Why Are Podcasts Becoming Prevalent in Businesses?

“Learning never exhausts the mind” – Leonardo da Vinci.

This incredible quote can inspire many businesses to embrace change and learn new ways to market their brand, in addition to using video and written content. More businesses can adopt a selection of marketing tactics by exploring new opportunities in the digital world. The question that comes to mind is whether podcasts are the new form of learning for digital marketers, and if so, why? A podcast is a voice audio show that is spread across a series of episodes. They can easily be downloaded to any device, including desktops, tablets, and smartphones. Podcasting has attracted the interests and passions of consumers by using the traditional form of storytelling, enticing people with discussions and the potential to learn.

The Podcast Evolution
Podcasts were first established in the year 2001, when consumers could only download podcasts to their MP3 players and desktops. During this period, the reputation of these new digital podcasts was considerably poor, leaving no buzz or interest for consumers. It did not leave a good impression, since they viewed it as more of a traditional radio service product. It was not only consumers that were discouraged from using podcasts, but also businesses. Brands were not able to track how many consumers were listening to their podcasts, which prevented them from monitoring how successful their marketing tactic really was.

In today’s era, the lifestyle of consumers in developed countries has considerably transformed. People are now consumed by having a busier lifestyle, and approach life with an ‘always on the go’ attitude. This change in lifestyle has also meant a change in the revolution of the podcast for both consumers and businesses. A greater need for independent living and privacy allows podcasts to be a great solution, as consumers can use earphones to listen to an audio file. You can find podcasts relating to almost any industry, from technology to fashion. Not to forget the evolution of the Apple iPhone, which boosted the growth of podcasting thanks to iTunes making the audio files easy to download. The table chart below indicates how the quantity of podcasts being listened to has positively increased over time in the USA alone, and should continue to grow.

The Benefits of Podcasts
There are a number of extraordinary benefits to using podcasts. They can be a great investment for businesses who want to build effective marketing campaigns and grow organic search. Podcasts move away from corporate ways of marketing a brand, and rather focus on being unique and highly connected with listeners. Here are some of the ways that podcasts are great for businesses:

• It Injects Personality
  Podcasts inject personality and expression to a business. Listening to another human’s tone of voice can be powerful, and helps to form an intimate bond between a company and their consumers. This is because it gives the opportunity for consumers to listen to the emotion, tone and style behind the voice. This can help to build trust with businesses by showing a greater understanding of the industry, boosting people’s’ familiarity with the brand. Familiarity is the basis of trust, and a customer that trusts you is far more likely to return to your website again. This is an incredible way to achieve a long-term relationship with consumers.
• It Provides Easy Access
  Podcasts also allow consumers to instantly access the thought process of a company with the click of a button. Consumers can download podcasts from iTunes and Stitcher, making them available on any mobile device. The growth of smartphones is rising; 20% of users in 2010 owned a smartphone, and this has now increased to 76.6% in 2016. With obile data cheap and readily available, alongside public Wi Fi spots, podcasts are easy to download and stream.
• It Helps a Business Grow
  Coming up with new marketing strategies for podcasts allow businesses to think about their strengths and areas of expertise, and how they can communicate in the most effective way. In addition, podcasts can give businesses more freedom and flexibility to choose the tone, voice, and style that suits their brand. As Bill Burr once said, “Podcasting is great. Total freedom.”
• It Improves Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
  Google bases part of its ranking on good, original content. Therefore, offering podcasts can help to boost your website’s search engine ranking position. Algorithms also look for fresh pages, but place a lot of value on multimedia content. Providing original audio content that is useful to your audience is a great way to boost your online search engine ranking.
• Podcasts Are Economically-Friendly
  Podcasts are economical to produce, which is great for businesses that have a tight marketing budget. It can add a tangible return on investment if a business understands their objectives and brand.

In conclusion
We can clearly see that the use of podcasts is growing at a steady pace, and it should be something for businesses to consider in the future. It is slowly moving away from a niche market and into a more mainstream market. In our fast-paced technological era there is a high demand for both instant access and a greater need for human connection with a brand. Podcasts fit well alongside other marketing techniques.

Podcasts fit perfectly in the digital world, as they provide easy access, flexibility, and they help to build a brand identity for businesses. This allows businesses to show off their knowledge and expertise by enhancing the tone and style of their voice. Businesses can express greater enthusiasm and passion for their industry. This is not to say that written content and video content are not as effective, however podcasts are a valuable addition and have their own unique benefits.

The best way to approach this is to experiment with different ways that your business can market its content, which includes audio content, written content, and video content.

This can give your business the opportunity to test each approach, to see how well your target audience responds to them and what actually works for your business. Even if you don’t have a lot of experience with podcasts, simply have fun experimenting with them, and it could lead to major success!