The power of podcasting is here to stay and for good reason.
There are currently over 850,000 active podcasts in the world. With absolutely no limitation on content, podcasting is an effective way for anyone to get a message across in a personable manner. With nearly 28% of Americans listening to podcasts weekly, here’s why your company should hop on the podcasting bandwagon.
Giving Your Company a Voice
Everyone knows that personability sells. For decades, companies have used spokespeople, celebrities, and now influencers to promote their company’s brand. However, as social media and marketing techniques continue to evolve, consumers crave authenticity more than ever. Podcasting allows companies to provide a space for more genuine conversations, showing that behind the brand, are employees who are normal people too.
Many companies are choosing to have company leaders as guests on different podcasts, incorporating storytelling and personal anecdotes as a way to connect to listeners – and possible future consumers.
Maybe your CEO has a unique morning routine that they diligently follow each day in order to reach their peak potential and they want to share it. Or, maybe you have an employee who is a first-generation American that wants to speak on the importance of giving opportunities to minority students. Whatever the story, there is a podcast for them to be a guest of.
Starting a Podcast
While there are thousands of successful podcasts, it is never too late to start your own. Some companies choose to launch their own podcasts, known as branded content podcasts. Branded podcasts are used as another form of content marketing. Not only does this allow for a company to control the narrative, but it also allows the podcast to evolve with the company. Adding a podcast to your company is a unique way to put across branded messaging, in a way that comes across as more organic to listeners.
Not all podcasts have to be made with the goal of using them forever. Some brands choose to start a podcast as a new marketing tool just for one campaign. One brand that has successfully implemented this idea is Sephora’s private label Sephora Collection, in partnership with GirlBoss Radio.
In 2019, the brands launched “#LIPSTORIES”, a 15-episode series discussing their new lipstick line and the women who inspired the collection. This podcast series brought real stories to listeners, giving them the faces and names behind the new product campaign launch.
Another brand with a very successful podcast series is Trader Joe’s grocery store. The podcast discusses the ins and outs of running a grocery store. Originally the company started the podcast as only a five-part series in 2018. However, the audience response was so positive that the podcast has now run for years, featuring a wide variety of topics such as insight into Trader Joe’s captain’s meetings, product hacks, and suggested shopping lists.
Trader Joe’s is an ideal candidate for making a podcast because of its cult-like following, and the response they receive from the podcast exemplifies this.
The Future of Podcasting
In 2022 there are currently 383.7 million podcast listeners globally. This number is expected to increase to nearly 424 million listeners in 2023. Approximately a third of Americans are regular podcast listeners and this rate is expected to continue growing. As podcasts continue to evolve, so does the technology involved with them. Some podcasts have started incorporating video components.
Video recordings of the podcast episodes allow for visual content that can be uploaded to social channels and can also be used as promotional tools. Google also recently introduced a podcast search feature that shows podcast results when voice search is used on mobile devices. By incorporating SEO content in podcast descriptions, companies can even boost their content to the top of pages used with voice search.
Wrapping Up
Digital marketing agency Fifth & Cor explained the importance and endless possibilities of podcasting. As mentioned, podcasting is becoming more and more popular every day and it is one of the best ways to create content and engage with your audience.
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