For a Regional Brand, Podcasting May Prove as Successful as Influencer Marketing

Regional Brands Can Benefit from Podcast Advertising and Stay Ahead of The Curve!

Podcasts continue to grow in popularity as more and more people subscribe and listen. Nearly 30% of the U.S. population now tunes into at least one podcast regularly, and more are actively searching for engaging podcast content. Podcast advertising presents many unique opportunities for regional brands to reach targeted audiences and position their company as an industry leader.

One of the key points driving the expansion and growth of podcasting is its listening convenience. People can tune in to podcasts at work, while traveling, exercising and just about everywhere else. Podcasting is another form of mobile-friendly audio content that is readily and easily accessible by listeners via their mobile devices.

Another reason for the growing popularity of podcasts is their specialized topics. Listeners like the fact that they can quickly and easily tune into content that they find interesting. With many podcasts involving niche topics, there is a unique opportunity for regional brands to leverage podcasts to reach their matching core audience.

Podcast hosts are usually considered experts on their subject. They will share tips, insights, experiences and provide helpful advice to their listeners who have interest on specific topics.

The concept of podcast advertising is very similar to influencer marketing. The key to using podcasts as an advertising outlet is to research these niche topic categories and define the correct audience profiles that are in line with your brand’s products or services.

In addition, you can geo-target your regional market footprint and isolate the areas of where your message will be received. Excluding native ads that are heard everywhere the podcast is downloaded, podcasting primarily utilizes area code and mobile geo fencing. Therefore, in most instances regional companies don’t need to pay for advertising in areas outside their sales territory.

With nearly one million podcasts currently airing, chances are there are many podcasts in place with audiences similar to your target audience. This can be a new way to help you reach your highly targeted customers with your brand’s message.

A few benefits gained from podcasting is cost and audience. Podcasting is still young and expected to continue to grow substantially over the next several years. These factors make it more affordable than many of the media options available today and it’s constantly gaining more listeners. So, you are constantly gaining fresh prospects. With relatively low advertising competition at this point, and with the expected growth, this is a great time to leverage podcast advertising to differentiate your regional brand.

Another reason that regional brands should consider podcast advertising is that it resonates very well with listeners and produces great results. Most podcast listeners not only approve of the podcast advertisements, but also have better brand recall and have purchased the product or service that they learned about on podcasts, based on several recent studies.

Podcast advertising can be very effective, however, buying podcast media can be a challenge to navigate. Just like purchasing ads on any other medium, there are several ways to go about it and the best approach can vary based on your objectives, product or services, audience and budget.

While the most effective podcast ads are native ads, they do not allow you to target your areas since they are built into the broadcast and cannot be removed from the content.

Therefore, anyone anywhere who listens to the podcast will hear those commercials. However, they are very effective because they are typically read or loosely adlibbed by the host. Since the host is typically considered an expert on that subject, their endorsement of relevant products or services is more trusted by the audience.

Regional brands should consider adding Podcast advertising to their media repertoire. It could be exactly what your brand needs to take it to the next level. Your company could benefit by getting ahead of the curve and connecting with consumers on a new medium that will differentiate your brand from your competitors.