Podcast marketing : 1 unique opportunity for Brands and content creators

The emergence of the podcast and a case for podcast marketing

As we emerge from the tumultuous years of the pandemic, it is evident how the whole experience has isolated people from human contact. A life that drove us further and deeper into the digital working world with Zoom, Google Meet has emerged. The consumption of information and learning has changed too. Youtube shorts and Instagram reels have taken over, and time spent on social media is replacing fundamental social interactions. During this phase, when we almost thought radio was history, podcasts started coming to the fore. 

The online audio model has taken off a big way and started finding more takers than ever imagined. According to KPMG’s Media and Entertainment Report 2020, India’s podcast consumption increased by 29.3 percent in the first year of the pandemic. A recent article on inc42 says India’s podcast landscape comprises more than 40 multilingual podcast companies across various languages and genres. That is nothing but a strong foundation for the times to come. 

Towards the end of 2021, Spotify started allowing podcast creators to charge podcasts and the best part – all podcast publishers can use it, irrespective of their target audience. Content creators can create their subscription offers, though there are restrictions. Apple Podcasts which has been more popular, allows publishers to distribute their content via the listening platform via subscription. 

So, why do people listen to podcasts? 

You will be surprised that statistics show that 74% of listeners aim to learn new things. While entertainment is high on the agenda, the need for inspiration seems to be driving many successful entrepreneurial podcasts.

The podcast is like radio which one can listen to while multi-tasking. No stress, no watching the screen and stressing your eyes, and you get to directly hear from the subject matter experts. Add to that a low bandwidth connection won’t be a worry, and storage space is ohh so low compared to a video; the battery lasts longer too.

What does the future hold for podcasting and podcast marketing? 

It’s an upcoming medium that has established itself in the west. There’s podcast advertising and sponsorships too. Unique opportunities for brand and to find a high share of voice and a unique opportunity to associate with media properties where you will find many influencers and celebrities. 

These top podcasts on the apple podcast platform (compiled by chartable) have a story to tell. 

• Finshots Daily
• The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett
• Planet Money
• Ankur Warikoo’s – Woice with Warikoo Podcast
• Farnam Street – The Knowledge Project with Shane Parrish
• Mani Vaya – 2000 Books for Ambitious Entrepreneurs – Author Interviews and Book Summaries
• Stanford GSB – Think Fast, Talk Smart: Communication Techniques
• Bankless
• The Tim Ferriss Show
• Wondery – Business Wars

Amazon Music bought Wondery in 2020 in a deal reportedly worth a whopping 300 million dollars. Why would a behemoth like amazon want to buy a podcast publisher? Because they realise the opportunity that the medium presents to bring more and more digital users into their fold and the revenue possibilities when podcast marketing takes off. 

What am I driving at? The opportunity, of course. The opportunities are immense for both advertisers and content creators. And there is a massive opportunity for brands to join hands with content creators and gather marketing mileage before the space gets too crowded. 

How to start with podcast marketing? I have listed a step-by-step plan too, but I suggest you don’t skip the below key pointers. 

• podcasting marketing plans needs its space in your plsn

A podcast series is justified when you have increased reach; one way to carry out the plan is to put on a show that stands out. And this requires resources. 

• How much value can your podcast add?

The show must break through the noise and be worth the listener’s time. Content curation is at the heart of a successful podcast. Imagine that for 30 minutes. Resources remember. 

• Content marketing strategy for the podcast

A podcast plan needs a strategy that connects the shows to the company’s strategies, and the users need to generate the most value for both sides. You will struggle to gain attention if no one takes the time to strategise the podcast and its marketing. Things to consider, 

• Format of Podcast 
• Length of Podcast Episodes
• Schedule of episodes and deadlines
• Podcast writers
• Speakers and guests 

How to Start a Podcast?

• At the heart of the podcast is the subject and the topic
• A witty poky podcast can get things going faster
• The Podcast Format plays an important role
• Setting the tone with creatives and music 
• Podcasting hardware and software
• Choose Podcast Hosting Service
• Create a podcast content calendar
• Record Your Podcast Episodes and 
• Let the World Know

What hardware and software are required to start a podcast?

• A computer or a laptop
• A good microphone
• Software for recording and editing podcast
• Noise-cancelling headphones
• Podcast background music &
• A soundproof recording room

When a study is put out by none other than Comscore, you listen. A Comscore report says podcast ads are considered to be the least intrusive form of digital advertising. Spotify research says 52% of podcast listeners trust advertising more if the podcast host endorses the brand. 

Sure. Let’s talk about some more metrics. Everyone loves data. So what’s the status of data for podcast marketing?

Today the medium is on a growth path, and podcast providers don’t give you a ton of data, so the early measure of success is download numbers. But that’s changing, and given the pace of tech updates and upgrades, data will also drive advertising and content creation for Podcasting. Apple Podcasts, for example, shows stats like unique listeners of each episode and the extent to which they listened to an episode.

But as an advertiser, you have a host of options to get the brand heard, like pre-roll, mid-roll, post-roll mentions and more. There’s more to talk about on the podcast monitoring and analysis. Coming soon, that is :-). 

How do you reinforce Brand Strategy with Podcasting? Podcast sponsorship or Podcast advertising, what is best?  

Well, simply put, every brand is in the business of storytelling. Today storytelling is going places with the formats on offer. And not just that, the unique on-demand availability of content makes it lucrative for the end consumer and presents a never-before opportunity for the marketer. 

Given the above, every digital marketing professional must explore podcast marketing as part of an overall content marketing strategy for long-term branding and short-term tactical marketing.