Another podcast about a podcast I hear you cry? Latest research carried out by a number of organisations, including Guardian Newspapers, The Literacy Trust and Buzzsprout, indicates that not only does podcast advertising command the highest levels of attention of any media channel, but podcast listens are up, people are more engaged in brands that have podcasts, and young people are also turning to podcasts.
The Guardian study found 65% of listeners paid attention to podcast adverts – more than adverts on TV at 39% and adverts on the radio at 38%.
And by all accounts, if it’s worth spending money on, then the medium is worth exploring, whether paid or unpaid?
Aside from this, I am a huge advocate, and I am even imparting this info to you on a podcast as I know you are more likely to engage with the content.
And whilst there is lots of research out there on podcasts, it is a fairly new medium in that it’s different to radio, for example, so all research is taken with a little bit of caution.
So, today I run over some of the reasons why it’s essential to explore audio as part of your communication mix, as it is growing much-needed, whether that’s in-house or external communication.
Let’s dive in!
Links mentioned in this episode
The Guardian research on podcast advertising April 2022
Statistica forecast UK listeners
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Full transcript (unedited)
Another podcast about a podcast I hear you cry? Latest research carried out by a number of organisations, including Guardian Newspapers, The Literacy Trust and Buzzsprout, indicates that not only does podcast advertising command the highest levels of attention of any media channel, but podcast listens are up, people are more engaged in brands that have podcasts, and young people are also turning to podcasts.
The Guardian study found 65% of listeners paid attention to podcast adverts – more than adverts on TV at 39% and adverts on the radio at 38%.
And by all accounts, if it’s worth spending money on, then the medium is worth exploring, whether paid or unpaid?
Aside from this, I am a huge advocate, and I am even imparting this info to you on a podcast as I know you are more likely to engage with the content.
And whilst there is lots of research out there on podcasts, it is a fairly new medium in that it’s different to radio, for example, so all research is taken with a little bit of caution.
So, today I run over some of the reasons why it’s essential to explore audio as part of your communication mix, as it is growing much-needed, whether that’s in-house or external communication.
Let’s dive in
So how do you make a case for audio content? There are a few reasons in my view
Accessibility is the first one
Nearly 15 million people in the UK have problems with their sight, hearing or both. It’s inevitable that some of these people will be in our networks and could be customers. These needs can be hidden from our view, so how do we make sure that we are inclusive as we can be with our communication material?
Sometimes, for example, we think audio is all about getting to the right people with our message. As a medium, as professional communicators, we often think it’s a really good way for reaching people. And that’s absolutely true. But it’s also a very accessible format for lots of people, for varying disabilities or challenges in their life.
Podcasts can easily be transcribed and I trying to move clients to an ‘audio first’ position with content. It’s so easy to use audio and repurpose it for different audiences, for example. Rather than taking copious notes. Ask yourself why are you writing everything in a pdf as your first option when this is the least likely to be the least accessible online or offline, when you could still produce one if you created audio first. Food for thought.
Secondly you only need to look at ho the advertising opportunities are progressing
According to the Guardian research – Podcasts have a multiplier effect on other advertising formats
On its own, podcast advertising has clear benefits – they are specific usually, podcasts being niche so the audience is specific and that means they are a really good and strong way to engage an audience and drive purchase.
Interestingly, in combination with other media, the overall effectiveness of an advertising campaign is maximised by adding podcasts into the mix. For example, those saying “it tells me something new about the brand” increases by 34% when podcasts are added alongside a radio campaign.
This is also backed up by latest research by Buzzsprout hosting platform
Who agree that podcasting is a highly effective marketing tool for big-name brands, small businesses, and entrepreneurs looking to grow their reach.
These stats illustrate the efficacy of the medium as an advertising platform:
- 60% of podcast listeners have bought something from a podcast ad.
- 72% of listeners who have listened to a podcast for four or more years have purchased a sponsored ad.
- 69% of respondents say podcast ads increase their awareness of products, brands, and services.
- 81% say they pay attention to ads more than they do to radio, TV commercials, or billboards, and even digital ads on social media.
- Ad revenue from podcasting is expected to double to $2 billion this year.
They also agree that popularity is booking in terms of listeners
The United States accounts for 47.9% of podcast listeners, followed by the United Kingdom with 6.3%, and Canada with 5.0% (full lineup here).
As of 2020, 18% of adults in the U.K. listen to podcasts every week. According to their research as a podcast platform.
International reach is increasing too and I am seeing this with listeners in south america and china increasing in my podcast downloads.
But it’s not all about paid opportunities
According to the Literacy trust young people are becoming more and more engaged – also backed up by the Guardian research too.
They conducted a survey of over 1600 young people aged 11-18 to find out about their listening habits and attitudes to podcasts. We found that:
- 1 in 5 young people said that they listened to podcasts in their free time.
- Of those who listened to podcasts, nearly 3 in 5 (58.7%) said that they listened because they could also carry out other activities, such as homework or exercise, closely followed by 1 in 2 (53.9%) saying that they found the subject interesting.
- 1 in 2 listeners (54.2%) felt that one of the benefits of listening to podcasts was that they got to hear different people’s opinions and ideas.
As well as helping them engage with subjects, many young people felt that podcasts had wellbeing outcomes, with half of all listeners agreeing that listening made them feel better when they were anxious or sad. And it helping them learn in the classroom.
https://literacytrust.org.uk/news/our-latest-research-shows-1-in-5-young-people-listen-to-podcasts/
So my final point is that popularity is not slowing down, IN FACT it’s the opposite
All these reasons lead to the continued popularity of audio content, and why you should be producing it.
According to website Statistica https://www.statista.com/forecasts/1147560/podcast-reach-uk
The number of podcast listeners is going to continue to grow from 16.9million in 2022 to 28.1 million by 2026.
And there is a slice of the pie for everyone. Podcasts are so niche, you can develop audio to explain a concept, a design, a product or a way of going about something. You can gather opinions, challenge perceptions and generate great discussions. You can produce one on any topic and there will be listeners out there. Because of the hosting platforms, your content is also pushed to major streaming places like Apple podcasts.
It really is the most flexible communication medium out there, next to video where you can all the audio experience, but with distracting images – are you watching or listeners – more food for thought.
I hope you enjoyed this episode today. If you would like to talk about starting to use audio as part of your communication mix but are not sure where to start please get in touch and we can have a chat about how I can help you.
You can also download my free audio book or pdf; 5 things I have learned from using Audio. Which also includes 15 things to think about before you start.
Until next time!
Links in this episode
The Guardian research on podcast advertising April 2022
BuzzSprout research May 2022
https://www.buzzsprout.com/blog/podcast-statistics
Statistica forecast UK listeners