Also, do you feel like anyone who doesn't listen to podcasts lately isn't? Not only are podcasts popular with listeners, but they've been discovered by companies and marketers. That's why today's Bystro will not only give you the essentials you need to know about podcasts, but also present tips for a corporate podcast , including a sample of ours. Enjoy reading and listening.
iPod and broadcast = podcast, or how it all started
The first podcasts as we know them today began to appear with the popularity of the iPod. It was used for listening to music, but in 2004 developers improved it to download recordings of radio shows to the device. In 2005, the New Oxford American Dictionary named podcast the word of the year. Slow growth in writers and listeners followed, but the real boom came with the popularity of the investigative American podcast Serial! According to a recent YouGov study, the pandemic has accelerated the growth of time with digital media, including podcasts, globally.
Why is audio on the rise?
The combination of new habits and advances in technology has enabled a massive expansion of the industry now called aural entertainment. Since users listen most often in the car, at work, or while exercising, the pandemic paradoxically saw a drop in listenership at the beginning of the pandemic, only to break records in late summer, prompting companies like Spotify and Amazon to start pouring tens of millions of dollars into podcast development. Another factor behind audio's success is that it is more emotional for users than video. This is because they have to engage their imagination more, which is replaced by images in video.
Podcast as a key marketing channel of the present and future
With podcasts, you can reach both current and potential customers while building your company's credibility. The foundation should be the interesting content you bring to your subscribers. The regularity with which new episodes are released is also important for a successful podcast, as well as its voice. Whether it's a professional host or someone from your company, choose a voice that reflects your company and is pleasing to the ears of your audience. The most commonly used model is a hybrid, where a podcast host introduces the podcast and interviews personalities from the company or industry.
Branded podcasts are trending, Microsoft, Sephora and Lidl have them
A branded podcast can look different, but it should always reflect your company's philosophy. In its .future show, Microsoft addresses what the future might look like. Sephora features stories of successful and inspiring women in #LIPSTORIES. You might be surprised to know that toothpaste maker Zendium also has a podcast called 2 Minutes of Zen. In short episodes that you can listen to while brushing your teeth, you'll get tips on how to improve your health. Lidl in the Czech Republic has gone down the route of HR-focused podcasts, so podcasts can also be part of a recruitment strategy.
A corporate podcast for employees as part of your digital transformation
While branded podcasts mainly target potential and current customers, corporate ones are starting to become one of the important elements of internal communication, especially in the home-office era. The German Audi currently offers its employees a 15-minute podcast with one main topic, supplemented by interviews and news from the company and, for example, competitions. The former head of Adidas in the US himself hosted a company podcast, inviting major sports personalities. To conclude today's newsletter, here is the promised preview of the Pen&Production podcast.
Would you like to start a company podcast and don't know how to do it? Pen&Production now offers its clients a complete podcast production from idea, script to recording and distribution.
