Whether you’re a startup or a global powerhouse, jumping on the podcast bandwagon is a smart move to increase your brand awareness, increase sales or subscriptions, and dig deeper into your target demographic.
The best part is that all of this has the potential to be achieved on a smaller budget than traditional advertising.
With the rapidly evolving podcast space and key trends reflecting changes in listening habits, now is a great time for you to use podcasting to grow. read this article for how to make a great podcast.
Key Takeaways
- 78% of people listen to podcasts that fit their specific niche and interests – make sure you know what your niche is and how to target listeners within that community.
- Podcast listeners are loyal, with 85% tuning in to multiple episodes of their favorite shows, giving you the opportunity to build long-term customers.
- Podcasts offer fantastic opportunities to vary content across channels. Use the most relevant platforms such as social media, YouTube or blog posts to further increase the reach of your ads or podcast.
The benefits of podcasts for brand awareness
Podcasts are growing rapidly in 2024, with predictions that there will be more than 500 million global podcast listeners by the end of the year.
These listeners engage in a variety of niche genres, from true crime to technology and entrepreneurship. If you’re looking for some basic tips on how to start your own podcast, read this.
1. Reach Niche Audiences Like Never Before
Podcasts are about everything niche. Whether it’s true crime, technology, health or business advice, listeners are loyal and engaged. This means you can now target specific groups interested in topics related to your brand.
For example, HubSpot’s “The Hustle Daily Show” taps into the startup and entrepreneur crowd with an in-depth look at daily business news and trends. HubSpot reported a significant increase in signups from small business owners who became aware of their brand through podcasting, making it a highly targeted and effective tool.
By sponsoring episodes or creating content that resonates with niche audiences, your brand instantly connects with relevant audiences.
2. Podcasts Build Trust and Authenticity
83% of listeners say they trust podcast hosts More than traditional advertising, brands partnering with trusted podcast personalities reinforces their authenticity. Listening to Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul podcast makes you feel like she’s sitting in the room with you, and I don’t know about you, but I’m going to believe anything she says.
Unlike traditional advertising, podcasts allow brands to create a more authentic and intimate connection. It has mastered this by partnering with high-profile podcasts like Squarespace The Tim Ferriss Show, contributing to the company’s annual revenue of $300 million.
Ferriss casually mentions his own experience using the product, which makes it feel like a genuine recommendation.
3. Podcasts Increase Brand Awareness and Branding
67% of listeners podcast ads increase their awareness of new products and services. Listeners listen while commuting, cooking or exercising, which means they stay invested and are less likely to miss ads – a win-win! This means that podcast listeners have the highest engagement rates in digital media.
Use BetterHelp, an online therapy platform. They constantly advertise on health and mental health podcasts. After investing heavily in podcast advertising, BetterHelp saw a 60% increase in listener sign-ups, and podcast advertising is now a significant part of their marketing strategy.
You can invest in AI-powered advertising platforms like Megaphone or programmatic ad buying to help get targeted ads in the ears of relevant audiences and get noticed.
4. Cost Effective Branding
Podcast ads and sponsorships can often be more cost-effective than other types of marketing, but still bring high ROI. However, podcast ad spending in the US is expected to rise 2.5 billion dollars by the end of 2024!
Brands like HelloFresh have created huge visibility by sponsoring podcasts ranging from food to lifestyle shows. Armchair Specialist.
By 2023, HelloFresh saw a 50% increase in subscriptions thanks to podcast sponsorships and significantly reduced cost per acquisition compared to other channels.
5. Creating Long Form Content for Deeper Engagement
Podcasts allow brands to delve deeper into a story through longer content. Instead of 30-second ads, you can have longer, meaningful conversations. This is where branded podcasts come in.
GE’s “Message” is a great example of a company producing their own narrative podcast, combining science fiction with real-world innovation. The show was so good that people didn’t even realize it was branded content. This raised awareness around GE’s technological thinking.
6. Cross Promotion Opportunities Are Everywhere
When a brand sponsors a podcast or even creates its own, it gets access to the podcast host’s social media. It’s a two-for-one deal, and who doesn’t love a deal?
Brands can repurpose their podcast content across multiple channels such as Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube and gain more exposure for their ads.
