media Examiner, Michael interviews the who’s who of social media marketing and also talks a lot about the different tools we as marketers use. Perhaps even more importantly, he goes out of his way to teach you about ways to use social for marketing without paying a dime. So, if this is the kind of topic you enjoy, be sure to check it out.
14. Perpetual Traffic Podcast
Perpetual Traffic is an aptly-named podcast, as it speaks to continually bringing in traffic to your business. Whether it is through staying on top of content marketing trends, or delivering the best in information and service, having a twice weekly podcast to refer to can go a long way in helping successful marketers continue creating valueable content that fosters strong relationships with your audience, and drives sales.
The Perpetual Traffic podcast is between 30 and 60 minute, and is specifically designed to offer practical advice that can be put into practice immediately. Some episodes are longer, and provide a deep dive into a topic, while others are shorter and detail the basics of a given topic. In either case, listeners can expect a conversation that helps clarify some of the finer points of conversion optimization to increase their leads and sales. Although it is not one of the most frequently discussed digital marketing topics, learning how to increase sales leads and sales themselves is the lifeblood of any business, and it is a vital part of product marketing.
15. Marketing School
Hosted by thought leaders Neil Patel and Eric Siu, Marketing School is a daily podcast that offers the gamut for online entrepreneurs, covering the major platforms, and virtually all aspects of marketing, including social platforms, email marketing, and SEO. The format of Marketing School is less in depth interview and more friendly discussion about how to make sure that your marketing is working well for you, touching on all of the major aspects of the digital landscape that will come up in standard marketing efforts. Part SEO podcast, with plenty of actionable strategies in each episode, Marketing School is just what its name suggests: a rundown of marketing as a whole, with different aspects of marketing covered in greater depth in different episodes. The episodes typically run under 10 minutes, but can be 30 minutes or more. As a daily podcast, its quick format is easy to digest, and easy to add into your daily routine.
16. The Copyblogger Podcast
Among digital marketing podcasts, the Copyblogger Podcast is a common recommendation. Hosted by Tim Stoddart, this particular podcast offers the run of advice from a recognized digital marketing expert. What is perhaps unique about this particular podcast is its host: an innovative marketer, Stoddart brings his history into his marketing efforts, and packs his weekly episodes with personal accounts and how they relate to marketing, including how his story has shaped and informed all of his efforts as a successful entrepreneur. Stoddart discusses how to make the most of your content marketing space, with an ongoing roundtable-style talk with various industry professionals, covering everything from content and email marketing, to copywriting, to mindset within the industry. Listeners can benefit from Stoddart’s approach to social media marketing strategy, in large part because he brings his own innovation and unique style into the conversation, and encourages listeners to take the advice offered and find their unique take.
17. Everyone Hates Marketers
One of the most tongue-in-cheek marketing podcasts available, Everyone Hates Marketers offers social media marketers and digital marketers insights that can be applied to their businesses quickly and without too much fuss. Hosted by Louis Grenier, the podcast invites marketing professionals and relies on Grenier’s own experiences to provide insights into marketing practices that are not too earnest in their approach, in order to avoid alienating audiences or coming across as too pushy or unpleasant. While many podcasts recycle the same basic ideas, Everyone Hates Marketers takes the approach that marketing can fall short of what consumers and potential customers are actually looking for, and tries to shore up that gap by helping listeners develop no-nonsense, no-frills campaigns that legitimately meet the consumers’ needs. Grenier’s approach is ideal for anyone looking to cut through the noise and get to the heart of marketing.
18. The Digital Marketing Podcast
Unlike most other podcasts on the list, this one is hosted by two people. First, there’s the founder of Target Internet, Daniel Rowles. Like me, he’s a major author in the marketing industry. Daniel also involves his training expert, Ciaran Rogers. Target Internet is an agency that provides training on social media and a variety of other topics. They also offer the CIM qualification.
