Why Brands Like KLM & T-Mobile Choose Branded Podcasts
Originally written by our partner in crime: Jar Audio
Hi there!
While it is a relatively new form of content marketing, we’re seeing a massive increase in the number of world-leading companies that offer a branded podcast.
You might be wondering if this medium is a good fit for your brand, or why they’re so popular, to begin with.
This is totally understandable, especially when we consider that an effective, valuable branded podcast is a lot of work.
Nonetheless, savvy, successful, and high earning content marketers are going this route time and again.
In this post, we explore why that is — and help you get a sense of whether this groundbreaking medium is a fit for your brand.
Who’s doing it?
As we mentioned above, the branded podcast has garnered enough attention to earn a spot in the marketing toolkit of some serious industry leaders.
Included on this list are brands such as…
Nevermind the internal podcasts debuted by brands like Jumbo and American Airlines.
The bottom line is that the big kids are getting on board with this kind of content — and they have a lot of great reasons for doing so.
Explosive podcast growth
To better understand the rise of the branded podcast, we can look to the stats surrounding podcasts of all kinds.
This is a medium that has become extraordinarily popular over the past several years — and its growth shows no signs of slowing.
When it comes to US podcast statistics, for example, a recent report from EdisonResearch uncovered some telling data.
Among US citizens aged 12 and up…
- Approximately 222 million, or about 78%, are familiar with podcasts
- 57% have listened to at least one
- 41% are tuning in on a monthly basis
- And 28% reported listening to a podcast in the previous week
What’s more, we see continuous growth year over year.
Folks today are loving podcasts — no doubt about it — and there’s never been a better time to get on board.
What makes them different?
So, what separates the podcast from other forms of content marketing? Why not stick with e-books or just hire someone to write you some blog posts?
It’s worth mentioning that we love all of these mediums and employ every one of them ourselves.
That said, the podcast really does offer something special and, at the end of the day, is in a league of its own.
This is a medium that’s…
- More human than emails
- More relaxing than webinars
- More accessible than e-books
- More in-depth than blog posts
- And a whole lot more helpful than any infographic we’ve ever seen
(No offense to our very own infographics.)
Our point here is not that all other content marketing is futile. We think it’s best to choose a number of mediums that work for your brand…
That said, a branded podcast can help you foster a deeper, more reciprocal, and more authentic relationship with your audience — all while working to serve your biz.
Own your audience
On top of all of this, the branded podcast is a surefire way to ensure you actually own your audience.
This means that folks will be visiting your website or consuming your content because of the unique offerings you create, and not by way of a separate business, media conglomerate, publication, or an influencer associated with your brand.
As we saw from the infamous social media blackout of 2021, a lot of our content — and more importantly, our followers — are in the hands of third-party brands.
At the end of the day, the folks who follow you on social platforms are a rented audience, and you could lose touch with them at any time especially if you’re not giving them a meaningful reason to stick by your side.
A great branded podcast packs the substance, value, and bond-building potential to help you do just that.
What brand wants to depend on a third party to maintain their relationship with their audience?
Certainly not us — and we’re willing to bet you feel the same.
Be a leader
Blogging still works. E-Books are still valuable. And hey — we all know social media isn’t going anywhere…
But then there’s podcasts. They’re new, they’re fresh, and they’re met with a totally different attitude than other types of digital content.
They allow folks to step away from their screens, get things done, and feel like they’re growing and achieving in a way they can’t with their face in their devices.
Savvy brands see this, and everything we’ve explained above, and are more than happy to get on board.
Even better — this is still a relatively new medium, which ultimately works in your favor.
Go ahead, write the blog posts. Sure, create an e-book.
But why not do something fresh?
Why not give them something bigger?
Why not step into a less saturated space and define your brand and your team members as trailblazers in their field?
Isn’t it time you create something most brands don’t offer?
If your answer is yes, you might be ready for a branded podcast.
Need a hand? We’d be happy to help. Touch base anytime if you’d like to learn more.
