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Using podcast as a sales strategy

With the success of podcasts, 2022 is destined to be an even more promising year for this media format that has been reinvented over time. Available on the most varied platforms and with high popularity, podcasts can also be used for sales strategies. It's what you're going to read in this [...]

February 11, 2022 · Dudu Gentil · 10 min read

With the success of podcasts, 2022 is destined to be an even more promising year for this media format that has been reinvented over time. Available on the most varied platforms and with high popularity, podcasts can also be used for sales strategies. That's what you're going to read in this article!

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Understanding what a podcast is

The central idea of a podcast is very similar to YouTube channels. This is a series of audio (episodes) that users can access or download on a personal device to listen to whenever they want. They rotate around a theme or topic, with each episode usually ranging from 20, 60 minutes or more.

A podcast can be compared to the audio version of any TV series and follows the same production format: specific theme or topic and segmented, can have several seasons with multiple episodes, in addition to being based on reality or fiction. The rule is creativity.

What differentiates podcasts from TV series is the presence of podcast host. Every podcast needs to have a host that can narrate the story and guide the listener through the episode. The podcasts are just audio. But many podcasters (mainly in the US) make studio videos available for anyone who can access to follow up with images as well.

Podcasts on high

A survey by Ibope conducted in 2021 found that almost 20% of the Brazilian population over 16 years of age listens podcasts. Most of them experienced the world of digital audio during the pandemic, and they've gained a habit of listening to them while they're doing other things..

The ranking of the most listened podcasts in Spotify and Apple show that there are already good diversity of themes, ranging from jokes to social and political discussions, going through financial tips, philosophy, spiritual support, horoscope, English classes and even content to assist in the customer's purchase journey.

Many podcast shows and episodes get more audience than TV.

Ads in podcasts

Another interesting finding pointed out by the research is the growth of the relevance of podcasts to the advertising market. While the format gains the taste of listeners, the relevance of spaces for brands also grows.

Among the people heard during this survey, 51% said they remembered hearing some publicity in the programs they consume. The same percentage of respondents considers that the association of brands with known podcasts attributes value to the company.

Some famous podcasts of the moment are charging quite expensive for a 30-second ad that usually opens or closes the episode. The advertising market has already discovered this thread and the cool thing is that you can segment ads by the target audience interested in using content to sell products and services.

♪ Stirring your fish with elegance ♪

One of the main reasons to include podcast in your business strategy is to use it as bait to sell your fish. This audio format, although it requires investment and production, can be an excellent showcase for your brand or product, depending on the type of content you have to offer.

If you identify existing podcasts in the market with potential to highlight your brand and the main goal that is to sell, seek to know how much an ad costs or even participation in episodes. Some podcasters take guests with a previously agreed value for “Publi” strategy, very common among digital influencers. This also serves for brand partnerships.

Creating your podcast

To start a podcast, it doesn't take much structure. All you need are some items that have the minimum quality:

Microphone: Avoid using the microphone embedded in your phone or computer. If you are taking the first steps you can choose a dynamic microphone less sensitive to ambient noise. If you have a set studio, a condenser microphone can be better.

Studio or soundproof room: When recording a podcast, you must minimize ambient noise as much as possible, so as not to distract listeners. So it's important to create a quiet, soundproof space to record and preferably not echo on the walls.

Software for editing: After recording your episode, you will need to edit it to add music and ads or remove any content that may not fit. Try to edit creatively using tracks that make sense in audio, without covering up the lines. Some audio editing software you can use, are the Audacity or Adobe Audition each one varying in editing features.

Earphones: they are important both during production and post-production, as they allow monitoring and detecting sounds during recording. Those who have noise canceling are the most suitable.

Hosting platform: Before you can distribute your episodes, first you must send your files to a hosting platform. If you already have a website, create a specific page to also offer as content for visitors or just make the hosting.

Promoting your podcast

Having great podcast content will not be enough to attract the right users. Think of a promotion strategy to attract your target audience. How are they gonna hear something they don't even know exists?

Get a pre-release. Don't wait to release after your first episode airs, this should start first.

The idea is to create an anticipation around your podcast and help you start with a good audience from the beginning. Share on social media platforms you are already on and explore other channels.

Start by sharing some posts on Facebook and Instagram to count the date of your first episode. If you already have a captive audience elsewhere, such as a newsletter or a blog, prioritize promotion on these channels as well.

Once your podcast is released, be consistent in promoting the episodes and do not be afraid to test various methods. Posting episodes audio excerpts gets higher engagement rates than posting about your guests. Or vice versa. After identifying what your audience wants, deliver the content he expects to hear.

podcast listeners can learn about their brand

In a survey conducted by Nielsen, when asked to select the reasons why respondents hear podcasts, 66% of participants selected the option “to learn something new”.

This way, podcasts are a great way to teach your customers about your brand and your team. The thought leadership made through podcasts is effective and a great way to bring your company's knowledge to the forefront.

The Benefits of Advertising in podcasts

According to Edison Research's Super Listeners 2021 report, podcast ads are the most remembered type of advertising, with 86% of respondents saying they remember seeing or hearing an ad. Social media has 80% and websites 79%.

podcast listeners also scored high in terms of engagement with ads as well as responsiveness, with 76% of listeners saying they acted after being impacted by podcast advertising, which may include visiting a website, making a purchase or signing some tool or application.

With podcast ads, you have 30 to 60 seconds to tell your story. In a recent study of regular podcast listeners, only 12% said they always skip ads. 33% of respondents said that “never or rarely” skip ads and 38% said “only sometimes”. 64% of podcast listeners responded that they like and appreciate podcast advertising and are grateful to brands that support their favorite programs.

Turn podcast episodes into YouTube videos

Although Google is currently implementing ways to make podcasts easier to find in searches, it is good to remember that video is still favored in relation to audio content when a user types a certain key phrase.

So unless the user type “podcast” in your search query, your podcast may not appear as a result of the search. One way to make the most of Google's video preference: turn your podcasts into videos you upload to YouTube.

That makes it very easy for you to reach organically. Try to use titles and descriptions that are linked to the themes of the episodes, to favor the search for the desired content.

An important tip is to record your podcasts in brightly lit environments, with audio and video quality, after all it is your brand or product that is at stake. In this case, podcast will always be the main media and Youtube a channel that will help further spread your programs and episodes.

Conclusion

As your podcast grows, encourage new listeners to leave an evaluation mentioning this in each episode. Explain how leaving a statement can help your program be discovered by more people who need help in your niche and even consider encouraging evaluations through some award. Use call to action (CTA).

For everything we have seen so far in this article, consumers rely on podcasts and, because of this, they are becoming increasingly a popular way of brands communicating authentically.

If you focus on creating relevant and continuous content, you may be surprised to learn how effective podcasts can be to help sell a product or service.

We marketers, we have already realized the potential of this media and we bet that brand podcasts will probably continue to grow at a fast pace.

Dudu Gentil · Nacionalvox

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