By Cliff Dumas

Podcasting is the fastest growing media platform today. A study from BBC Global News suggests branded or corporate podcasts – shows that are produced on behalf of a company – are a more effective way to reach consumers than TV or radio ads.

Interestingly, the study relied on neuroscience to achieve its results. Researchers at the firm Neuro-Insight surveyed nearly 2,500 consumers across four continents, measuring “second-by-second brain activity” while respondents were consuming content both passively and actively.

They found that mentions of a brand within a branded podcast stand out to and stick with listeners. Company mentions within a branded podcast deliver 16% higher engagement and 12% higher memory encoding than the surrounding content on a show. Comparatively, brand mentions on radio score 5% lower than surrounding content.

Interestingly, podcasts are an especially great way to reach people who typically avoid ads. The survey found that podcasts out-performed TV ads by 22% on measures of engagement, emotional intensity and memory encoding.

As a result, branded podcasts contribute to brand growth in a number of ways:

• 89% higher awareness

• 57% higher branded consideration

• 24% higher brand favorability

• 14% higher purchase intent

What is a branded podcast?

In 2018, Fast Company called branded podcasts “the ads people actually want to listen to.”

But, they’re not strictly advertising or promotional. The best branded podcasts still stick to the core of what makes a good podcast: great storytelling, compelling conversations, and content people want to hear.

One great example is Inside Trader Joe’s, which gives Trader Joe’s fanatics a behind-the-scenes look at the store’s history, operations and employees.

Other branded podcasts take much less of a “selfie” approach. Sephora’s #LIPSTORIES is an interview show where guests have “relaxed, fun, and honest chats about self-image and how we can all be a little more confident.” Shopify publishes two podcasts: Shopify Masters offers eCommerce marketing advice, while Vanguard shares stories from businesses in “unexplored communities and unexpected subcultures.”

There are many, many more examples, but the common denominator is brands producing shows that are thoughtful, compelling and engaging content NOT infomercials.

Why are branded podcasts better for advertisers?

According to the BBC Global News study, part of the reason why branded podcasts are so effective is because of the way people listen to shows. In all, 94% of consumers listen to podcasts while they’re doing other things, like chores, driving or exercising. This type of listening drove higher levels of content engagement, emotional intensity and memory. Here’s how the report describes it:

Keeping the brain occupied with an activity enhances the ability for brands messages to achieve cut-through.

The state of activity means that the podcast content is being taken in through ‘low-involvement processing’ – a much more ‘fuel-efficient’ process that has a lower cognitive load. As such, engagement with the content can last much longer; good news for this long-form format.

Statistics show that over half of the nation agrees: podcasts are “in.” This new medium, however, is not just for journalists with a lengthy crime to share. Branded podcasting has landed in the marketing world, and your company should consider jumping on board. 

Podcasts are mainstream

Edison Research and Triton Digital published the results of The Infinite Dial 2019. The Infinite Dial, published annually since 1998, is a survey focused on digital media consumer behavior in America. The survey focuses on mobile behaviors, internet audio, podcasting, social media, smart speakers and more. 

The main takeaway? Among the U.S. population ages 12 and older, the total number of people who have ever listened to a podcast passes 50% for the first time.

Tom Webster, Senior Vice President of Edison Research, remarked: “This is a watershed moment for podcasting–a true milestone. With over half of Americans 12+ saying that they have ever listened to a podcast, the medium has firmly crossed into the mainstream.”

Why should companies start branded podcasts?

Production costs are far more economic then television.

Podcasts build brand recognition and trust

A branded podcast can reach a variety of specific verticals within your brand’s service, product or area of expertise. In addition, it can build significant brand recognition and instill trust and credibility between you and your consumers. Podcasts are conversation starters–be the company that starts one. 

Podcasts build relationships

Recently, video marketing became a vital step towards consumers connecting with brands. Today, Podcasting is bringing something new. Podcasts provide a personal listening experience. Something about spending an hour in the car with the CEO of Sephora or the Trader Joe’s wine experts feels very intimate. Listeners may suddenly see these companies in a entirely new light. Don’t you want your clients and customers to have this same connection with your brand?

Starting your own branded podcast may also increase online engagement rate and allow you to reach a wider, more diverse audience. The list goes on and on.

Lex Friedman, CEO of Midroll, sums the branded podcast strategy best: 

“No one wants to listen to a 10-episode podcast about how great ZipRecruiter is at finding a job or helping hire the right applicant. But, if we can create a show with someone like entrepreneur and author Seth Godin about what it means to be successful and being the most productive person around, that’s going to appeal to exactly the kind of people that ZipRecruiter wants to reach.”

Reach new people, earn trust, create more brand awareness. Contact the award winning team at www.everythingpodcasts.com to give your brand a voice.