Packaged, online radio broadcasts called podcasts are powerful tools for B2B marketers. A personal favorite is Marketing over Coffee. An episode with the incomparable Ann Handley, the world’s first Chief Content Officer, is one of my favorites. I also love Men in Blazers for giggles at my desk. There are many reasons why podcasts are a great addition to the marketing mix for B2B marketers. Here are my top three:
1. The success of podcasts are proven. Podcast listeners are familiar with its format, length, means of access and utterly flexible nature. They are fairly easy to produce and can be a great way of tapping into employee subject matter experts. For all these reasons, podcasts open up huge audiences.
2. Commutes will get so much more interesting with Wifi-enabled cars which will drive podcast adoption further. There will be 220 million connected cars on the road by 2020. Forecasts show 69% of drivers using connectivity for streaming music/radio content and 57% for surfing the Internet.
3. The popularity of Serial, the gripping story of the murder of a young woman and the questionable conviction of her ex-boyfriend, has made podcasts even more mainstream. The first episode of Serial is one of the most downloaded podcasts ever – there are even podcasts about this podcast!
I believe podcasts are a great medium for B2B marketers. My friend Mike Stiles is a very experienced podcaster who grew up in radio and he makes a great point about podcasting driving a new level of connection and trust between listeners and hosts – which also makes for a premium advertising context. Internal Midroll surveys of 300,000 listeners found that 63% of people bought something a host had promoted on their show. Brands, are you listening?
I think that whether reaching the CEO on their 50-minute commute or connecting with the multi-tasker lunching at their desk, podcasts are a fantastic way for businesses to tell stories.
Are you currently hooked on a podcast? I would love your recommendations!