Podcasts are powerful tools for business marketing and communications, according to recent research from CoHost and Sounds Profitable. As many as 90 percent of brands surveyed are satisfied with the performance of their branded podcast. That sounds fantastic, but companies also experience obstacles…
There are various reasons for starting a podcast, the research shows The Impact of Branded Podcasts. The most commonly cited reason is thought leadership. These companies want to be seen as an authority in the sector in which they operate. Roughly half of the companies surveyed (46%) see podcasts as a better way to achieve this than other digital media. Brand positioning and creating reach are also important reasons to start a branded podcast.
Creating unexpected value with podcasts
Fun fact: brands often get more value from a podcast than they previously thought. 76 percent of respondents indicate that thought leadership is the most important motivation for starting a podcast. But once they start podcasting, 72 percent of respondents indicate that the podcast also generates good leads. While only 28 percent of the companies surveyed set ‘lead generation’ as a goal before starting podcasting. A lesson you can learn from this: a podcast can be used for multiple purposes, allowing companies to get more out of their investment.
Podcasts are a crucial element in strategic communication. They not only contribute to set marketing objectives, but also help in areas such as lead generation. That is an advantage that is often overlooked. – Fatima Zaidi, Founder and CEO, CoHost and Quill
The obstacles of podcasts
The research also shows a number of obstacles that companies encounter. The main obstacle: resources. Or, to make it more concrete: time and personnel. Creating a successful podcast takes more than an hour of recording in a studio. Companies have to work on their content strategy, a format, design, preliminary discussions, scripts and campaigns to make their series a success. We see that a large number of companies outsource podcast production. 56 percent of respondents use an agency and 22 percent use freelancers.
Another challenge mentioned by many organizations is building a relevant audience. About half of respondents want more support in the field of podcast marketing and competitive research. 42 percent experience the lack of this as a ‘hole’ in their podcast strategy. While there are all kinds of strategies available to bring podcasts to the target group and to give them a distinctive character compared to competitor podcasts. But these are not always known to companies. Specialized agencies can play an important role in this.
Promising future for branded podcasts
Despite the obstacles that companies experience, a large portion of companies continue to invest in branded podcasts. Companies of all sizes are investing significantly in podcasts, with larger enterprises spending more than $100,000 per year. 64 percent of brands surveyed plan to maintain or even increase their podcast budget; these companies see a promising future for branded podcasts.
Want to start a branded podcast yourself?
Do you want to get started with a branded podcast for more leads and thought leadership? Then here are some concrete tips:
- Start with a format session in which you determine the course and focus. You often also include an editorial formula.
- Do keyword research, for example People Asked. This way you may discover new perspectives.
- Think about SEO – also in your podcasts. Not only titles, but also show notes and chapters in your podcast contribute to findability.
- Finally: YouTube. Don’t forget the impact of video podcasts. More and more people are watching podcasts.
Source introduction: CoHost & Sounds Profitable
Source: www.frankwatching.com
