Podcasts: the latest gem in the hands of marketers and advertisers
Podcasts are the latest tool in the hands of digital marketers.
Even though this form of content has been around for a while – it has its roots back in the 80s – it only started to catch marketers’ attention in the last years, due to its massive growth.
The surge in the demand for podcasts has led marketing experts and advertisers to rethink their strategies to include this engaging, fast-growing form of content.
But why should you include podcasts in your marketing strategy?
At Getfluence, we selected the latest stats and information to keep you updated on the podcast market and the benefit your business may get from this powerful tool.
Here’s all you need to know.
The benefits of using podcasts in your marketing strategy: what the numbers say
At the roots of the massive growth and success of the podcasts market stand the numerous benefits that this format can offer to your business.
From a broader reach to a low, competitive cost of production – the advantages of including a podcast in your marketing strategies seem to be unbelievable.
But is all the hype really worth it?
Here are the most relevant ways in which podcasts can benefit your business marketing strategy:
They can be listened to while multitasking
People will always have time to listen to their favorite podcasts.
The podcast format – along with its bite-sized length – makes it possible for listeners to access content on a daily basis, while doing everyday life activities.
As for today, a recent study has shown that 49% of podcast listening takes place at home, while 22% happens when driving, 11% at work, and 8% when exercising.
Podcasts are perfect for busy daily routines and they allow you to engage your target audience on a consistent, daily basis.
They help you reach your target audience
Whether you’re partnering with a podcast producer or starting your own podcast, you will be able to expand your reach.
In fact, one of the greatest perks of podcasts is that they can be easily searched by topics and therefore be found by people that are likely to be interested in what you offer.
This way, your business can focus on creating content that will appeal to your target public and use it to reach a larger audience.
They are less expensive and time-consuming than videos
Podcasts are way easier to produce than videos.
Among the most relevant benefits of using podcasts in your marketing strategy, you should remember that they require less time, money, and workforce than other formats of content.
For instance, while a high-quality video requires a significant upfront cost, it only takes you a good-quality microphone and headphones to record a podcast, along with the right producer.
When done right, podcasts can therefore be used as a tool to promote your business with staggering returns on investments.
They have a positive influence on your SEO game
Your website’s SEO may benefit from the use of podcasts.
Why?
There are plenty of reasons behind that.
First of all, podcasts can appear as rich results in Google’s SERPs.
This allows your website to differentiate from the other results and to benefit from larger organic traffic.
In addition to that, pitching yourself in a podcast can help you develop backlinks pointing toward your website.
For instance, the website on which the podcast is hosted may link to their guests’ websites from the post of that episode.
The guests – and, sometimes, their fans – can then share the content on their social media profiles, making it possible for it to have a wider reach.
The result is that you can build backlinks for your website both by creating your own podcast or being featured as a guest of other podcast producers.
They offer a large variety of formats
Podcasts offer an endless variety of options.
This allows you to keep your audience engaged through long periods of time, with different forms of content that they may enjoy without getting bored.
Here are some of the most popular podcasts formats in 2022:
- The interview
The “interview” format podcasts feature a host and a guest.
The invited person can then bring their unique experience and expertise, which should provide users with interesting and engaging content.
- The co-hosted or “conversational” format
Co-hosted podcasts differ from interviews as they feature two hosts that talk together, somewhat similarly to what they would do in a normal conversation.
Usually, the two hosts have different roles assigned to each other.
For instance, one of them may read the news, while the other can make playful or satirical commentary on the topic. - The solo/monologue
The solo or monologue is among the most popular forms of podcasts.
It is often chosen for its low setup requirements, as it only takes a speaker and some decent audio means to be crafted. - The panel
The panel format is somewhat similar to interview podcasts, but it features more than just one guest.
This way, listeners can feel like they are part of a real-life conversation between friends and better dip into the experience. - Real-life stories
Real-life stories provide insights about events or stories from around the world.
You can pick inspiring stories that you want to be associated with your brand, and use them to create a remarkable memory in the minds of your listeners. - Fictional stories
The biggest benefit of fictional stories is that they are completely manageable according to what your business needs.
Try to build up a story that can associate your business with its values, or have a producer tailor it for you.
It takes a good storyteller and significant preparation, but the results may really be worth the effort!
How to implement podcasts in your marketing strategy
There are several ways you can include podcasts in your marketing strategy.
You can combine multiple aspects to find the solution that better fits your needs – mixing up the right format, length, tone of voice, and producer.
Here are some tips on how to implement podcasts in your marketing strategy:
Collaborate with producers your audience loves
You can create a podcast or your own, but it may get expensive and time-consuming to keep a high-quality podcast running for a long-time.
Instead, you can search for the podcast producers your public loves the most and build a collaboration with them.
Not only this is a great means to expand your reach – it allows you to build a genuine connection between your brand and your ideal public.
So, how can you create a positive relationship with your audience that is gonna last through time?
Well, this leads to our last, final tips on how to use podcasts for your marketing strategy…
Use podcasts as a form of sponsored content to improve your brand positioning
Among the biggest strengths of podcasts is the fact they can be used as a form of sponsored content.
Unlike traditional ads, sponsored content focuses on building a relationship with your customers, by providing them with content that associates your brand with its core values.
For instance, you can have the founder of your business participate in a podcast relevant to your audience and talk about your brand’s values and story.
This will go beyond just having one of your products or services mentioned in a podcast – it will allow you to shape the public perception of your business.
But the benefits don’t end here.
Using podcasts as sponsored content can have a positive impact on the trust people have in your brand, creating a feeling of authenticity.
Your overall brand positioning will benefit from this and you will be able to create a positive association in the mind of your audience, which may last weeks or even months.
Learn more about the benefits of sponsored content now with Getfluence.
Most asked questions about podcasts for marketing
What is a podcast?
A podcast is a digital audio recording that can be listened to or downloaded from a website or media player. Usually, podcasts are part of a themed series and they feature a host along with one or more guests that have relevant experience on the subject of the episode.
Why do podcasts matter to marketing?
Podcasts are becoming increasingly important for marketers as they are a growing means to reach new audiences on a frequent, daily basis. Along with that, they are usually less expensive and time-consuming than videos, so they don’t need huge upfront investments.
How can podcasts be used for marketing?
The best way to introduce podcasts in a marketing strategy is to use them as sponsored content, to raise awareness among your target audience and enhance your brand positioning. You can easily manage your sponsored content campaigns with tools like Getfluence.