Podcast Summary: Chief Audience Officer Episode 222 | Why Nobody's Buying From Your Content (Simple Fix)

Episode Overview

In Episode 222 of Chief Audience Officer, host Kev Michael delves into a critical issue facing content creators and business owners: despite consistent content production, sales and audience engagement remain stagnant. The episode, titled "Why Nobody's Buying From Your Content (Simple Fix)", explores the underlying reasons why content fails to convert and provides actionable strategies to transform passive audiences into active buyers. Drawing from his extensive experience working with over 500 entrepreneurs and generating millions in revenue from his own podcast, Kev offers a comprehensive guide to refining Calls to Action (CTAs) to drive measurable business growth.

Key Sections

1. Identifying the Problem: Ineffective Calls to Action

Kev opens the episode by highlighting a common frustration among content creators: their efforts are not translating into sales or desired actions. He states:

"Nobody's clicking your links, nobody's downloading your lead magnet, nobody's booking your calls. And despite your best efforts, your long form content is basically a passive experience because nobody's buying your stuff."
[00:00]

Key Points:

• Passive audience experience leads to low conversion rates.
• The primary culprit is ineffective CTAs that fail to motivate action.

2. Envisioning Success: An Engaged Audience

Kev paints a picture of an ideal scenario where every new content piece results in immediate and desirable actions from the audience. He envisions:

"Imagine this. Every time you drop a new episode of your podcast or to your YouTube channel, your audience not only knows exactly what to do next, they want to do it."
[00:00]

Key Points:

• Clear and compelling CTAs can transform audience behavior.
• Engaged audiences actively participate by booking calls, registering for webinars, and downloading lead magnets.

3. Importance of Calls to Action (CTAs)

Kev emphasizes that CTAs are the bridge between content consumption and audience action. He identifies CTAs as the biggest gap between content creators who struggle to monetize and those who achieve consistent sales.

"The biggest gap between somebody who's publishing content and not making money and somebody who makes sales every time that they publish content is the CTA's."
[00:00]

Key Points:

• Effective CTAs are crucial for converting passive audiences into buyers.
• Properly placed and well-crafted CTAs can significantly boost engagement and sales.

4. Optimal Timing for CTAs

Kev categorizes CTAs based on their placement within content, borrowing terminology from the podcasting world: pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll.

Types of CTAs:

• Pre-Roll CTA: Placed before the main content.

  "A pre roll call to action is when you make a call to action before the content even starts... People are going to turn off your show so freaking fast."
  [Transcript Snippet]

• Mid-Roll CTA: Placed in the middle of the content.

  "Ideally there is a mid roll CTA in every piece of long form content that I put out."
  [Timestamp Not Specified]

• Post-Roll CTA: Placed at the end of the content.

  "Post roll is when there's a call to action at the end of the episode after the content has finished..."
  [Transcript Snippet]

Key Points:

• Mid-Roll CTAs are the most effective, as they occur when audience retention is still high.
• Pre-Roll CTAs are generally ineffective and can lead to audience drop-off.
• Post-Roll CTAs are best reserved for engagement-related actions, as they reach fewer listeners/viewers.

5. Types of Calls to Action

Kev distinguishes between different types of CTAs based on their purpose and desired outcome:

• Engagement CTAs: Encourage audience interaction.

  "Engagement CTA is when you're asking them to do something to engage with you, like follow or like or subscribe or comment..."
  [Near the beginning]

• Offer CTAs: Directly related to business offerings, further divided into:

  • Product CTAs: Direct offers to purchase a product or service.

    "A direct offer is when there's no bones about it and you're just like, hey, I have this thing that you might want to buy."
    [Within Offer CTAs Explanation]

  • Lead Magnet CTAs: Indirect offers providing free value in exchange for contact information.

    "An indirect CTA is when you offer some information, or it might entertain people before it makes the offer..."
    [Within Offer CTAs Explanation]

Key Points:

• Engagement CTAs include actions like commenting, subscribing, or sharing.
• Product CTAs focus on driving sales or conversions.
• Lead Magnet CTAs aim to grow the email list or further engage the audience with valuable freebies.

6. Crafting Irresistible Calls to Action

Kev introduces the Pain Vision Solution (PVS) framework, a powerful copywriting technique to create compelling CTAs.

