Podcast Marketing: The Preferred Way For Marketers

Ambika Sharma May 28, 2022

Podcasts have gained immense popularity in the last few years. The years before that, people considered Podcasts an outdated trend. However, with more and more celebrities and influencers now running their own podcasts on various topics, the trend is taking a new shape altogether. Many people are hooked to Podcasts nowadays, and it's a great opportunity for brands to consider Podcasts in their digital marketing strategies. But before moving on to the reasons to consider Podcasts to build your strategies, let us first understand a Podcast.

Podcasts – What is it?

Podcasts are a type of digital media consisting of audio or video files that can be downloaded and played on a computer or mobile device. They are usually episodic in nature, with new instalments released regularly, and are often focused around a specific topic or theme.

Podcasts have become increasingly popular in recent years, as they offer a convenient and portable way to consume content. Many people listen to podcasts while commuting, working out, or doing other activities.

Podcasts are an excellent way to connect with potential customers and promote your brand. By providing engaging and informative content, you can build trust and credibility with your audience. Additionally, podcasts can be a great way to drive traffic to your website or blog.

Podcasts – The Popularity

Over the years, the Podcast industry in India has seen significant growth in listeners. According to a PwC Media and Entertainment Outlook 2020 report, India has emerged as the third-largest Podcast listening market with over 57.6 million listeners. In addition, the popularity of Podcasts is not just growing among listeners, but creators too. Some of the primary reasons for this are lower cost of production, remote working, lesser censorship, and an exciting and intriguing platform that allows immersive storytelling without compromising anonymity.

Furthermore, the growing popularity of Podcasts is, in a way, surprising too. At a time when most of us are devising marketing plans and strategies where we are required to keep the content concise to cater to the decreasing attention span of our audience, Podcasts, on the other hand, are witnessing an increase in listenership even though they are nuanced, detailed and immersive in nature.

Podcasts – Why should you add them to your marketing strategies?

There are many reasons to consider adding podcasts to your digital marketing strategy. Below are just a few of the benefits that podcasts can offer:

Increase brand awareness and reach new audiences

Podcasts can help you reach new audiences who may not be familiar with your brand. By appearing as a guest on popular podcasts or launching your own show, you can significantly increase brand awareness and reach new potential customers.

Build thought leadership and credibility

Podcasts can be an excellent way to position yourself or your company as a thought leader in your industry. By sharing expert insights and helpful tips on popular podcasts, you can build credibility and trust with your target audience.

Generate leads and drive sales

Podcasts can be a powerful tool for generating leads and driving sales. By including calls-to-action and links to landing pages on your show notes, you can encourage listeners to take action and become customers.

Enhance SEO and website traffic

Podcasts can help you attract more visitors to your website and improve your search engine optimisation (SEO). By optimising your podcast episodes for keywords and featuring transcripts on your website, you can give your site a boost in search engines.

Increase social media engagement

Podcasts can help you drive more engagement on social media. By sharing episodes on social media and tagging relevant industry leaders, you can get more people talking about your brand online.

Boost email marketing efforts

Podcasts can be a great way to increase email open rates and click-through rates. By including links to your show in your email newsletters, you can encourage subscribers to listen to your latest episodes.

Drive internal communications

Podcasts can also be used internally to improve communication and collaboration within your organisation. By sharing company updates and announcements on a podcast, you can ensure that everyone is on the same page.

There are many advantages that a podcast brings to your marketing efforts, but there are some downside risks you need to mitigate before you consider a podcast. I always recommend that brands analyse their ability to let go of some control when they consider a podcast. Podcasts also need a longer term content strategy with consistency. On the whole the advantages outweigh the few concerns by a mile.

To sum it up, while a digital marketing Podcast is just one of the many ways to survive the market, it can surely provide you with an edge over your competitors. It opens the door for you to inform and educate your audience, and is an excellent opportunity for brands to influence and advertise their products and services. Despite that, you have to take care of the Podcast tone and have basic technical knowledge before considering Podcasts for your digital marketing strategy, and you are good to go!

*The author is Ambika Sharma, Founder and MD, Pulp Strategy