Are Podcasts The Future of Radio Advertising?

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July 5, 2016
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August 9, 2016

Are Podcasts The Future of Radio Advertising?

If you have a marketing message to deliver to a specific audience, you should seriously consider the potential of podcasts.  Topics run the gamut from A to Z.  That’s terrific for targeting, but you may find yourself asking “How do I know which channel to advertise on?” The answer is simple; let your target audience choose for you.

Think of podcasts as on-demand radio. There’s no guesswork in determining the theme of the channel. Passionate about soccer? Tune into The Football Ramble to hear about the most recent developments in the sport. Video games more your speed? There are dozens of options to choose from. News, politics, technology, parenthood advice, or even what life is like as a 30-something woman on the Upper East Side, seemingly every topic is covered by multiple publishers.

A recent study from Bridge Ratings of over 3,000 podcast listeners concluded that not only is the podcast audience growing, but the average levels of education and affluence are rising as well. This is due to an influx of new, young listeners who bring with them a potential for lifetime podcast support.

So why is this exciting for advertisers? Let’s say you need to spread the word about a wonderful new cold remedy. You can confidently place your ads within a podcast about motherhood and the family. Have a factory cranking out drones? Turn to the Technology channels. Podcasts provide laser-focused advertising and perfect consumer segmentation. Your target audience already has an interest in the topic, so the ad will resonate much clearer with them. Additionally, since the ad matches the overall theme of the podcast, it flows seamlessly in the audience’s mind. It feels less like a product pitch and more like a relevant suggestion.

We’ve covered the power of personalities on this website already, but now this point is stronger than ever. In radio you form a relationship with the hosts, even if you have never, or will never, meet them in real life. You laugh with them and trust their opinions implicitly. Podcast listeners are no different, and with some channels bringing in over 90,000 loyal listeners every week, the potential for brand exposure is massive.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret. We here at The Radio Agency have had our eye on the growth of podcasts from some time now. Drop us a line, and we’ll share what we’ve learned.