Why Iowa Brands Need a Podcast in 2025
Even if you’re a locally focused business, do you need a podcast in 2025? Yes, you do, and Greater Des Moines (DSM) business owners are no exception. On Tuesday, May 20, 2025 at 8 a.m., I’m hosting a free Iowa Business Podcast Workshop to get you up to speed, but let’s back up. Why do you need a podcast or consistent content to begin with?
Nearly 10 years after my first podcast, I’ve interviewed the founders of Starbucks, Hint and Ancestry.com, and worked with some of the biggest brands on Earth on their own shows and PR strategies. As a lifelong Iowan, I started The Iowa Podcast to fulfill a local craving for local Iowa news. In just a few years, we have grown to reach more than 40,000 Iowans each month and added other hosts to our monthly recording schedule.
Best of all, the model is replicable for small and midsize business (SMBs) and solo business owners.
A podcast is the relational extension of your online brand, enabling authentic connection to your customers. Even a small show with 40 subscribers can drive results for 2025.
Four Reasons to Start a Podcast This Year
Podcasts do well in search engines and AI.
ChatGPT and Grok 3 are steadily encroaching on Google’s search dominance due to quicker, more precise and streamlined responses. AI thrives on original, fresh, relevant material and is savvy enough to spot recycled fluff. And podcasts are a great platform to feed it. With these AI-search tools now providing source citations and direct links, feeding it quality content means it’ll return the favor. Consider a single standout podcast can spawn several unique blog posts, numerous Instagram Reels and YouTube shorts and the full show can be uploaded to X. Since podcasts are original — not just cut-and-paste-SEO-junk — your odds of AI driving traffic your way go up.
Podcasts attract humans. That matters.
As more people turn to AI-driven search for answers, overall site traffic will decline as fewer non-tribe members visit. However, this shift means visitor quality improves, making rapid relationship-building essential. A podcast — especially with video — accelerates that connection. Forget chasing 10,000 subscribers; instead, view your podcast as an authentic extension of your website and personal brand. In an era of synthetic, AI-generated content, doubling down on real human connection is a winning strategy. Authenticity is 2025’s competitive edge, according to Allison Braley of Bain Capital Ventures.
Video headlines are the new digital edge.
As SEO fades in importance and competition intensifies, how do you scale relationships? Iowa-based digital marketing expert Ryan Doser says the answer is short-form video. Today, marketers and founders must think in headlines. Video headlines are the new H1. (Go ask a web person.)
YouTuber Mike Russell reinforced this point in a discussion with me last year. Before recording a video, he plans the headline and thumbnail first! The more unique, high-quality video you create, the more discoverable your brand becomes to fellow Iowans. And podcasts? They’re a content goldmine for generating standout video material.
Getting started with an Iowa-focused podcast
You don’t need a fancy radio station studio — just a quiet space, about $250 of tech and free software like Audacity. The key? Commit to a reasonable pace, stay authentic and obsess over information your ideal audience cares about. Iowa is a tight community, so podcasts aren’t just a marketing tool here — they are a powerful way to strengthen connections.
As competition intensifies in 2025, a podcast builds trust, sets you apart and creates lasting impact — an edge in DSM’s evolving market. I’ve worked with some of the biggest brands in the world on their shows, and I’m 100% confident in telling you, your authentic approach can eat their lunch.
Join me for the free Iowa Business Podcast Workshop on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 at 8 a.m. Sign up for free here.
The Greater Des Moines Partnership celebrates the Greater Des Moines (DSM) entrepreneur community and helps small businesses succeed with one-of-a-kind resources and opportunities for networking. Find out how other entrepreneurs have found success by reading their stories and attending local small business events in the region.