Is it just me or are podcasts like Netflix for your ears (and eyes if it's a video podcast)? Everyone’s always talking about the latest and greatest series or recommending a new bingeworthy show. But consumers aren’t the only ones who get the appeal of podcasts. The B2B world wants in too. But if you're not familiar with this powerful digital channel, B2B podcasting might seem like too much hard work, and selling your bosses on investing in another channel doesn’t always seem plausible. Hesitation and doubt can kill a podcast before it’s even born.
If you’re still on the fence about podcasts as a marketing tool, this post is for you.
There’s certainly a case to be made for a B2B marketing podcast. (Just look at the success of B2B tech podcasts like Terminus-led podcast #FlipMyFunnel or Salesforce’s Marketing Cloudcast.) But to make the case for your own company’s show, you need evidence of value. So here are just a few reasons why, at Casted, we believe starting a branded podcast pays off.
Podcasts Are Accessible (Bigger Audience!)
We’ve watched the evolution of entertainment and communications go from basic radio in the early 20th century to video and cable in the '80s and '90s to the internet and on-demand streaming of today. Now, instead of moving to the next bigger and better visual channel, we’re seeing a resurgence of storytelling in podcasting.
Podcasts are free, easy to download, and readily accessible to the vast majority of people. Meanwhile, television still requires hefty cable bills or a portfolio of streaming subscriptions to access your favorites. And you have to be willing to sit still for awhile.
With so many listeners (62% of Americans listen to podcasts monthly) and large market opportunity (podcast revenue is expected to surpass $3 billion in 2024), podcasting is one of the only channels that continues to grow in B2B’s overcrowded content space. So, if your leadership is hesitant to bet on this emerging market, tell them the market is ripe for the picking and there’s room for you.
Podcasts Are Fueled by Conversation (Real Thought Leadership!)
Gone are the days of cliché advertising and canned corporate messaging. Today, human stories and real conversations reign supreme, and one of the best (and most efficient) ways to capture these content gold mines is through podcasts. Americans are done being served fake stories and overproduced commercials.
Clearing the way for real thought leadership in your brand’s content marketing strategy allows your brand to:
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- Build more genuine relationships with your customers, partners, and surrounding network
- Interview real customers and experts instead of paying to hire actors
- Establish yourselves as innovators and thought leaders
- Get more bang for your content buck by repurposing recorded audio and video
The best way to capture authentically unique ideas is to tap into the conversations your internal subject matter experts are already having. After all, the people with the most genuine thoughts in your space are those closest to it. (Need help with this strategy? Hear how #FlipMyFunnel’s Sangram Vajre does it!)
Podcasts Are Engaging (More Brand Recognition!)
There’s a reason so many brands are turning to podcasts to make a name for themselves. Companies like Drift, Salesforce, and Terminus have become synonymous with good podcasts, making their brands even bigger and more relatable.
The opportunity for branded podcasting is so big because it allows brands to create an audience via engagement instead of by force. And because podcasting is never “one and done,” podcasts deliver value over time, building a loyal audience that continues to engage if you maintain a consistent publishing schedule. By dishing up trustworthy advice and regular content, you earn the right to ask for their business without being too salesy, making them more likely to convert to a paying customer base later.
Podcasts Are Valuable (Higher ROI!)
Perhaps the biggest selling point of B2B podcasting is its long-lasting value. Each podcast episode is essentially its own “album” of greatest hits, meaning it can be broken up into smaller clips for promoting in various channels to draw engagement. Edit them, share them, analyze them, and watch them bring more listeners back to your series (and subsequently your brand). Further, transcribing your shows makes them available in written form to be repurposed as blogs, pull quotes, case studies, and more. The goodness never ends!
This is what we do at Casted. We activate the podcasts you create to work harder and smarter for you, so you get more out of each episode. From there, you can quantify the value of your show (because you know your marketing leaders love hard numbers) with metrics that go beyond just downloads. With deeper analytics, you can actually see the impact your podcast has on your brand. How’s that for business proof?
The Proof’s in the Pudding
I’m biased when it comes to podcasting (and yes, you should start one!), but if you’re having trouble selling the idea to your leadership (or even to yourself), value and business sense shouldn’t be in question. There’s too much data out there to support the ROI of this medium.
And with Casted, your branded podcast gets set up for success when it’s built on a platform that specializes in everything from podcast hosting and management to marketing activation and analytics.
Still need a reason to jump on the podcasting bandwagon? It’s just plain fun. If you're asking yourself, "How do I start a B2B podcast?" let us show you how we do things with a quick demo.
