Listen closely… ― How brands use podcasts to maximize consumer engagement

Friday: Collaborate and Innovate FROM THE DESK OF MILES EVERSON: Everyone has days that hold out of the ordinary or interesting events. And though these events may be bizarre, you can use these stories to attract more people to your brand. There’s a lot these narratives and experiences can do if you know how to use them to pique your target market’s interest. Today’s topic is a testimony to that. Keep reading to learn how branded podcasts can help expand your business’ reach. CEO, MBO Partners Chairman of the Advisory Board, The I Institute

Listen closely… ― How brands use podcasts to maximize consumer engagement In today’s world, you can access different kinds of content on the go. You can stream your favorite videos and listen to your favorite music on your way to work or at home. Imagine having countless hours worth of content at your fingertips all the time! One type of online media has gained popularity in recent years for the same reasons. Branded Podcasts. This is another form of content that major brands and companies use to provide a new experience for their consumers. A good number of well-known brands have created their own podcast series to attract and engage with more people. The podcast could be in a discussion format where the host and guests talk about a topic relevant to the brand. It could also be in a more creative format, such as storytelling. Think of it as a new and modern take on radio programs. Instead of airing on a car or home radio, it airs online! The content can range from discussions on the brand’s latest projects or products down to testimonials from customers that have experienced the product or service. It could also be about the team that’s behind the brand where key people are interviewed about milestones and achievements. Some have even created really cool fictional series! There are so many ideas to explore. You can create content on almost anything you can think of. Podcasts also help connect a brand to its target audience on a deeper level. People can learn more about the story behind the brand or they can tune in to interesting content every time on-air or posted online. It does wonders for SEO too! Podcasts provide a different and effective way for more people to discover you and your content. The number of people listening to podcasts is increasing. Same goes for the number of shows and episodes available. As of April 2020, there are over 1 million shows and 30 million episodes worldwide! That’s a whole lot of content to explore and listen to! It’s now easier to search for podcasts online as well. Google recently launched an update that optimizes podcast search results, allowing you to listen to them at the click of a button! You can even search for specific snippets of an episode and skip to that part! Here are some great examples of branded podcasts that are surely worth a listen. THE MESSAGE by General Electric Unlike other branded podcasts, this one is a sci-fi series! Hosted by Nicky Thomalin, The Message is about a group of cryptographers trying to decipher a transmission believed to be of extraterrestrial origin. In just eight weeks after its October 2015 release, the podcast reached 1.2 million downloads and hit number 1 on the iTunes podcast charts! They also won a 2016 Webby Award for Best Use of Native Advertising. WORK IN PROGRESS by Slack Recognized as one of the fastest-growing startups in history, Slack created its own branded podcast called “Work in Progress.” Their series is all about the stories behind people at work, featuring business owners, freelancers, students, and even inventors! Each episode helps tell the story of an individual and their journey as they pursue their careers and passion. This effort aims to move and inspire its audience. The podcast generated a significant amount of engagement, with over 40,000 listeners per episode! HUNT THE TRUTH by Microsoft HUNT THE TRUTH is a fictional podcast series created by Microsoft in 2015 to promote their upcoming game Halo 5: Guardians. It follows journalist Benjamin Giraud (voiced by Keegan-Michael Key) as he investigates the stories surrounding Master Chief, the protagonist of the game. This podcast series successfully got fans hyped for the upcoming release. It also provided fans with more information about the game’s lore as they waited for their chance to play the game. HUNT THE TRUTH got over 6.7 million listens on Apple podcasts and won the 2015 Bronze Clio Award in the audio category! Planning to create a podcast for your brand? Here are some things to keep in mind! Invest in good equipment – Audio quality is important when recording podcasts. You need to have clear and crisp voices, music, and sound effects. Use high-quality microphones and the right tools and software. You can also invest in a studio and have all the equipment you need from the get-go!   Commit time for editing – Editing audio is a lengthy process. Any form of background noise and dead air should be removed. It takes a lot of time, but it’s time well-spent. The way your episode is edited can greatly affect the number of listeners and subscribers.   Make it available on multiple platforms – There are many podcast platforms to choose from. Examples are Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Soundcloud, Anchor, Buzzsprout, and even Spotify! You can publish your episodes on multiple platforms in just a few clicks. This allows you to reach the widest audience possible so more people can find you! Podcasts have become very popular and engaging pieces of content, providing a range of discussions and stories that keep the audience hooked all the way. Brands can use podcasts as part of their marketing to generate more traffic on their online platforms and provide quality content at the same time. Looking for a different way to deliver exciting content to your audience? Podcasts might just be what your brand needs! Hope you’ve found this week’s insights interesting and helpful. Follow us on LinkedIn. Stay tuned for next Friday’s Collaborate and Innovate! Learn more about Social Media Storytelling on next week’s Collaborate and Innovate!