PVS Framework:

1. Pain: Identify and articulate the audience's current pain point.
2. Vision: Paint a picture of the improved future without the pain.
3. Solution: Present the CTA as the solution to achieve that vision.

"The action, that singular verb that you picked earlier is the solution. So what I'm gonna do now is I'm gonna walk you through Pain Vision Solution for a lead magnet of mine."
[Throughout the Framework Explanation]

Example for Lead Magnet:

• Pain: "Have you been publishing podcast episodes for months, maybe even years, and your audience hasn't grown at all?"

  [Pain]

• Vision: "What if instead you knew exactly why your podcast wasn't growing and you knew exactly what to do to get it growing again?"

  [Vision]

• Solution: "That's exactly why I created the 12 Days of Podcast Growth solution... sign up to get the course in your inbox by going to 12daysofpodcastgrowth.com."

  [Solution]

Key Points:

• CTAs should focus on the next actionable step, not the final sale.
• Use clear, singular verbs to define the desired action (e.g., sign up, register, book).
• Structure CTAs to guide the audience seamlessly into their next engagement step.

7. Six Rapid Fire Pro Tips for Effective CTAs

Kev concludes the episode with six actionable tips to enhance CTA effectiveness:

1. Choose Desirable Actions:

   "Make your CTA something that they actually want to do... what they do want is what will happen after they buy your stuff."
   [Pro Tip 1]

2. Simplify the Process:

   "Make it really easy for them to do the thing... big old link that says, book a call with Kevin here."
   [Pro Tip 2]

3. Understand Audience Behavior:

   "If you're afraid, look at your completion rates and see that nobody cares."
   [Pro Tip 3]

4. Frame as an Invitation:

   "Frame it as an invitation rather than a command or a demand."
   [Pro Tip 4]

5. Highlight Immediate Benefits:

   "Make it clear what immediate benefit they will get for doing the thing."
   [Pro Tip 5]

6. Leverage Skip Behavior:

   "People often skip CTAs... make your CTA one minute and seven seconds so that they skip... and then on the one minute mark, it lands on the call to action."
   [Bonus Pro Tip]

Key Points:

• Ensure CTAs align with what the audience finds valuable.
• Remove friction from the process to increase conversions.
• Personalize CTAs as invitations to foster a welcoming tone.
• Clearly communicate the immediate value or benefit of taking the action.
• Utilize audience behaviors, like skip buttons, to strategically place CTAs for maximum impact.

8. Practical Application and Final Thoughts

Kev encourages listeners to evaluate their current CTAs by reflecting on their last attempt:

"Think about the last call to action that you made in your long form... did you make one? Was it mid roll? If not, fix that."
[Final Instructions]

He reiterates the importance of a singular, well-placed CTA and the use of the PVS framework to enhance effectiveness. Kev wraps up by inviting feedback and reinforcing his role as the Chief Audience Officer, dedicated to helping listeners transform their content strategies into tangible business growth.

"If you enjoyed this episode and you got value from it, please leave a comment... these aren't rules. These are guidelines."
[Conclusion]

Key Points:

• Continuous evaluation and refinement of CTAs are essential.
• Utilizing frameworks like PVS can streamline the CTA creation process.
• Engaging with the audience through feedback fosters community and trust.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• "Nobody's clicking your links, nobody's downloading your lead magnet, nobody's booking your calls."
  [00:00]

• "The biggest gap between somebody who's publishing content and not making money and somebody who makes sales every time that they publish content is the CTA's."
  [00:00]

• "If you take away the mid roll CTAs, you take away the action."
  [Mid-Roll CTA Discussion]

• "Select one action. It is call to action, not Calls to actions."
  [Crafting CTAs Section]

• "Frame it as an invitation rather than a command or a demand."
  [Pro Tip 4]

• "The action needs to be one singular verb."
  [Crafting CTAs Section]

Conclusion

Episode 222 of Chief Audience Officer serves as a vital resource for business owners and content creators struggling to convert their audiences into buyers. Through a deep dive into the mechanics of effective CTAs, Kev Michael provides listeners with the tools and insights necessary to bridge the gap between content consumption and actionable business growth. By implementing the strategies discussed—particularly the Pain Vision Solution framework and the six pro tips—audience members can transform their content ecosystems into dynamic, revenue-generating platforms.