Why Brands Should Embrace the Power of Podcasters

At a time when the best endorsers can move products with a simple mention podcasters carry considerable sway In a new report by the Media Trials division of MAGNA which is the intelligence and investment arm of IPG Mediabrands and Vox Media a top podcast publisher 75 percent of consumers said podcasters are more influential than Hollywood stars or social media personalitiesPodcasters39 influence correlates with a steady rise in podcast consumption According to Edison Research about half of Americans listen to podcasts monthly up from 43 in 2021 By 2025 an estimated 58 percent of Americans will be monthly listeners With that growth podcasts are moving from a niche experimental buy into a mainstream component of a wellbalanced media planquotThe trends in consumption are catching everyone39s eyequot noted MAGNA39s Executive Vice President of Intelligence Kara Manatt quotOur clients are starting to understand the value of the listener and the value of the engagement with the medium and the podcastersquotWith more than two million available podcast episodes and counting listeners can find them on nearly any topic or passion From true crime to sports to selfhelp audiences find interesting and relevant content and listen on their scheduleEven the way podcast fans listen is more intimate than other media Users stream via earbuds or over smart speakers They listen when they39re driving running gardening or shopping Podcasts are portable and handsfreequotListeners find it critical that they make time to spend with their favorite podcastersquot Manatt saidPodcast hosts build bonds with their audiences They deliver news and information share their passions and reveal details about themselves transforming them from a nameless voice into a trusted beloved companion That relationship carries weight 75 of listeners say podcasts are their primary source of information on a topicquotThe audiences get to know the podcasters They39re not just covering something they love they39re starting to influence other parts of their listeners39 livesquot said Edwin Wong Senior Vice President for Insights and Innovation at Vox MediaListeners learn from their favorite podcasts According to the MAGNA report 90 percent of listeners said podcasts have made them more open to new ideas and perspectives and 77 percent said they39ve made better decisions based on what they39ve learned from podcastsHosts play an essential role in that process with 50 percent saying they39ve made selfimprovement decisions based on information they39ve learned from a podcaster and 38 percent saying they39ve made business or financial decisions based on podcasters39 inputquotThe effect is As a result of listening I39m not only getting smarter but I39m also becoming better versions of myselfquot Wong saidThanks to these high levels of trust and deep connections listeners are open to endorsements and ads from brand sponsors Trusted hosts are authentic so listeners are all ears when they suggest a product or service and they respond favorably When brands align with these hosts they enjoy a halo effectquotWe39re at a turning point and it39s important to talk about a podcaster as an influencerquot Wong notedPodcasts offer more brands and more creative freedom Unlike traditional ad breaks hosts can talk for 1530 seconds or longer They mention a brand multiple times through an episode and relay their experience driving a car or eating a sandwich Brands can take over an entire episodeAs brands consider how to advertise on podcasts MAGNA39s study found that listeners have some strong preferences They like ads with substance and don39t want their shows cluttered with them They prefer when a brand sponsors an entire episode and advertisements that offer helpful information about a product or serviceRather than being intrusive or interruptive quotBrand messages are part of the soundtrack of the content and the experiencequot Manatt saidTime is on the advertisers39 side Podcast listeners are locked in compared to social media and digital media where users rapidly scroll through their feeds and toggle between apps Many shows run for 30 minutes 45 minutes or even an hour There39s plenty of time to deliver thoughtful messages to an engaged audience With podcasts time equals engagementWhen listeners like what they hear they respond favorably The study reported that 68 percent of listeners said they pay more attention to podcast ads than spots on other media Additionally threequarters of listeners surveyed said they have learned about new products and services from podcast adsIncreasingly marketers are using podcast ads to drive conversion Manatt explained MAGNA reported that half of the listeners said they had tried a product or service after hearing a brand message on a favorite podcast Hosts can share a vanity url or an exclusive promo code that drives sales and endorsementsThe bottom line is that podcasters are a powerful asset to help brands elevate their marketing gamequotPeople get excited about podcasts like no other topicquot Manatt concluded quotThey love to talk about their favorite podcasters and experiencesquotClick the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friendsThe opinions expressed here are the author39s views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet

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Why Brands Should Embrace the Power of Podcasters

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Alli Romano

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