Okay, B2B marketers, time for a pop quiz:
- Which content marketing tactic can hold an audience’s attention for a half hour or more at a time?
- Which tactic inspires an audience to subscribe to your content and make a regular appointment to consume it?
- Which tactic can help boost thought leadership, raise awareness and engage influencers in your industry?
- Which tactic is in the title of this blog post?
The answer, of course, is podcasting. These long-form audio programs first emerged in the early 2000s. Back then, they were a niche format for hobbyists and tech nerds (like me). But the rise of the smartphone brought podcasts to the masses. Now, there are hundreds of hours of programming available on every conceivable subject, in every genre from true crime to horror to musical. But we haven’t hit content shock for podcasts — it’s still a growing market.
If your brand is looking to boost thought leadership and reach a new audience, now is the perfect time to add a podcast to your content marketing mix. Here’s what you need to know to get started.
What Is a Podcast, Anyway?
There’s a wide variety of types of podcast out there, so it can seem tricky to find a definition that covers everything. Some are live interviews or panel discussions; some are fully scripted and produced audio plays; some are cryptic monologues about a bizarre southwestern town. But they all share two attributes:
- There are multiple recordings for each title, and
- They’re organized in an RSS feed you can subscribe to.
Whatever genre the audio is, whatever platforms it’s available on, as long as you have multiple recordings brought together by an RSS feed, you have a podcast.
Why Should B2B Content Marketers Care about Podcasts?
The way that people consume podcasts make them an ideal channel for your high-quality content. People tend to listen while working out, driving, cooking dinner — in other words, podcasts fill sizable chunks of otherwise idle time. You wouldn’t expect someone to read your white paper or eBook during their morning commute, but they might settle in with your latest episode.
The demographics for podcast listeners are attractive for B2B marketers, too. Edison Research’s Podcast Consumer 2017 report found that:
- 24% of people ages 18-54 listen to podcasts monthly
- Podcast listeners are almost evenly split between men and women
- Podcast listeners tend to be affluent, educated consumers
- In the 25-54 demographic, monthly listening has grown year over year for the past four years
In other words, your target audience is likely spending a significant amount of time listening to podcasts already. And those who already listen to at least one podcast are likely to be on the lookout for more.
What Marketing Goals Can a B2B Podcast Serve?
Podcasts work best for the attract and engage phases of the customer journey. You can use your podcast to build brand awareness and establish thought leadership in your industry. Thoughtful, valuable content can help your brand stand…
