Brands Invest in Podcasting during COVID-19

By Cliff Dumas

Regardless of whether you call it social distancing, quarantining or retreating to a safe place, heading home amid concerns about the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is bound to affect media consumption habits. In fact, staying put in our homes can lead to almost a 60% increase in the amount of content we watch and listen to. Considering that consumers around the globe are already leaning into the growing array of content options and channels, a 60% increase is significant.

Media consumption in the U.S. is already at historical highs. As reported in the most recent Nielsen Total Audience report, Americans are already spending just shy of 12 hours each day with media platforms. What’s more, three-fourths of U.S. consumers are broadening their media options with streaming subscriptions and TV-connected devices.

As social distancing restrictions and business closures continue, more and more listeners are craving the instant social connection and intimacy offered by podcasts.

Brands themselves are no strangers to the podcasting game, having recognized the unique content marketing opportunities represented by this particular form of media-on-demand. However, this doesn’t mean that branded podcasts are just thinly veiled advertisements for their parent companies. In fact, given the extra resources afforded to them by their corporate sponsors, some of the best podcasts currently being offered in the audio market are bankrolled and produced by businesses. With that in mind, here are three recommendations for branded podcasts that are worth listening to.

I Make a Living - FreshBooks

Produced by Paco Arizmendi, Senior Marketing Manager of the accounting software company FreshBooks, I Make a Living is a podcast targeted at people who work for themselves. Following the recent launch of their second season, the show delivers a series of truthful and candid interviews with various freelancers, small business owners and entrepreneurs, all focused around the question of what “making a living” really means. If you’ve ever even daydreamed about being your own boss or building your own company, you should tune in to this podcast for a raw, honest and unvarnished look into the life of an entrepreneur.

TGIM (Thank God It's Monday) - Shopify

Another podcast focusing on entrepreneurship, TGIM is produced by Mark MacDonald, Content Marketing Manager at Shopify. Aiming to take back the negative connotations of workplace drudgery associated with Mondays, TGIM blows away those start-of-the-week blues with motivational stories of ambitious entrepreneurs who managed to turn their ideas into successful startups, much like Shopify itself! In addition, listeners can benefit from the wisdom of inspirational visionaries who were once struggling business owners themselves. Without a doubt, this podcast will kick your inner CEO into drive—after all, Monday isn’t to be feared when you love what you do!

Open for Business - eBay

Although many podcasts focus on business successes, not many concentrate on the art of building a business from scratch. Alongside Gimlet Creative Media, eBay produces a podcast titled Open for Business, a series of interviews with entrepreneurs who grew their businesses from the ground up, resulting in entertaining yet educational stories that offer valuable insights into starting and running a successful business. Hosted by John Henry, venture capitalist and serial entrepreneur, the podcast reinforces eBay’s commitment to helping people start their own businesses, while also hinting at the origins of the eCommerce behemoth as a startup business itself in the mid-1990s.

During these uncertain times, discovering engaging content is a great way to support businesses as they work to maintain their financial stability. The most fundamental challenge facing brands today is how to you capture people’s attention? By telling stories. 93% of podcast listeners listen to all or most of each episode! They are designed as compelling stories that inform, educate and inspire. Podcasting is a win-win situation for everyone right now as we continue to respect social distancing restrictions in our efforts to flatten the curve during this pandemic. Learn more about our media and podcast services for brands on our website.