In times like the ones we live in, where we are overstimulated audiovisually and doing tasks simultaneously, the podcast emerges as a new space for brand communication, gaining more and more prominence.
Recently, David Yaffe-Bellany, in a Article on the subject for New York Times, explained that podcasts “are not advertisements but subtle branding efforts intended to entertain and persuade.” And that distinction is key because precisely its characteristic “on the go” is what allows the podcast to reach people at times or places where brands did not have a presence before.
In fact, according to Spotifyaudio is an intimate, personal and flexible format, ideal for active and modern lives because “it allows people to listen to them during activities that prevent them from seeing the screens, for example, while exercising, cleaning and cooking, that is, when visual media can’t reach them that easily.”
This is what makes the branded podcasting becomes a novel way of building and managing the brand, because it entertains and accompanies, managing to reach the consumer in new territories, reinforcing the emotional connection and brand memory.
Faced with increasingly informed and hyperconnected users who demand unique conversation experiences “on demand” to consume where, when and how they want, the podcast becomes one of the best means to show not only the voice of the brands but also their storytelling.
But, going back to Yaffe-Bellany’s article, we must bear in mind that the podcast is not for everyone but is especially suitable for those brands that have something to tell and are willing to not only talk about themselves, their products or services. This supposes, in addition to understanding that the podcast is a strategy 90% engagement and 10% sale, prior work on defining brand objectives, tone, style of voice and idea to be conveyed. This implies the development of content that is not explicitly advertising but rather generates an organic conversation that allows building a genuine debate of interest to the audience.
Those of us who work in communication know that the rules change constantly. Users want personalized information and companies must know how to adapt to these new demands. Podcast consumption is one of them and allows brands to:
Create engagement. The proximity offered by this format makes the brand message more natural and less intrusive than an advertisement. Here the focus is on connecting, not selling.
Loyalty. This is an ideal format to build customer loyalty by offering valuable content combining information with entertainment and brand positioning.
Generate conversation: Depending on the nature of the brand, it is a format that allows you to upload current topics, whether they are of a social nature or of general interest.
We are in the era of audition. Fast, direct and simple, the audio came to add opportunities not only for dialogue and connection but also commercials, what are you waiting for to give your brand a voice?