The Rise of Business Podcasts
Growing your business means exploring new avenues of engaging both current and prospective clientele. Business owners focus their marketing efforts to find new ways to create content, resulting in maximum audience engagement. Social media platforms, blog posts, videos, and even vlogs are commonly used by businesses. But one medium has been trending over the past couple of years: podcasts.
Based on annual 2021 statistics from the Edison Research and Triton Digital:
- 78% of Americans are now familiar with podcasting.
- 57% of Americans have listened to a podcast.
- Podcast listeners have grown 29.5% in 3 years
- 41% of Americans listen to podcasts monthly.
- Monthly podcast listeners have grown 61.5% in 3 years.
Since 2018, the popularity of podcasts has been on the rise, especially among business owners. Unlike blogs or vides, podcasts fit perfectly in a society where multitasking is the norm. You can pop in your headsets or earphones and listen to a podcast whether you’re driving, doing chores, or going for a run. Besides, it’s a fun way to engage your audience with the perfect blend of information and entertainment.
The rise of business podcasts can be attributed to engaging audiences on a deeper level, establishing brand loyalty, reinforcing credibility, and encouraging audience interaction. There are also the same reasons why podcasts have been effective marketing tools over the past couple of years.
Engaging audiences on a deeper level:
For listeners, podcasts take little effort to engage (and stay engaged) with. The ease and convenience of podcasts allows businesses the time and bandwidth to direct their efforts and expertise to engage the audience even more by telling their story and sharing their expertise. It’s an opportunity to get a little personal while staying on brand.
Establishing brand loyalty:
Developing a podcast audience is essential because listeners are loyal to your favorite programs. Think about your favorite radio station and consider how long you’ve been listening to it. You’d be surprised that your choice of station doesn’t truly change over time. Just like podcasts. Once thee podcast host establishes a rapport with the audience, they will want check in and tune in to another episode. Their loyalty translates to other marketing platforms—podcast listeners are more likely to connect with a brand on social media.
Reinforcing credibility:
Podcasts are impactful at growing a brand/business’ reputation because they get information right from the source, you! A podcast allows you to convey, not just your expertise, but also your personality, thoughts, and emotions. During a podcast, listeners can tell how passionate you are about your product or brand. This reinforces your credibility because your audience hears it directly from you.
Encouraging audience interaction:
Podcasts foster loyal audiences because they are interactive. During a podcast, the host can take “call” like traditional radio shows, answer questions, or even make audience polls. All this makes listeners feel like they are part of the how and not just listening to audio. This interactive experience makes listeners feel like they are part of the show and not just bystanders.
Podcasts are a growing medium with the power to grow your audience and forge an organic connection with them. It lets you tell your story in a format that’s authentic and free from all the interference. After all, there’s something to be said about listener to the person on the radio—in this case on the podcast.
