Podcasts increase in popularity has not gone unnoticed with many of the bigger brands including Spotify, Google, Apple and Netflix beginning to increase their investment within the space. With the rapid channel growth forecasted to continue, do podcasts now have a credible place alongside TV, radio, print and out of home (OOH) in any media strategy?
To understand the role podcasts can play within a media campaign requires a deeper understanding of why podcasts have been able to capture the public’s attention, as well as how this can be leveraged to drive the best campaign performance. Unlike many other media channels, listeners have a unique relationship with a podcast, being that they spend around thirty minutes or more listening to content – often delivered by one person – that they personally have selected. Most podcast users listen alone, making it seem as though they are being spoken to personally by the host(s) or are party to a private discussion. These factors combine to deliver very high levels of user engagement and trust, a fact that is reflected in recent research where over half of the of participants confirmed that they trust podcast hosts more than traditional TV or radio presenters, and 47% say that they trust the information they hear on podcasts too. As you might expect, trust in podcast content also has a halo effect on the advertisers themselves – and the brand’s bottom line. One-third of those surveyed in a recent trend report confirmed that they had purchased a product or service they discovered through a podcast.
All Response Media viewpoint
For brands that are thinking of making the move into podcasts, there are some key pointers to follow to ensure they get the most from their activity: The first is to capitalise on the trust placed in the medium. This can be achieved by aligning with relevant existing content, utilising dynamically inserted adverts or having the host voiceover your product advert. Having a strong understanding of the history of the podcast to ensure that the creative fits with the content and audience are key to maximising the additional trust in this channel.
The on-demand nature through which podcasts are consumed makes the immediate uplift from this activity difficult to measure, however as this market continues to develop forms of measurement will continue to progress. The latest insight from podcast providers is that over 75% of listeners stream their podcasts, a figure that is only set to increase as technology advances and mobile data speeds improve. The adverts served to these listeners can provide insight into the daily flighting of impressions as well as the content these impressions aired in. However, content-specific URL’s and promo codes currently offer the most insight into individual podcast performance as it stands.
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