Check out Athletic Greens, a wellness company that often sponsors health-based podcasts The Joe Rogan Experience.
Not only do they shout on the podcast, but Joe Rogan’s 15 million followers also amplify his message through social and YouTube channels. Win-win!
7. Podcasts offer great information and analytics
Delivers powerful analytics as podcast platforms in 2024; downloads, listens and listener demographics. With tools like Megaphone or Spotify’s Ad Studio, companies can see what’s working and refine their messaging to improve performance.
Mailchimp used this data to optimize podcast ads to match specific audience behaviors, resulting in higher conversion rates. Tailoring your message is key, and you can’t tap into your audience’s wants, needs, and desires without information.
In short, podcasts are one of the best ways to build brand awareness in today’s market. With a targeted audience, high engagement and authentic storytelling, your brand can create a genuine connection with potential customers.
So, if you haven’t yet considered podcasting as part of your marketing strategy, it’s definitely time to adapt!
Looking for honest advice on which marketing channels are right for your business? For just $1 per month, stay up-to-date on the latest marketing tactics to build and grow your audience with live training and support from the Foundr business team.
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5 Brand Podcasts You Should Be Listening To
If you’re looking for some inspiration, check out these podcasts – they’re all sponsored by different brands or are brands themselves. If you want an additional list of the best business podcasts, see this article.
Podcast Founder with Nathan Chan
The Foundr Podcast with Nathan Chan is one of the leading global entrepreneurship podcasts making a significant impact on the startup and small business communities. Launched in 2014, the show has over 500 episodes to date featuring interviews with top entrepreneurs such as Mark Cuban, Tony Robbins, Tim Ferriss and Daymond John.
Each episode delves into actionable strategies and insights from these business leaders who help inspire and educate their listeners.
The Joe Rogan Experience
As I already mentioned, Joe Rogan dominates the podcast charts with an average of 11 million listeners per episode! It is known for its long-form interviews covering topics as diverse as politics, culture, science and entertainment, attracting a wide demographic. His ability to host guests ranging from Elon Musk and David Goggins to scientists like Neil deGrasse Tyson has captivated audiences.
Huberman Laboratory
Neurologist Dr. Hosted by Andrew Huberman, this podcast has gained popularity by making complex health and science topics accessible. Her episodes are also filmed for her YouTube channel, with some videos hitting 3 million views, meaning she’s targeting a wider demographic. He is also very active on his social channels, often promoting clips from the pod.
The Lex Friedman Podcast
Friedman’s podcast combines conversations on technology, artificial intelligence and philosophical debates with a wide range of high-profile guests such as Elon Musk and Sam Harris. It regularly attracts large audiences, cementing Friedman’s podcast as the premier intellectual show, gaining a strong following among tech enthusiasts and curious minds. He also harnessed the power of video and grew his YouTube channel to 3.5 million subscribers!
Rotten Mango
Hosted by Stephanie Sue, Rotten Mango, a true crime podcast with a touch of dark humor, continues to grow in popularity. Its unique blend of storytelling and comedy makes it stand out in the oversaturated true crime genre, appealing to die-hard true crime fans and newcomers alike.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How to integrate podcasts into a brand’s marketing strategy?
Podcasts are a powerful marketing tool for telling stories and building deeper connections with your audience. Brands can connect podcasts with:
- Sponsor podcasts that fit your target audience.
- Create branded content or podcasts centered around their industry or products.
- Using podcasts as a conduit for thought leadership, showcasing industry expertise.
- Cross-promote podcasts to increase engagement and reach on social media and other digital platforms.
What are the advantages of using podcasts for advertising over other platforms?
Podcast ads, especially those read by a host, are effective because they:
- Feel more authentic and less intrusive.
- It is integrated directly into the content, leading to higher audience engagement.
- Benefit from brand association with trusted podcast hosts.
- Effectively target niche audiences with genre-specific podcasts.
How can a brand measure the success of a podcast ad campaign?
Podcasting streaming platforms have a lot of information for listeners, but what about ads? With the right tools, you can track your ROI by:
- Unique promo codes or URLs
- A dynamic ad plugin to track impressions and audience demographics.
- Surveys or feedback forms from listeners to assess brand awareness or changes in perception after hearing an ad.
- Third-party analytics platforms to track downloads and listener data