Podcasts
‘90% of respondents indicated that they had taken some kind of action as a result of podcast advertising or sponsorship, and over 40% reported purchasing behaviours, which indicates that they are receptive to the right message, in the right context.” Tom Webster, Vice President, Edison Research
Podcasting is online audio content that is delivered via an RSS feed. Many people liken podcasting to radio on demand. Listeners can determine the time and the place, meaning they decide what programming they want to receive and when they want to listen to it. They can also retain audio archives to listen to at their leisure. While blogs have turned many bloggers into journalists, podcasting has the potential to turn podcasters into radio personalities.
Vodcasting is a term used for the online delivery of video on demand video clip content via Atom or RSS enclosures. The term is used to distinguish between podcasts which most commonly contain audio files and those referring to the distribution of video where the RSS feed is used as a non-linear TV channel to which consumers can subscribe using a PC, TV, set-top box, media center or mobile multimedia device. Web television series are often distributed as video podcasts.
Podcasts and Vodcasts are a powerful tool to reach and engage niche audiences, research shows that:
- Nearly 80% of podcast consumers agreed that “when price and quality is equal,” they “prefer to buy products from companies that advertise on or sponsor” the podcasts they regularly enjoy
- 37% of these respondents expressed some positive sentiment about advertising in the podcasts they regularly listen to or watch, compared to only 6% positive sentiment expressed for the advertising approaches of television or commercial radio
- In fact, 78% of these respondents agreed (and 21% agreed strongly) that their opinion of a company is more positive when they hear it mentioned in one of the podcasts they regularly enjoy
- In addition, 72% of these respondents were at least somewhat receptive to sponsorship messages in the podcasts they regularly enjoy, with 5% indicating that they are generally “interested in them and/or often find them useful.” When sponsorship or advertising messages are read by the host(s) of the podcasts themselves, again 72% are receptive, but 20% indicate that those messages are generally interesting and useful.
The huge advantage of podcasting/vodcasting is the degree to which it engages users – they make an active choice to access the podcast by downloading, subscribing or streaming it.
Benefits
- Podcasts have all the intimacy of radio with added flexibility
- Appeals to a youthful audience
- Tend to reach an audience at a receptive time in their day
- There is very little or no communication clutter
- Opportunities for measurement – no. of subscribers, no. of downloads
- Huge range of content areas
- Provides a huge depth of content
- Highly targeted
- Limited wastage
- Unregulated (apart from music copyright)
- Flexibility for one off’s or as a series
Our opportunities in this area:
- Adverts embedded in the content of podcasts
- Exploitation of Product placement
- Sponsorship: Making highlights of popular shows available as podcasts. If such shows are already sponsored, the podcast would serve as an extension reinforcing client messages to a most receptive audience. Sponsor specific, bespoke, or new podcast content – created by station programming
- Promotions: Enhance on-air promotions by offering additional incentives to participate; provoking the supply of user generated content for podcast material (online).
- Trails to online podcasts: On air promotion of station endorsed podcast content, created in partnership with client brand
For more information on podcasts/vodcasts within the Bauer Media portfolio contact steve.taylor@bauermedia.co.uk
