How do you harness the power of podcasts for your brand?

At HDY Agency, we live and breathe content. As a content marketing agency, it’s kind of our thing. The possibilities of content creation are so vast that people require multiple types of content to suit their needs. Brands need to keep this in mind, utilising various channels to keep consumers engaged. Blogs, articles, newsletters and video content are your classic ‘oldies but goldies’. They’re great, they work, but have you considered tapping into the power of podcasts?

With everyone restricted to their homes during the early 2020 lockdown, we all turned to our good friends Netflix, Spotify and Prime for new distractions, entertainment and ways to consume information. Research shows that this led to an increase in people (particularly Millennials and Gen Z-ers) listening to podcasts. With a mass of listeners sitting with ears perked, it’s time for brands to get on board.

So why should your brand get into podcasting?

It’s simple, really. Listenership is growing exponentially each year, so get on it while it’s fresh.

In all seriousness, the podcast market emerged from the pandemic in a bulletproof vest, unwounded and standing strong as more major media players incorporated podcasts into their offering. 

Having grown over the past decade, podcasts have become longer, increasingly focused on niche topics and a key part of brand strategy. Though a fan favourite, it turns out short-form content isn’t always best. Utilising podcasts allows companies to create targeted content about practically anything and everything that resonates with existing and new audiences whilst feeding into existing brand strategies. 

With their increased popularity, podcasts are poised to become more interactive with fun features such as polls, Q&As and responsive advertising potentially making listening to podcasts less passive and more engaging.

The majority of those attracted to podcasts are Millennials and Gen Z, making podcasts a great opportunity to appeal to younger audiences. For those of you targeting older audiences, don’t panic – podcasts can still work for you too! According to the 2021 Mintel Report, promoting a podcast via broadcast TV, print newspapers and radio could be particularly effective in increasing the amount of Baby Boomers listeners. This could open a world of new opportunities by breaking through to new audiences.

The podcast market is still largely free, with most podcast-lovers listening via free streams/downloads. However, there is a willingness to pay. 15% of listeners paid a one-off fee to stream/download a podcast, and 29% streamed/downloaded a podcast via a paid-for subscription service. That’s something worth getting into, right?

Essentially, podcasting is proving itself to be a fantastic channel to utilise to share brand messages with audiences. From shorter episodes lasting a couple of minutes to entertaining audiences with an hour or more of content, the possibilities for podcasts are expanding and brands need to jump on board.

How can HDY help?

Not to toot our own horn, but here at HDY we know a thing or two about podcasting. 

With our suave, fully-equipped podcast suite, in-house podcast guru (who doubles as a host when needed) and top-of-the-range portable equipment that amplifies the podcasting experience, our love for podcasting shines through any project we get our hands on. Having planned, produced, recorded, hosted and delivered our very own HDY podcast, Be More, we have also cast our podcasting talents out into the wider world. 

Our experience includes the Be Bold Be Birmingham podcast. Created in a partnership with Birmingham City Council, we supported all aspects –  from planning to delivery and promotion. Exploring topics raised in HDY co-founder Ed James’ book, Be More Kid, we also worked on the Be More podcast. As well as this, our Marketing Manager and podcast enthusiast Ben Kane wrote and presented Class Clowns. A podcast created for one of the UK’s biggest comedy venues, The Glee Club, during the pandemic.

So, as you can see, this isn’t our first rodeo. If you require specialist skills in directing, producing or supporting your content, we’ve got you covered. If you have too much on your plate, HDY can alleviate the pressure by creating it for you!

Want to listen to our work in action? Listen to the Be Bold Be Birmingham podcast, which we worked on alongside Birmingham City Council.

Want to listen to our work in action? See which of the podcasts below tickles your fancy.

‘Be Bold Be Birmingham’ available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.

‘Be More’ podcast available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

‘Class Clowns’ podcast available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts.