Podcasts have become one of the best ways for brands to connect with their audiences, offering on-demand convenience and a regular touchpoint. Costs to create one are low, compared to video content. So why are there SO many terrible podcasts out there? And how do you avoid falling into the same traps that doom so many productions?
Here are some of the best tips we can share from our years of experience creating podcasts for some of the world’s top brands:
Quality.
Nothing loses listeners faster than bad quality – and that applies to both the technical production as well as the content itself. An investment in professional studio recording, or at least a good microphone is a must. Equally important is compelling content. “Oh, I’d love to listen to a half hour long commercial!” said absolutely no one, ever. That’s why we consult with you to leverage your existing content and create new material to develop a show that people want to listen to.
What’s the frequency, Kenneth?
It depends on what you’re trying to accomplish. If your podcast is about current events, then by all means, do it weekly. The reason many ad supported podcasts are weekly is because more content equals more revenue. For a branded podcast…less may be more. Why? There’s a lot to do around every episode to market it effectively and ensure a robust enough audience. Social posts, blogs, paid digital and emails are just a few of the tactics around effectively marketing a podcast episode, and doing that every week can be a huge drain on staff resources, as well as in some cases exhausting for your loyal listeners.
How long will they listen?
Again, it depends. If the topic is complex and warrants in-depth review, an hour long format can certainly make sense. That said, the average commute time in America is just under 27 minutes. Since one of the biggest podcast listening times is drive time, a 20 to 30 minute podcast is often the most effective way to keep listeners engaged to the end of the episode. The goal is to make the podcast long enough to provide meaningful content to your audience, but not so long that listeners lose interest. If that can be done just before they pull into their driveway at the end of the day, all the better.
We could go on and on, but we’re being told that the attention span for a blog post is shorter than that of a podcast, so… Let’s leave it here. Want to learn more? Give us a call or drop us a line.