What is Podcast Advertising and How Can It Help You?

What is Podcast Advertising?

Podcast advertising is a type of programmatic audio, which places ads within a piece of audio content. Besides podcasts, programmatic audio also includes radio, online streaming services, and in-car media. Podcast advertising is less expensive than television advertising, therefore, this medium is endorsed by small to medium-sized businesses, and especially new start-ups. 

Why Podcast Advertising works. (& how it can help you)

While television can attract audiences from various demographics, podcast listeners are quite stable across programs. According to Edison Research, people who consume podcasts daily are mostly well-educated, fully employed, and high-earning individuals. Additionally, podcast audiences are often those who are highly motivated to learn new things, making them more likely to be interested in a wide range of new products and services. 

The screen-less nature of a podcast plays a part in its success as they have to pay extra attention to understand the whole piece entirely. Podcast advertisements are often read by the host, making them more authentic, engaging, and noticeable. The advertisements are often designed to blend in with the content seamlessly for a smooth listening experience. The Podcast Consumer reported that more than 50% of listeners ended up purchasing the products or services they heard about in the podcasts. Let's have a look at some things you need to consider before starting to advertise your brand through podcasts:

How to get started:

All marketers know how difficult it is to stand out among the river of ads, but the following steps will help see results very soon. 

1. Choosing the right podcasts. 

You need to select the podcasts that are relevant to your industry. Audiences listen to podcasts to learn more about specific topics. If the ad is irrelevant to their interests, it is natural for them to ignore your message. 

There are many podcast channels available that allow you to target both mass and niche audiences. Choosing a relevant channel is a strategic decision because the audience needs to see the connection between their needs and what products or services your business can provide. There are not only different lengths of podcasts but also different genres, so you need to determine which ones speak to your brand. 

The cost of podcast advertising will naturally also have an effect on which shows or channels you choose. Pricing may vary, depending on the popularity of the show and how often you wish for your ads to be presented. To test out whether you want to commit your brand to this form of advertising, start by attaching your ad to smaller podcasts and determine whether it is effective for your brand.

2. Understand the Host and Their Audience. 

Considering who your target audience is, is the next step. Is the podcasts’ audience who you are aiming to reach? If not, can you turn them into potential customers? Understanding your demographics and the needs of those listeners is the key to reaching the correct audience for optimal growth.

Podcast listeners can resonate deeply with their hosts which means that they form loyal and meaningful relationships. Each host has a different style and connects with their audience differently. Therefore, working closely with the host to create appropriate content is needed because the ad should work seamlessly with the content of the show for the best possible results.

Top tip: Remember to beware of podcasters who overstate their success and market themselves at low-cost to lure marketers in.

3. Creating your content. 

Brands can create ads on their own and insert them into the podcast. Some brands would prefer to write scripts, collaborate with the host, or even do interviews. Native ads, sponsored content, product placement, direct response, and paid interviews are just a few different ways you can position your brand.

4. Evaluation and Growth.

Monitoring the ad performance throughout the campaign is essential as it does not stop when the podcast ends. Podcasts can be streamed or downloaded which means that the metrics for each type of audio would be different. This can be demonstrated by the number of live listeners or the number of downloads, but this only shows the reach of your campaign, not the effectiveness. Website traffic, social mentions, searches, or click-through rates are other ways to indirectly measure its performance. 

Some brands are repetitively mentioned throughout the whole series, so you can keep in touch with the host and discover the other podcasts that your audiences listen to as this would further establish your brand visibility even after the campaign is over. 

If it does not turn out positively, gather some insights about your customers and how you delivered your messages. Just like marketing, customers’ tastes in podcasts change continuously. It is best to learn how to adapt and adjust your advertisement accordingly. 

With the right strategy, podcast advertising is an amazing medium. With an average of 50 million downloads per month in 2020, (and these numbers are forecasted to grow), now is time to consider our steps and help your business grow!

Thanks to Austin Distel from Unsplash for the image!