How to Use Podcasts to Elevate Your Brand and Connect With Audiences

This article has been contributed by Sagar Virmani, Group Account Head, The Marcom Avenue.

Talking. Listening. Participating. Podcasting…

It could be the last late-night cafe house happenings at the X formation of the Twitter office! The podcast has become a major and emerging genre of the audible revolution. Anyhow, 2004 was the year when the word podcast became normal. Furthermore, technology and digital advancement are undoubtedly shaping every industry, and podcasts are not untouched.

India holds an impressive third position in the podcasting industry, trailing only the USA and China. With approximately 150 million Indian listeners engaging in audio streaming, the immense potential for podcast growth in our country becomes evident.

Thus, after seeing such untapped potential in podcasts, it has emerged as another marketing tool to engage the audience and customers and elevate the brand image.

The industry reports have stated positively the potential of podcasts in hyper-targeting the audience and giving a good return on investment. Additionally, podcasts offer a better space to inform and spread awareness about the brand image of any business.

Find Your Podcast’s Purpose and Niche
Focus on Relevancy and Authenticity Through Compelling Content
Incorporate Podcasts Into Your Marketing Strategy
An Efficient Marketing Tool for B2B Businesses
Craft a Persona for Your Podcast

Find Your Podcast’s Purpose and Niche

Every podcast should cater to a genre and serve a purpose so that it can increase its space and listenership. Without setting up clear objectives and goals, finding attention in the realm of podcasts will pose challenges.

As per a joint report by PwC India and the Indian Music Industry (IMI), it is anticipated that the podcast sector in India will experience a compounded annual expansion of 34.5% spanning from 2018 to 2023.

Nonetheless, it is also a fact that less competition exists in the podcast space compared to other social media platforms. There are 113.9 million YouTube channels, while, in contrast, only 5 million podcasts are available worldwide.

The success of your podcast hinges on finding a niche that aligns with your strengths, relevance to the audience, brand category, and subject matter you wish to disseminate.

Consider what your brand stands for and the valuable information you can offer listeners. Avoid overwhelming them with excessive branded content or solely focusing on self-promotion. Instead, pique their interest by creating compelling topics featuring subject experts and influencers.

Subtly engage your audience with content that resonates and sparks curiosity, ultimately fostering a loyal and engaged community.

Focus on Relevancy and Authenticity Through Compelling Content

The best part about podcasts is that people do not need to give them screen time. One can simply listen to it while driving, cooking, walking, or doing other chores. Podcasts start with a lower content commitment, as they do not need to convince listeners to give them extra focus.

One can penetrate into the busier lives of listeners by giving them some compelling stories to hold on to. Present your authentic self, and try building a relationship with your listeners. Indeed, a podcast holds a unique charm, as it offers a raw and conversational tone that makes listeners feel like they are directly interacting with a friend. This informal and personal approach creates an intimate connection, allowing viewers to engage deeply with the content and the hosts. Additionally, focus on creating a community of loyal audiences through meaningful dialogue.

Incorporate Podcasts Into Your Marketing Strategy

Now that we have witnessed the emerging popularity of podcasts, brands should embrace and integrate that into their marketing planning. A podcast is more than introducing and selling your new products, it is about branding. By creating a podcast, brands can establish a more personal connection with their audience.

Podcasts excel at humanizing both you and your business. Through podcasting, you can directly engage with your listeners and share your narrative. This intimate approach helps build a stronger relationship with your audience. Many adaptive marketing agencies have adopted inventive marketing strategies, such as creating studios to produce in-house podcasts for different brands.

An Efficient Marketing Tool for B2B Businesses

B2B companies frequently encounter challenges when attempting to establish profound connections through their marketing endeavors. Unlike B2C marketing, where personal anecdotes and emotional appeals often find resonance, B2B marketing often struggles to evoke the same level of engagement. However, there exists a potent solution in the form of podcasts, which can serve as a compelling medium for B2B businesses to effectively communicate their narrative and forge meaningful connections.

Podcasts provide B2B businesses with a sturdy anchor, enabling them to establish a genuine rapport with their customers on a more profound level. In a landscape where fostering connections can be intricate, podcasts stand out as a versatile platform that permits businesses to share their stories, experiences, and insights in a captivating manner. The essence of marketing lies in the art of storytelling, and podcasts furnish B2B companies with an avenue to celebrate their stories, accentuate their journeys, and propagate awareness about their operations.

Furthermore, podcasts offer a unique advantage by humanizing B2B interactions. By featuring the voices of the people behind the business, whether it's the founders, employees, or industry experts, podcasts add a personal touch that is often absent in conventional B2B marketing. Listeners get a glimpse into the personalities and passion driving the business, making the brand more relatable and approachable.

Craft a Persona for Your Podcast

Your podcast’s format will decide whether it piques the audience’s interest. Your podcast can have a question-and-answer format, a story-telling format, or a motivational format.

There are several ways to craft a persona for your podcast. For companies with a rich history, exploring their origins through a non-fiction podcast series is a great option. In the case of consulting firms, a dual-host format where two experts deliberate on prevalent industry issues can be effective.

Delve into your target audience's interests and aspirations and identify the most suitable format to seamlessly incorporate them into your podcast content.

Summing Up!

A podcast is emanating untapped marketing potential for today’s marketers and businesses. It is here to remain in the game, and now it is an opportunity for brands to innovate and adapt it.

If the trend of podcasting continues its current path of being a user-friendly and easily accessible content format in 2023, it will inevitably evolve into an essential strategy for marketers across all sectors. Therefore, it's advisable to integrate podcasts into your marketing campaigns. Podcasting might just be the game-changing factor that propels your brand to unprecedented success.

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