On the podcast, Daniel and Ciaran offer information about a wide variety of topics. This is a well-established podcast that’s been on the air for 8 years and counting. In fact, I was interviewed there about The Age of Influence. Target Internet offers some less-typical insights. For instance, SEO is a hot topic. Unfortunately, a lot of digital marketers don’t talk about it as much as we probably should. SEO is critical to having our material discovered through search engine activity. Often, we turn it over to SEO experts and let them take care of it. Target gives insights on DIY instead. Influencer marketing, consumer empathy, and the latest toys are all discussed. Generally, these episodes are published weekly and run anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes.
19. Duct Tape Marketing
Duct Tape Marketing is the name of an agency, book, and podcast all run by John Jantsch. His agency and marketing framework specializes in small businesses, so if you’re just starting out this is your kind of place. John has been doing this a long time, and there are over 500 podcast episodes to choose from.
Unsurprisingly for a small business-friendly agency, the podcast covers more than just the nuts and bolts of marketing. There are guests who share their expertise. John also talks about small business problems, such as when and how to outsource business processes. Marketing is one of those processes, of course, but there are also other opportunities for outsourcing. One of the classics is bookkeeping or payroll. In addition, there are several entrepreneurship lessons on offer. This podcast, therefore, is not only for the marketer but also the entrepreneur. Episodes run less than half an hour, making them easy for busy entrepreneurs to consume.
20. Social Pros Podcast
Sponsored by digital marketing agency Convince and Convert, the Social Pros podcast is an extremely popular program about social media marketing and the corporate practitioners who make things happen. It is hosted by two people: Jay Baer of Convince and Convert, and Adam Brown of Salesforce. Salesforce, of course, is a major marketing software player. However, neither Jay nor Adam make the podcast about themselves. Instead, they mostly listen to what others have to say. For instance, I appeared on the show to talk about pitfalls in influencer marketing shortly after publishing The Age of Influence.
What makes this podcast unique is that it has a very wide range of industries represented. For instance, they talk about the way in which Jet Blue has kept air rage to a minimum during the pandemic. In another episode, they tackle challenges that college students have met through the eyes of a college marketer. You’ll also find examples of corporate leadership telling their brand story on the podcast. Overall, this is a really neat program to check out, especially if you are a corporate marketer.
21. The Marketing Book Podcast
This one’s exactly what it sounds like: discussions about marketing books. Each week, podcast host Douglas Burdette interviews the author of a marketing book he thinks is worthwhile. While I haven’t appeared on this one, I think it’s a great place to go and find your next read. Douglas is the head of marketing agency Sales Artillery, which specializes in marketing services for manufacturers. Best of all he has a sense of humor, calling the COVID era podcasts “Authors in Quarantine.”
On a side note, if you’re reading all of this and wondering how to launch a podcast yourself, check out my step-by-step guide here:
What digital and social media marketing podcasts do you listen to regularly? Do you subscribe to any of the above podcasts? Drop me a line in the comments below.
Hero photo by ConvertKit on Unsplash
This was an excellent post on the best social media marketing podcasts. Your recommendations on the top podcasts for staying up-to-date on social media trends and strategies were well-researched and insightful. Podcasts are a great way to learn and stay informed on the latest industry news, and your post will be valuable to those looking to expand their knowledge in social media marketing.
Appreciate your stamp of approval Gary!
Hi Neal,
I am downloading episodes from podcasts on this list as I am typing this. I can’t wait to dive into some of these. Unfortunately, there isn’t enough time in the day to listen to all the podcasts I would like to listen to. But, with The Blogging Millionaire episodes being nice and short, I should get through 3-6 a day on my drive to work.
Thanks so much!
SharlaAnn
Hey SharlaAnn, yes, Blogging Millionaire episodes – together with the podcasting Q&A – are definitely the most digestible. Some podcasters record hour-long episodes, but I am with you in preferring shorter episodes, and even try to keep my own between 20 and 35 minutes or so – still long but shorter than many out there! I look forward to your feedback as you continue listening!