Taking Stock Of Podcasts And What Makes Them A Great Advertising & Brand Partner

In this dynamically evolving digital and social media landscape one thing that is screaming from the rooftop is the rise and rise of Podcast shows and the burgeoning listener and viewer base of these shows.  

Ranging from Bollywood celebs, A-list CEO’s, entrepreneurs, brands, start-up founders, experts and specialists everyone is flocking the podcast space to make their presence felt in this ever so busy ‘marketing & branding’ market. 

For a few the game has gone many notches further, as they have switched gears themselves from their mainstay businesses, profession or entrepreneurship to create & distribute their own content by launching ‘Podcast’ shows. The Ranveer Show (aka TRS show), Indian Noir, The Joe Rogan Experience, Figuring Out with Raj Shamani, WTF with Nikhil Kamath, Voice with warikoo are some of the names in the industry to the reckon with, who are curating conversations and not just interviews. 

The beauty of any great podcast show is the authenticity it brings out from its guest and value it passes down to it's viewers / listeners.  Candid, unfiltered conversations created on podcasts help bring to light many  themes that are otherwise untouched from the ‘journalistic’ viewpoints. 

Providing great narratives and equally rewarding pedestal for brands to park their moola, today’s Podcast segment is proving as one of the fastest emerging content mediums, where listeners and viewers are happily reserving their interest & attention.

From a highly niche and targeted audience to data analytics, Podcasts offer a scientific approach to a brand for engagement with its listeners or viewers. 

Effective measurements via data and analytics, offering a niched down or native approach, Advertisers & Brands can get to counting their last buck, when choosing Podcasts as a medium for Advertising Revenues or Spends.   

The bet on this partnership between brands & podcasts can be highly rewarding and long-term. Here is my stock list for you to understand ‘Why Podcast works for Brand?’  

Engagement and Trust: Podcast listeners tend to be highly engaged and loyal to their favourite shows. Host-read advertisements or endorsements within podcasts can feel more personal and trustworthy to listeners compared to traditional advertising methods. As listeners develop a relationship with the podcast host and content, they are more likely to trust and value the brands recommended on the show.

Consistency & Frequency: Release of episodes on a regular schedule, allows brands to establish a consistent presence in front of their target audience. Through repeated exposure over time, brands can reinforce their messaging and build awareness among podcast listeners. Long-term partnerships with podcasts enable brands to maintain this consistent presence and stay top-of-mind with their target audience.

Native Advertising Opportunities: Unlike interruptive forms of advertising, such as commercials or display ads, podcasts offer opportunities for native advertising integration. Host-read ads or sponsored segments can be seamlessly woven into the podcast content, enhancing the listener experience while still delivering the brand's message. This native approach to advertising fosters a more organic connect which contributes to long-term relationship building.

Data and Analytics: Podcasts provide valuable data and analytics to brands, including listener demographics, engagement metrics, and conversion tracking. This data allows brands to measure the effectiveness of their advertising campaigns on podcasts and make data-driven decisions to optimise their marketing strategies over time. By demonstrating the tangible impact of podcast advertising on key performance indicators, brands can justify long-term investments in podcast partnerships.

Recognising potential of Podcasts, global brands like Nike , McDonalds, Red Bull, GE, IBM, Mastercard, Microsoft, Google have invested in creating their own content by way of education, storytelling, brand building, sharing insights , expert views / opinions both for their target audience or consumers and internal stakeholders like, employees. Some of the noteworthy examples which merit a mention are – 

Red Bull: The brand has a robust podcasting presence, with shows covering extreme sports, music, and culture. It produces high-quality content that aligns with its adventurous and energetic image. 

Nike on the other hand has produced podcasts focusing on topics such as sports, fitness, and motivation. Their podcasts often feature interviews with athletes and fitness experts

To conclude: 

Tapping into a captive and loyal audience, building credibility, forging authentic connections, amplifying storytelling and expanding its reach and visibility is just the tip of the iceberg of the Podcast sector. Its real power lies in the longer benefit that it promises to marketers. The brands can leverage the unique characteristics of podcast and associate with the values that are distinct and inimitable to the host's style. This can help in further establishing meaningful & deeper connections with the audience , which also drives measurable results over time. For the advertisers and brand custodians must remember that - 

“The real value is the conversations and relationships built from podcast”-  Yifat Cohen

And that is the promise & power of the medium!