A quantitative analysis of key success factors for podcast marketing

TOMORROW

Companies have started programmatic advertising in third-party podcasts and are establishing and producing their own podcasts . These corporate podcasts are intended to engage with ( potential ) B2B and B2C customers , fans , or employees . They aim to increase brand awareness , advertise products , educate , or provide in-depth perspectives into company-related topics .

01

CORPORATE PODCASTS – CATEGORIZING DIFFERENT TUNES AND MELODIES

The German podcast market is on an unprecedented growth track .

GERMAN PODCAST FACTS & FIGURES

• 4m listeners per day

• 10m active listeners above the age of 14

• 4m podcast episodes

Source : Wirtschaftswoche , YouGov

Depending on the primary objective and target audience , four different archetypes of corporate podcasts can be categorized ( figure 1 ). The following considerations focus on these types of podcasts with the overarching ambition of conventional product marketing with an external audience .

Source : YouGov

THE UNDERLYING THEME – MOTIVES FOR CORPORATE PODCASTS

Most companies publishing corporate podcasts aim to utilize them as marketing means by capitalizing on several advantages :

FIG . 1 CATEGORIZATION OF CORPORATE PODCASTS BY PRIMARY OBJECTIVE AND TARGET AUDIENCE

PRODUCT MARKETING

EMPLOYER BRANDING

A HIGHLY ATTRACTIVE AUDIENCE

• 21 % of Germans are interested in corporate podcasts , particularly in special-interest podcasts with relevant content

• 48 % of these listeners are more prone to advertising-driven purchases vs . 27 % in the overall population

• 71 % are more attentive regarding social involvement with brands vs . 53 % in the overall population

02

PRIMARY GOAL INTERNAL TARGET AUDIENCE EXTERNAL

Allianz MAKLER PODCAST

Audi MITARBEITER PODCAST

Hornbach WERKSTATTGESPRÄCHE

ProSiebenSat . 1

HAUSGEMACHT

• Podcasts are not perceived as advertising by their target group . A focus on dedicated topics attracts listeners who are interested in the presented content . For example , a workout equipment manufacturer can discuss different training recommendations , incorporating and promoting its products in a more subconscious way .

• Podcasts enable corporates to maintain an even stronger bond to their customers as they are published regularly . Listeners stay in touch with the company and its products as podcasts can be listened to from everywhere and at any time .

• Building an expert status and reputation in an industry is another advantage of corporate podcasts as they are used as a source of information by its listeners . Talking about one comprehensive “ umbrella topic ” and deep-diving into dedicated subtopics in individual episodes conveys the feeling of unique and differentiating expert knowledge .

• Podcasts can also be leveraged for higher digital visibility . They can be promoted for example via social media channels , websites , or other digital means . The regular production of new content enables regular advertising opportunities .

When comparing the effectiveness of podcasts to other marketing channels , recent studies suggest that podcasts motivate 34 % of their listeners to investigate a brand , company , or product due to the mechanisms described above . Across non-podcast channels with direct advertising , only 2.6 % of content consumers reported elevated levels of interest . Thus , the effectiveness of subconscious advertising via corporate podcasts can be assumed to be a factor of more than 10 compared to traditional media channels ( Edison Research ).

Source : goetzpartners analysis