Audio marketing makes a comeback. Today, it is clothed in a new medium—podcasts. More than ever, customers are listening to podcasts as they perform various mundane activities, whether at home or outdoors. With this, marketers are starting to use podcasts to drive business growth, reach their customers, and expand their platform.
What is a Podcast?
A podcast is a set of digital audio files that are accessible on the Internet either for present or future consumption. To make this possible, users have to subscribe to the podcast to receive alerts and notifications when digital files have recently been uploaded.
If people were to describe a podcast, it’s like a talk radio show on which listeners can download and listen anytime of the day. Instead of having to catch the live broadcast, listeners can simply enjoy the freedom of listening to the talk wherever and whenever they want.
The latest podcast stats have reported that podcast consumption has risen steadily over the past few years. Today, more people are falling in love with this entertainment and educational medium.
Because of this, the format has become a powerful marketing strategy in which customers can subscribe, download, and communicate with fellow audiences. These audio shows are a tool for brands and businesses alike to create a story that would resonate and bring value to their customers by using their products or services.
The Relevance of Podcast Marketing in Today’s Global Market
Marketing strategies are continuously evolving to cater the changing demands of various audiences due to emerging trends. With this, marketers and businesses alike must keep up to stay afloat and relevant in this highly competitive market.
With various facets of businesses transforming daily, brands have to adjust their practices and create new ones to seize growth opportunities, boost brand awareness, increase conversions, and secure the return on investments.
Nowadays, it seems that marketing strategies are centered more on presenting visuals to the general public. From advertisements to content creation, customers are bombarded with various kinds of information of products and service offerings.
However, by using audio marketing tools like podcasts, your business may be able to break through the noise and allow your target audience to enter into the listening experience. Likewise, by creating a story, you may offer your customers a unique invitation to learn about your business and effectively market your eCommerce brand.
Definitely, social media posts, newsletters, SMS, and videos are all great channels to promote brand awareness and reach potential customers. Nonetheless, podcasts are more intimate, show your company’s personality and at the same time, bring out a personal touch to any marketing campaign.
Reasons to Consider Podcast Marketing Strategies
- Less Competition
- Mobile-Friendly Medium
- Great Addition to Your Marketing Campaigns
- Fosters Customer Engagement and Loyalty
- Convenient Format
- Establishes Brand Authority
- Platform For Collaborations
As businesses and brands flock to wherever their target customers are gathering, there has been an increased use of podcasts as a marketing tool. Despite its benefits, many businesses are still in doubt whether or not to try and integrate podcast marketing into their overall campaign.
If you’re one of those marketers, we’re here to change your mind. Below are seven notable reasons why you should consider podcast marketing strategies in your business.
1. Less Competition
Regardless of the services and products you’re offering, competition will always be there. Take note that people might not choose you over the others until they recognize the value of your business. For this reason, instead of focusing your marketing strategy entirely on improving your deals and offers, you should take into account the new avenues available in the marketing sphere.
In podcasts, competition among other businesses is still scarce. With numerous potential listeners, there might only be a handful of podcasts that tackles subjects relevant to your business. Hence, it might be great to maximize the platform before more brands would join the bandwagon.
Know that a lot of digital marketers have achieved their objectives by integrating a platform with high engagement rates and low competition. Currently, this is what podcasts offer in comparison to other marketing campaigns. If you’re running a small company or have recently started a new business, podcasting can help you stand out and compete against industry giants.
2. Mobile-Friendly Medium
The growing usage of smartphones has compelled business owners to shift their marketing campaigns from accustomed practices to mobile-friendly mediums that’ll appeal to their smartphone customers and users. One of these platforms is podcast marketing.
This is particularly true as audiences have started to listen to podcasts on their phones. This factor has also contributed to the rising popularity of podcast marketing compared to other marketing strategies. As consumers increasingly opt to enjoy content via their mobile devices, adopting mobile-friendly content is a necessity for each business.
3. Great Addition to Your Marketing Campaigns
Podcast marketing integrates well with your other digital marketing efforts. It allows you to publish content consistently without maximum effort.
For instance, your show can be used and transcribed into material that you can post on other platforms. You can maximize this for your email newsletter or even your Facebook posts to reach more customers, provide different content channels, and invite them to head on to the origin of the material—your podcast program.
Alternatively, you may also convert your blog content to podcast material which you can expand into episodes and upload on your program. Through this, you may be able to accommodate various customer preferences while at the same time, engage and answer queries from different platforms.
