Schools
and nonprofits already have something worth sharing.
It might be a conversation with a teacher, a student success story, an upcoming community program, a fundraising update or a discussion about an issue that matters to the people you serve.
The challenge is getting that message in front of the right people.
Podcasting gives schools and nonprofits another way to share their story. With audio and video, organizations can turn conversations, presentations and stories into content people can listen to or watch wherever they are.
Your Organization Already Has Stories to Tell
Starting a podcast doesn’t necessarily mean creating a completely new content strategy.
Think about the conversations your organization is already having.
You could turn these into podcast episodes:
- Interviews with teachers, staff or community leaders
- Student stories and accomplishments
- Educational presentations and lectures
- Webinars and workshops
- Conversations with volunteers or donors
- Community events and programs
- Fundraising stories and updates
- Discussions about your organization’s mission
- Q&A sessions with experts
The content is often already there. Podcasting gives you another way to share it.
Podcasts Can Make Education More Accessible
Schools have a constant stream of knowledge and conversations happening every day.
A podcast can help take that knowledge beyond the classroom.
A teacher could discuss a topic from a recent lesson. A school administrator could explain a new program to parents. A guest speaker could share expertise with students and the wider community.
And because podcasts can be listened to while commuting, exercising or doing other activities, people don’t necessarily need to be sitting in front of a computer to access the content.
Video can add another option for people who prefer to watch. Record a presentation, interview or discussion once, then make it available in formats that fit different audiences.
Nonprofits Have Stories Worth Sharing
For nonprofits, storytelling is often a major part of communicating with supporters.
A podcast can give your organization more space to tell those stories.
Instead of simply announcing that a program helped your community, you can talk about the people behind it. Bring in volunteers, staff members, community partners or the people your organization serves.
You can also use a podcast to explain the issues your organization works on and give your audience a better understanding of why that work matters.
These conversations can help supporters stay connected between events, campaigns and newsletters.
Give Your Community Another Way to Stay Connected
Not everyone follows an organization in the same way.
Some people read newsletters. Others follow social media. Some prefer video, while others listen to podcasts during their day.
Creating audio and video content gives your community another way to hear from you.
Your podcast could become a regular place for updates, conversations and educational content. It doesn’t have to replace the channels you already use. It can work alongside them.
A new episode can become a social media post, a newsletter feature or a video clip. One conversation can give you content for several channels.
You Don’t Need to Start From Zero
One of the easiest ways for a school or nonprofit to begin podcasting is to look at content you already have.
Have a recorded webinar? It could become a podcast episode.
Have a regular speaker series? Record the conversations and publish them.
Have staff members who regularly answer questions from your community? Turn those conversations into a podcast.
Have an annual event with interesting speakers? Consider recording sessions that could continue reaching people after the event ends.
The goal isn’t to create more work just for the sake of creating content. It’s to get more value from the work your organization is already doing.
Audio and Video Can Work Together
You don’t necessarily have to choose between a podcast and video.
If you’re already recording interviews, presentations or conversations on video, you can use that content in multiple ways.
Publish the video for people who want to watch. Make the audio available as a podcast for people who prefer to listen.
This can help you reach people in different situations without requiring your organization to create two completely separate pieces of content.
Build a Podcast Around Your Mission
The strongest organizational podcasts usually have a clear reason for existing.
For a school, that might mean educating families, highlighting student achievements or sharing conversations about education.
For a nonprofit, it could mean raising awareness, educating supporters, sharing community stories or giving people a closer look at the organization’s work.
Start with your audience and your mission.
What do you want people to learn, understand or take away after listening?
That question can help shape your topics, guests and format.
Start Small and Build From There
You don’t need to publish every day.
Start with a format your organization can realistically maintain. That might be one episode every two weeks or one episode a month.
Focus on having useful conversations and creating something your audience will want to come back to.
As you learn what people respond to, you can adjust your topics, format and publishing schedule.
Podcasting doesn’t have to be another complicated project on your organization’s list. It can be a simple way to make the content, knowledge and stories you already have available to more people.
Podcast With a Purpose
Schools and nonprofits have communities to educate, stories to tell and people to connect with.
Podcasting gives those organizations another way to do it.
Whether you’re sharing a classroom conversation, interviewing a community leader, explaining your mission or telling the story behind a program, audio and video can help your message travel further.
You don’t need to start with a huge production.
Start with a conversation worth having, a story worth sharing and a reason for your audience to listen.
Blubrry has a long history of providing reliable podcasting solutions for educational institutions, nonprofits, churches and government organizations, including those navigating limited budgets, privacy requirements and other organizational needs.
If you’re ready to start your podcast, explore Blubrry’s podcast hosting plans and find the option that fits how you want to publish.
