From ears to awareness: the growing popularity of brand podcasting
If you’ve listened to a podcast in the last year, you’re not alone. Right now, there are at least 464.7 million podcast listeners worldwide with 28% of the U.S. population listening to podcasts weekly. Brands are taking notice of this widespread popularity. From Trader Joe’s to American Express, companies large and small have launched podcasts to capture the attention of audiences old and new.
“Podcasting gives brands the opportunity to speak to a captive audience for a dedicated period of time,” says Sophia Alfieri, host of the agency podcast What’s the Big Idea? and Senior Social Media Specialist. “It’s great for establishing brand authority and is proven to drive brand awareness over other media channels.”
This growing medium meets customers where they are and moves them through the marketing funnel. In fact, 69% of podcast listeners agreed that listening made them aware of a new product or service. If you’re ready to get yours started, here are a few things to think about.
Considerations for your branded podcast
- Assess your brand’s mission and goals and how your podcast can amplify them. “Before you hit record, know what you want out of your podcast,” says agency podcast producer and Senior Content Director Amanda Driscoll, “This helps set clear KPIs so you can optimize as you go.”
- Studies show that consumers are open to advertising if branded content provides a compelling narrative, a great interview, or helpful tips. So, build a content strategy that is relevant to your audience.
- Don’t have an in-house podcast production operation? Find a production partner who knows the space, has experience in the medium, and the skills to get your message across. Agency podcast editor Allison Butler says, “Thoughtful editing is critical to provide a seamless listening experience.”
- The customer journey rarely stops at the end of each episode. Podcasts have a full funnel impact from consideration to brand affinity. Design a distribution plan built on analytics to reach the right ears and successfully promote your brand.
If you’re ready to start a branded podcast of your own, Adams & Knight can help. Record in our state-of-the-art sound studio and work with our team of experts. Listen to our in-house team dive deeper into this topic on What’s the Big Idea about Podcasting? and reach out to learn how we can help leverage podcasting opportunities for your brand.