In addition, podcasts usually run for approximately 20 minutes or so. To maximize this short amount of time, make sure that your content is insightful, fun, and appealing. This is to keep your audience entertained and ultimately, hold their attention for longer.
Furthermore, when you have your listener’s attention throughout this limited time, you may be able to establish rapport and inspire them to keep coming back.
4. Fosters Customer Engagement and Loyalty
As mentioned, podcasts are easier to consume by people who are almost always on the go either for work or play. With this feature, podcasts may become effective avenues to build customer rapport and encourage them to get involved beyond passive consumption.
For instance, you can invite your audience to join in the dialogue and connect with them. Through this, you may be able to collect listener insights and suggestions which you can use as potential subjects for your next program or episode.
Also, you can allow your listeners to send in their questions, choose one from them, and create a script for your next show. Aside from simply answering one of the questions, you’ll also know the concerns of your target customers and perhaps, come up with a product that could address this common concern. Ultimately, this allows you to secure a new content idea for your upcoming show. Totally a win-win situation!
Alternatively, if you want to mix it up a bit, you could also have episodes where you don’t have a rigid script to follow. Some listeners often take delight in conversational, natural, and light podcast entries compared to the usual, perfectly laid flow.
If your podcast airs on particular days, listeners will get used to the schedule and have it fixed on their routine. They’ll start to expect and anticipate the premiere of your shows. Later on, when the podcast is over, your audiences may tend to visit your other social channels to continue the conversation from the episode, interact with fellow listeners, and possibly invite their friends to join in the trend.
Although podcasting initially gathers a small audience compared to video and social media, there’s no need to worry. This number can be your baseline as your audience grows over time. Starting with a small number allows you to leave a greater influence while at the same time, interact more deeply with your listeners. This may then make your content feel more like an interactive experience, rather than simply listening to audio.
5. Convenient Format
Convenience is one notable factor behind the impressive, increasing popularity of podcasts. This format might not be something new to the landscape of marketing. However, its features are considered quite appealing to a lot of audiences.
For instance, in a generation that’s almost always down for multitasking, podcasts are such a perfect way to keep people busy while doing something otherwise mundane. On the other hand, if the majority of your target audience is comprised of busy professionals, podcasts might be the most suitable way to squeeze in your product offerings to their hectic lifestyles.
Moreover, another reason why you must consider podcast marketing is that audio files are easier to stream compared to video content. It takes less effort to download and store a podcast episode on one’s phone. With this, regardless of your customer’s phone data storage or their Internet speed, they may be able to enjoy your audio content whenever, wherever.
As a marketer, podcasts may be one of the platforms to expound your offerings comprehensively compared to an expensive, video advertisement. Also, for business owners who are quite intimidated to be in front of the camera, podcasts are brilliant tools in which you can still showcase your brand and establish your credibility more confidently.
6. Establishes Brand Authority
For digital influencers and business leaders, establishing brand authority is a crucial way to allow your customers to acknowledge you as an expert on your chosen niche and start to trust the quality of your offerings.
Through podcasts, you may be able to clarify the intention of your business by discussing the purpose behind creating it and how your products can help improve the lives of your customers. This is also a practical move, especially if you’re still trying to grow and express your brand voice.
Furthermore, it’s a form of marketing that allows your target audience to get to know you—the owner behind the brand. Typically, customers are eager to hear out the person behind the company. For this reason, if you believe that you have the wisdom to share with your audience, then you should maximize the rising popularity of podcasts. Then, when it’s time to discuss your business offerings, listeners may get interested to listen as it no longer sounds like you’re placing an ad (although you actually are).
7. Platform For Collaborations
You can use podcasts to meet up and collaborate with brand endorsers or even with professionals who are prominent in the same niche. Rather than paying them to produce a blog post for you, you could simply invite them on your podcast and have a conversation about your business. This can be a fun way to mix up your program and accommodate new ideas and future partnerships.
In addition, if your guest is someone influential, your customers might get excited for your next podcast premiere. At the same time, this may allow you to exchange insights and gain relevant lessons that can help enhance your marketing campaigns.
Final Thoughts
Podcast marketing is such an excellent way to elevate your campaigns and promote your business to your audience. Nonetheless, know that podcasting alone must not be a substitute to your other marketing mediums. Podcasts may be used to complement your other strategies, not entirely replace them.
Similar to other marketing trends, the popularity of podcasts might decline over time. Hence, it’s best to just take advantage of it to attract attention, develop brand identity, and grow your return on investments.
See also: Best Marketing Podcasts 2021
