Do you like listening to podcasts? If so, you are not alone. Podcasts have been growing in popularity. In fact, in 2018, 26% of Americans (73 million people) listened to podcasts every month, and this number has grown since then. With that in mind, should you utilize podcasts to boost brand awareness and garner more interest in whatever your brand has to offer?
Are You a Marketer?
You may be missing out on opportunities provided by connecting audibly with an audience. If you think about it, podcasts are not very much different from blogs. Both aim to present information that a target audience wants or needs and to develop a relationship with that audience. The significant difference between them is that a blog post uses text and maybe some graphics, while a podcast uses audio and perhaps some music.
Your Podcast vs. Your Blog
Because many people prefer to listen than to read, your podcast can extend your audience development efforts. Your audience can’t read blog posts while driving, jogging, or walking the dog. However, anyone with a smartphone can listen to your podcast from anywhere and during nearly anything else they are doing. What’s more, research shows that in 2018, 69% of American listeners accessed podcasts on a mobile device.
The Benefits of Giving Your Brand a Voice Via a Podcast:
- generating awareness of your brand;
- building a relationship between your brand and your audience;
- sharing valuable information related to your brand;
- talking about your products, your services, and your industry regularly.
How to Use a Podcast to Promote Your Brand
As with any good marketing strategy, your podcast should follow branding best practices, including.
- Knowing your listeners. Your audience forms the starting point for any successful marketing strategy. Who are they? What do they need and want? What topics are most likely to engage them?
- Building trust with your audience. There’s something human and personable about hearing someone else talk. Because your listeners can hear your voice’s tone and inflection, you will come across as a real person.
- Creating effective content. You need unique and memorable content that is authentic and consistent with your brand’s message.
- Establishing yourself as a resource. To successfully grow your brand, you need to establish yourself as the go-to person for your niche. Give your audience value by providing them with interesting insights and practical advice.
- Being consistent. If you tell your audience that they can access your podcast every week, don’t disappoint them. Consistency builds loyalty with your listeners.
More Marketing Strategies For Your Podcast
- Use podcast directories for greater exposure. Many people search podcast directories for specific topics, which then leads them to discover brands.
- Turn your podcast into a blog post and vice versa. Repurpose your podcast as a blog post by offering a transcription of your podcast on your blog. Conversely, create a podcast that goes over the same topic from a blog post in audible form. All you have to do is read the blog post out loud and record.
- Use effective links. You want your listeners to remember your brand, so use branded short links.
- Promote your other channels. Your podcast should promote not only your website but also your social media platforms. This has the potential to generate more activity for your platforms and expand your reach.
Final Thoughts
Content marketing has been a go-to strategy for some time, so why not apply it to a podcast? Recognition that podcasting can be a powerful marketing tool is relatively new, but podcasting has the potential to become a significant driver in brand recognition. If you need some help with starting a podcast and using it to grow your brand, sign up for a free Discovery Session today.
