A BNR podcast inspiration session prompted me to look more closely at the editorial and commercial possibilities of the format. What can a podcast offer your business, and how should it fit into your media strategy?
Listening on demand
On-demand media let people choose what they consume and when. Podcasts offer that flexibility for listening, from favourite programmes to detailed discussions of specialist subjects.
The audience can be selective and highly engaged. Think about the choices involved: opening an app, choosing a subject or programme, starting an episode and continuing to listen. People make that effort when the content is useful and relevant to them.
Discovery and personal interests
Finding the right audience is as important as making the programme. Recommendations based on listening interests can help people discover related episodes. The original article looked ahead to personalised recommendations and voice-assisted discovery; the practical lesson is to make the subject and value of your podcast easy to understand and find.
Creating your own podcast
Your organisation could produce a series about a subject connected with its business. Avoid turning it into an extended sales pitch. A programme that helps existing and potential customers understand challenges in their industry is likely to offer more value.
Ask whether the format suits your organisation, what listeners will gain and which objective it serves. Those answers should guide the editorial approach.
Sponsoring a series
Sponsorship offers another route. A brand can help make a series possible while the editorial team retains its independence.
One historical example discussed at the BNR session was Microsoft’s support for the Grote Data Podcast Roadshow, a series about the GDPR. The original article reported 30,000 listening actions and 3,000 subscribers for the sixteen-part series. Those are results from that example, not a forecast for another campaign.
Start with the audience and objective
Before investing, consider whether podcasts fit your business, whether you have a subject your audience cares about and what you want to achieve. A relevant concept can help distinguish your organisation, but the format should follow the communications need.
Would you like to explore how podcasts could complement your content marketing and media strategy? Get in touch.
Marieke
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