Being open to various marketing strategies and tools is the best way to grow your business and build your brand. Likewise, being creative with your approach increases your chances of being remembered by people. The more unique your style is, the greater the chances your brand is remembered. Enter podcasting and the world of podcasts.
Podcasting has well and truly hit mainstream media. With the phenomenal growth of Irish podcast listeners year on year. Podcasting is a content medium that brands and businesses can no longer ignore.
Content continues to play a huge role in brand building and is a crucial part of any successful marketing strategy. A strong content library that includes podcasts can help improve your search engine rankings. Create new pathways for potential customers to find and engage with your brand or business.
The strengths of podcasting
The low cost of creation and the ease of consumption has made podcasting the quintessential way to reach niche audiences. Those qualities have also made podcasts the perfect vehicle for those who would like to build a powerful business or personal brand. There are two ways you can leverage the power of podcasts to get your brand in front of the right people. One is by launching a podcast that will focus on themes that bolster your brand identity. Your second option would be to get yourself featured on other podcasts whose themes align with your brand identity. There are a few ways you can get featured on other podcasts which will be explored in this article.
The power of podcasting for your brand
There is no doubt that creating and launching a podcast is a powerful marketing tool allowing you to tailor your content around your brand. However, when considering whether to set up a podcast for your business or brand, the primary challenge is considering what will attract your ideal podcast audience. Your ideal listener should be someone who falls within the buyer persona for your product or service. So, you need to create a podcast that they will want to listen to and rather than just trying to get your brand message into the ears of any listener.
Developing a podcast that relates to your brand can be difficult, not every brand is going to have the kind of products and services that naturally translate into podcast content. But your content doesn’t need to be specific to your product or service, as long as it relates to your broader brand theme or identity. So, spend time defining who your target audience is and what your content will focus on, as this is one of the most important stages of creating a podcast.
To find out more about setting up and recording your podcast for your brand click here.
Do you need your own podcast?
Some of the benefits of having a brand podcast (if you can find the right idea) include expressing your brand’s personality in a more natural approach than can be achieved with copy. Because podcasts can establish trust and connection with potential customers who are in the evaluation stage. In business, trust is a vital component to building loyalty in a market already saturated with products and services. Hearing about your brand in a personal manner on a podcast can be the difference in a purchase decision. Podcasts allow you to build authentic relationships with existing customers, naturally. Podcasts are a great tool for connecting with your desired audience.
There are many benefits to podcasting. But you need to ensure that it is right for your brand, do you need your own podcast? For some brands podcasting is a hit and others prefer to advertise on existing podcasts or appear as guests, increased exposure with minimal risk.
Simply put, you do not need to create your own podcast to utilise podcasting to build your brand.
Be a guest on other podcasts
The easiest way to appear as a guest on other podcasts is to be interviewed about your brand. Getting interviewed, especially for popular podcasts in your niche, can do wonders for your brand. A good first step is to pick out those top podcasts and podcasters and get on their radar, give them a solid reason why they should have you on their podcasts. This may sound challenging, but it is quite easy once you know how to go about it.
Where to find podcasts
Firstly you should start by researching the top podcasts in your brand’s niche/area. Find relevant podcasts by searching podcast players like iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud, and even Google to find the chart topping and most popular shows in your brand niche.
Once you have highlighted the top podcasts, study them to identify the best fit with your brand. Set aside time to listen to the shows you’ve chosen, to help you get a clear understanding and insight into the landscape, host, and quality of the shows you have selected.
Now that you have your shortlist of podcasts that fit with your brand the next goal is to craft a pitch for the host. Your pitch needs to convince the host that you will be able to provide value to their audience. The best way to create a successful pitch is with an interesting headline. Demonstrate you understand their podcast, their content, their audience, and how you can provide value.
Always follow up on your pitch. Even if you get a no from the podcast host the first time around, keep in mind that you are in the business of building good networks. Remember that relationships, even in the podcasting space, require nurturing (just like with your customers). If you make this a priority, it will only be a matter of time until you eventually get a yes.
Sponsor a podcast
Over the years sponsorship has grown in popularity due to the growing podcast revenue and the increasing number of celebrities and influencers with podcasts. A successful sponsorship can grow shows audience and increase sales. A win-win for both the influencer and the brand.
As with selecting which podcasts you want to appear on as a guest. It is important to pick out the top podcasts and podcasters in your brand’s niche and get on their radar and give them a solid reason to allow you and your brand to sponsor their podcast.
There are several ways brands can sponsor a podcast and advertise their product or service:
#1. Product Placement
Businesses and brands can participate in podcasts through product placement. In podcast advertising, product placement involves participation in the podcast content. Advertisers and the podcast host may collaborate and involve the brand by featuring products and services. The podcast host may also review and share experiences of using the brand’s services or products.
#2. Direct Response
One of the most popular ways brands advertise their products or services in podcasts is through a direct response ad. In a direct response advertisement, podcasters detail the product or service and ask listeners to act. This act can be a call to action, where the podcast host invites the podcast listeners to visit the brand’s website or encourages the podcast listeners to make a purchase using a unique discount code.
#3. Pre-roll/ Mid-roll/ Out-roll Ads in Sponsored Podcasts
Pre-roll and Mid-roll advertisements are among the most common sponsored podcasts ads that allow podcast hosts to talk about their sponsors. Pre-roll ads are usually the 15 to 30-second spots found in the podcast’s opening before the show’s content. While mid-roll advertisements are the 30 to 60-second segments laid in the podcast episode’s halfway mark after 40 to 70% of the show’s content has played. A few podcasts air out-roll ads which are end-of-show advertisements that their podcast listeners hear last.
#4. Brand Awareness through Sponsored Podcasts
Brands can turn to podcast advertisements to increase brand recognition and awareness. Brand awareness campaigns aim to increase familiarity with the brand’s products and services that can lead to an increase in their return on investment. Brands and advertisers can reach out to podcasters and podcast hosts and ask them to mention the brand and provide product information to their podcast listeners through sponsored podcasts. Brand awareness ads are intended only to make conversation with their target audience, and to share the brand’s expertise without providing any call to action.
#5. Sponsor live podcasting
Brands can also invest in podcast advertising through sponsorship for live shows. But often podcasts will tour recording episodes in front of a live audience. This is a fun way for podcasters to interact with their listeners and build loyalty. Brands whose target audience overlaps with the podcast audience can sponsor live shows to reach out to listeners.
Podcasting Going forward
The podcast industry has experienced phenomenal growth over the last number of years and shows no signs of slowing. Brands are noticing this trend. They are quickly finding ways to adapt to utilise this market to grow their customer base. And whether you decide to create a brand podcast or sponsor existing podcasts. An investment in podcasts is the perfect way to build a powerful and personal brand.
At Tall Tales Podcasts, we look after your entire podcast needs. From recording and post production to artwork and distribution. Email Hello@TallTales.ie to get started.
Main image from Unsplash
