Twenty-first century radio is podcasts, and they’re taking over the world. Every person has the opportunity to choose the most suitable shows from 4 million podcasts. In an average week, the average user accesses eight podcasts.Podcasters generate content in the form of recorded broadcasts. Most often, only the audio track is saved, but there is also YouTube podcasting, where the audio goes with the video. Narrative format can be anything: a monologue or a dialogue, an interview, or a discussion. Podcast topics are chosen based on the preferences of the narrator: there are talks about finance, politics, social and cultural values, and even playing on popular platforms, like Vave or Steam
In terms of marketing, this is a native method of attracting an audience. In spite of the apparent unsuitability of the tool for promotion purposes, there are a lot of options for using podcasts in marketing.
What Is a Podcast
A podcast is a recording of a broadcast available for listening on one of the platforms. Podcasting is the process of creating and promoting podcasts, and the people who do it are called podcasters.
Listeners like historical podcasts, sports topics, and thoughts on beauty and health. Each individual episode can be about a different topic, or the same topic, or a specific topic is stated for the season.
Podcasts are becoming more and more popular, as a huge number of people have appreciated the advantages of listening to the material of interest in a recording. There is no need to “stare” at the screen, to be tied to the time of the online broadcast, to consider your geographical position, to find the right device to watch and to free up a significant amount of personal time to listen to the whole material.
Modern platforms that host podcasts allow you to pause playback, transfer usage to the mobile version, even download the file and listen to the podcast in places without Internet access.
How Marketers Use Podcasts
First, we recommend that everyone involved in the world of advertising check out useful marketing podcasts for fresh ideas and self-education.
Second, use podcasts in your professional work for:
- Expand your target audience. People choose podcasts based on their interests or recommendations. As they listen to the material of interest, they come across a mention of your company or product. That’s how listeners get to know you and then, for whatever reason, go to your site and become leads.
- Increase customer loyalty. Podcasts humanize the brand. It’s an informal way to communicate with your audience that’s quite accommodating. Add “live” stories from employees, and reveal the inner workings of the company – it all plays to your loyalty’s advantage.
- Promote your brand or product. Separate issues are devoted to an overview of products, their features, options for use, or this information is mentioned in passing in related topics. Either way, native advertising is a strength of podcasts.
What Kinds of Podcasts Are Available
Podcasts on behalf of a company replace brand media. This type is used as an independent promotion mechanism or in addition to, for example, a regular blog. A company representative informs listeners about topics relevant to the business or clients. Topics for podcasting can be drawn from consumer feedback.
Partner podcasts are collaborative projects between companies on related topics. Note that partners should be chosen from experts in the field in question to ensure the podcast has significant weight and credibility. In this way you make a cross-pollination of audiences, expanding the number of followers with each of the organizers.
Sponsorship is based on a mutually beneficial relationship between the sponsor (the one who pays for the project) and the sponsored (who commits to regularly mentioning the sponsor in his or her speeches). Incredibly, it’s a fact that people are more loyal to advertising on podcasts. Either it hasn’t bothered our auditory receptors that much yet, or it’s less costly for the mind to endure it than to make unnecessary switching movements.
How to Promote Podcasts
The top rule of thumb for anyone involved in podcasting: new episodes should be released regularly. Then listeners will develop a lasting interest in the podcast, and they will look forward to the next episode. Set the frequency of your publications and stick to it strictly.
You can promote your podcast directly through the platform where it’s hosted. You will often see an algorithm that promotes new or the most interesting content at the top of the feed. Some platforms require you to pay to advertise your podcast, while others require you to make friends with the platform moderator. Study the rules of the platform and use all its features.
Additionally, a link to your podcast can appear on social networks. That way you’ll pull in another part of your audience. It will be great if subscribers want to share the broadcast or show any other activity in relation to it. In some cases, it’s advisable to resort to paid content promotion on social media platforms.
The media is still a highly effective source of advertising. Make new acquaintances and connections, talk to editors of publications. If your podcast catches the attention of media executives, they will tell people about you for free.