What Podcasts Can Do for Your Content Marketing Strategy
When the leading content association in the UK, Content Marketing Association, published a post on the great content marketing podcasts they enjoy listening to, it became clear that podcasts are growing into an indispensable aspect of content marketing and will largely influence consumer choices in the nearest future — way sooner than we think.
Beyond being a series of audio files classified into episodes and uploaded to a hosting platform on the internet for streaming or downloading, podcasts are useful tools that a content marketer can leverage to promote a brand’s products or services in the most engaging and relatable way.
According to the Influencer Marketing Hub, 60% of listeners revealed that they actually searched for a product after it was mentioned on a podcast. With over 420 million listeners in the world, learning what podcasts can do for your content marketing strategy is a wise decision.
Join us as we take a deep dive into the world of podcasts and how they fit into your content marketing strategy.
We can’t get enough of podcasts; what exactly are they?
Podcasts are audio files that can be downloaded or streamed online and they typically cover a specific topic, theme or niche and feature one or more hosts or guests. They can range from a casual conversation to an in-depth interview or discussion, and everywhere in between.
Created in 2004 when former MTV VJ Adam Curry and software developer Dave Winer invented a way to automatically download radio-like shows to be played on iPods using RSS feeds, the word ‘podcast’ is a portmanteau of the words ‘iPod’ and ‘broadcast’.
The term ‘podcast’ itself was first used in 2004 by journalist Ben Hammersley for an article published in The Guardian titled “Audible Revolution”. In the article, Hammersley suggested the term ‘podcast’ as a combination of ‘iPod’ and ‘broadcast’ to describe the emerging trend of downloading and listening to audio content on portable devices like the iPod. The term gained traction and became widely adopted, ultimately leading to the popularization of podcasting as we know it today.
Why did they grow so popular?
It’s undeniable that podcasts are fast becoming the most consumed form of content on the internet. Based on trends, the podcast industry revenue is projected to surpass $2 billion in 2023 with 2.9 million podcasts available on the web and the total number of episodes exceeding 150 million in the same year.
The recent popularity of podcasts is credited to the fact that they are a lot easier to consume than traditional reading: you can commute from home to work and vice versa while listening to a podcast episode or two. You can’t quite successfully do that with a best-seller book, even if you are hooked from the very first sentence.
But that’s not all. Another reason podcasts are increasingly popular these days is the affordability of production compared to when broadcasting tools were less accessible and affordable. There are now low-cost ways for independent podcasters to produce content that looks and sounds professional.
What can they do for your overall content strategy?
1. Podcasts can help you to target the right audience:
Content strategies require a section where you break down your ideal target audience and how to reach them. Incorporating podcasts into your overall strategy is a good way to get your content right in front of the people whom you would like to see it.
2. They can help you grow a community:
Considering that podcasts help to build a relationship between your brand and your target audience by discussing topics that interest listeners, it’s easier to grow a community when you leverage podcasts for your content marketing efforts.
3. Podcasts can help you improve your brand awareness:
It’s real; you can increase brand awareness through podcasts: according to a report by Claritas, podcasts can lift brand awareness between 24%–79%; and since measurable brand awareness is one of the key performance indicators of a successful content marketing campaign, launching a podcast can be a great way to nail a content marketing campaign with an outstanding return on investment (ROI).
Let’s talk
You can share what you think about podcasts as an effective way to connect with target audiences in the comments below. You can also share some success stories you’ve seen.
And if you are looking to launch a podcast as part of your overall content strategy, you can send us an email at support@detailandavedia.com to discuss your goals and expectations.
