When at the end of the 80‘s Bruce Woolley declared ‘Video killed the radio star’ it seemed like the case was good and closed.
Video content seemed to be here to stay as the undisputed champion. However, nowadays we can see a reverse tendency of audio content coming back into our daily lives with renewed vigor.
Modern day audio assistants on mobile phones and other smart devices have become compulsory. News outlets both foreign and in Lithuania are investing increasingly more into audio content, and podcasts are undoubtedly one of the hottest current trends.
The term podcast is a conjunction between the old music player iPod and the word broadcast. According to Statista podcast audience in the US alone will reach 100 million by the year 2021. We can’t ignore podcasts anymore and should talk more about them.
One of the main reasons for this meteoric popularity is how well podcasts fit into our fast paced busy lifestyle. A modern person often lacks time, is always multitasking, thus audio content becomes the ideal source of information, as it does not pull away from other tasks. Whether you’re jogging in the park, working in the office, or waiting for a bus, you can always absorb interesting topics and news.
Some time back, audio content was scarce, and podcasts tended to be amateurish, but nowadays you can find information on virtually any topic. News, sports, politics, science, fiction – everything is covered. It doesn’t matter whether you can only afford 10 minutes or an entire hour.
The noticeable increase in podcast quality and the massively increased array of covered topics are major factors as to why this medium is on the rise. High quality content requires a lot of planning and research, those who are negligent and sloppy in their approach are quickly drowned out and forgotten.
It is also important to note that this type of content tends to be continuous and podcasts are usually created on a regular basis and with listener interactivity in mind. It is easy to write a comment or a letter to the creators expressing your opinions, sharing suggestions, asking questions and more. This gets you involved in creating your beloved show’s content and becoming an active participant in it.
The fact that millions of people are already listening to podcasts and these numbers are destined to rise even more, shows that this is becoming a viable and relevant marketing channel for business. Since most people use smartphones or other smart devices, listening to these shows online or downloading them for later use is easier than ever before.
It’s no secret that search engines are changing their algorithms to give mobile devices a higher priority, so it’s important for businesses to focus on content that is most commonly consumed on mobile devices. And podcasts fit this bill ideally.
Simplicity
Many companies have invested in newsletters or blogs to communicate with their customers. Since written content takes a lot of time and not all of us can be amazing writers, this form can become too complicated and requiring too much effort. Preparation of an audio clip is much less time consuming than writing an article or recording a video. A podcast would only require us to record us speaking, something we do every day anyway. Buy the right microphone and a program for audio recording and editing, and you’ll have everything you need to create audio content.
For many, this form of communication is simpler and takes a lot less time. So with the rise of podcasts, businesses can create quality content with a lot less effort.
Personal connection and trust
It is worth noting that blogs, more often than not, share opinions, and it is a one-way communication channel. Podcasts foster dialogue, often with more than one person speaking, it creates a feeling of dynamism. It is this dynamism that you can use to full effect by inviting a variety of experts who will help you in answering any questions your listeners may have. The laidback conversation format allows the audience to easily absorb the messages you and your guest try to relay. Furthermore, if your guests decide to share the recording on their social media, you will also receive their audience for free.
The Podcast format is ideal for storytelling. Share your brand history and values, easily building customer confidence in the process. Your audience, unlike in written blogs, will always identify you and know that you are speaking to them, thus creating direct trust and connection with your customer.
Audio content is very personal. When someone hears your voice, they hear your personality and feel your authenticity. The listener can notice your excitement or the passion in your voice when discussing topics that are important to your customers. This makes it easier for listeners to trust you and creates the impression that they already know you closely and personally. Additionally, in order to make the podcast more diverse, you can include your employees in the conversation or even allow your customers to have a say. This will further solidify you as being both open and close to your customers.
Anytime and everywhere with your client
We now go full circle to perhaps the most important aforementioned thing when it comes to podcast popularity. It accompanies your client anytime and everywhere. This tool of communication allows you to take advantage of time your customer would simply waste away in a traffic jam, waiting in line at the dentist or washing dishes. Comfort is the real key to the success of podcasts.
In addition, as we enter the age of strict data protection laws, audio recordings are a great way to spread content without the listener needing to enter their email address or other data. With a simple click a listener can subscribe to a podcast and unsubscribe just as easily if he or she so desires.
Podcasts are definitely on the rise and it is just a matter of time before we see greater investment of time and resources in the search for easily accessible content and business goals.