Hear, Hear! – On the Boom of Corporate Podcasts

Podcasts are booming: Audio contributions serve as a calm oasis for consumers amidst the otherwise loud, colorful, and bustling media landscape—and offer companies an optimal opportunity to engage in content marketing. Why this is the case and what makes a corporate podcast successful, you'll find out here.

Advertising in podcasts works: This is shown by a representative survey of 1100 participants conducted by the podcast marketing network "Podstars by OMR". According to the survey, one in four business podcast listeners makes a purchase triggered by an advertisement in a podcast. Therefore, audio contributions are not just a nice pastime but have an undeniable justification in the marketing mix.

The potential audience is growing rapidly

A Bitkom study from 2019 reveals more about the current consumption of audio contributions in Germany: 26 percent of those over 16 listen to podcasts—trend rising. This means the number of consumers has almost doubled since 2016. The market is growing steadily and especially at high speed. In short: It holds great potential. From "hard" industrial topics like robotics to societal issues like sustainability, to very personal topics like one's own relationship life—there are now podcasts on almost every subject.

What Germans want to hear

The most sought-after podcast topics in Germany are news & politics, film & television, sports & leisure, and comedy. Clear developments are also emerging in terms of the range of topics: The variety is continuously growing, the focus topics of individual formats are becoming more precise, and thus appeal to an increasingly specific target audience.

Most consumers agree on the ideal length of a podcast: It should be between five and ten minutes long. Only seven percent enjoy podcast episodes that last over an hour.

Many companies are jumping on the trend: For example, AOK Baden-Württemberg has launched the podcast „Wickelstammtisch“, which aims to help new mothers and fathers find their role and manage small everyday problems during the early days with their baby. But why would a health insurance company do something like this?

These advantages are offered by the corporate podcast

From Baby Boomers to Generation Z: Podcasts can reach almost every age group. While Instagram, YouTube, and the like often remain uncharted territory for older generations, podcasts, with their familiar radio character and selectable programming, have a particularly attractive effect on them.

Integrating stakeholders? Easily done through an interview in the podcast. Source: Medienstürmer

Best conditions for successful marketing

Statistics show: Podcast listeners are above-average educated, earn well, are magically drawn to trends, and are true media junkies. In short: They want to keep up with the times and can afford to do so. For marketers, this target group is attractive—and their work is met with acceptance by podcast listeners:

In an ARD online study from 2018, 87 percent of respondents stated they accept advertising in the podcast environment to continue accessing content for free. Sponsorships receive approval from 82 percent. Optimal prerequisites for a corporate podcast. Even though aggressive advertising should generally be avoided, it's reassuring that listeners are not deterred by the occasional self-promo comment. The only condition that must be met: Listeners must find the content relevant.

The same applies to the integration of partners and other stakeholders. As long as this is done in a meaningful way—such as through an interview, a discussion, or sharing expert tips—everyone benefits from the podcast. The listener, because they receive information that genuinely interests them, the host, because they can integrate the stakeholder, and the stakeholder, because they gain a platform.
Along the way, the host and stakeholder become more relatable during their conversation: After all, in a podcast, they can often elaborate and show who is behind the company.

Trust through emotionality

Through these almost intimate insights into the company, a certain emotionality is automatically attributed to the participants. The host and the conversation partner can thus build a personal connection with the listeners. This, in turn, strengthens trust in them, which can particularly contribute to improved brand perception but can also be helpful in an advertising context. Regardless of which advantages a company wants to leverage with a corporate podcast, there is always one basic requirement: The podcast must naturally resonate well with the target audience.

What makes a corporate podcast successful?

A suitable thematic focus

Whether science, news, politics, comedy, sports, film, or leisure: Podcasts can cover many thematic areas. To reach the desired target audience, a purposeful thematic positioning is important.

The right format

Just like with the thematic focus, there is also great flexibility in the format. Whether chatty podcasts, reports, features—content can be disseminated using various formats. Therefore, it is all the more important to recognize what makes sense for the company. Decisive factors in choosing the format can be the episode length, which is mainly dictated by the target audience, and the thematic focus.

Consistent setting

For a true podcast hit, a catchy title and a matching appealing logo are, of course, needed. Even when publishing individual episodes, factors such as the episode title, the show notes, and the keywords used can determine the success and growth of the podcast. The icing on the cake to offer fans a platform and interaction opportunities: Social media accounts and a podcast website.

An appealing title and a matching logo can turn potential podcast listeners into loyal subscribers. Source: Medienstürmer

Instagram, Facebook & Co. – How companies become successful on social media

No unpleasant (sound) surprises

High sound quality is a must, that's pretty clear. It doesn't require overpriced equipment. Rather, it's about maintaining a consistently even volume, which can also be adjusted in editing, and avoiding echo, which should already be considered during recording. Online services like Auphonic give the podcast episode the final polish.

Deliver relevant content

We all consume media because we want to gain a certain added value. This can look very different: Some want to further their education, others just want to be entertained. However the content of a podcast is relevant to the target audience, listeners must be able to say at the end of an episode: "That truly enriched me!"

Show personality

The be-all and end-all of content marketing: The contribution must be authentic. If the listener doesn't believe what the podcaster is saying, all efforts are in vain. This endeavor is particularly challenged by the fact that podcasters only have their voice to appear authentic in audio contributions and show their true face. Therefore, even for experienced speakers—who usually rely on their gestures and facial expressions—it's advisable to participate in voice training.

Achieve goals with continuity

Whether the corporate podcast appears daily, weekly, or monthly initially doesn't matter much. More important is that the periodicity is realistic. If a new episode is supposed to appear every Friday at 2

PM, subscribers expect that. This promise must then also be kept.

Our recommendations

Listen in and get inspired:

• [

Slack Variety Pack – by Slack](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slack-variety-pack/id1177619183)

• [

.future – by Microsoft](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/future/id1250638446?mt=2)

• [

#LIPSTORIES – by Sephora Collection](https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/lipstories/id1370728732)

• [

Open for Business – by eBay](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/open-for-business/id1122046166)

Conclusion: Just give it a try!

Does every company necessarily need its own corporate podcast? No. But: Thanks to the rise of streaming platforms, the once niche medium has now (again) become a trend medium and offers many marketing opportunities that text, video, and photo do not provide.

Moreover, studies confirm the acceptance of listeners towards advertising and sponsorships in the podcast context. This is precisely why it makes sense for every company to consider whether it can and wants to take advantage of these benefits. Also, due to the comparatively simple technical setup and the wide range of content possibilities, it's worth just getting started and exploring the entertainment potential of your own company. Have fun podcasting!