Making regular content that speaks directly to your clients is often a resource-heavy and costly endeavour. Yet, one approach is proving itself to be somewhat of a diamond in the rough and that is podcasts.
According to broadcast regulator OfCom around 7.1 million people in the UK listen to podcasts weekly, so it’s no wonder more businesses are producing podcasts as a way of connecting with their target audience, enhancing brand awareness and ultimately growing their business.
What is a B2B Podcast?
There are two types of podcasts, one that is audio only and the other that is both video and audio, the latter being particularly popular with 35-54 years olds.
Audio
Audio only podcasts that can be exported into a .mp3 or .wav file and uploaded online are great for consumers who want to listen whilst commuting, working out, cooking and even falling asleep.
Visual
Video and audio podcasts put a face to your podcast, whilst still allowing your viewers to multitask and continue with their other day to day activities. Think of these types of podcasts as the soap operas of the podcast world.
Why make a B2B podcast?
The argument for creating podcasts is in the data. 1 in 8 people in the UK are listening to podcasts weekly so it has a huge, untapped potential for reaching new customers if you are not already producing them. Or if you look at this way, 94% of businesses are using social media posts, so when you promote on social platforms you are competing with 94% of your competitors.
However, only 17% of your competitors are making podcasts, increasing your visibility with this digital format to a far greater degree than most other known digital formats. And you can also use your podcast for a very specific purpose.
Proving your expertise in your field
Podcasts have an average length of around 37 minutes, giving you the unique opportunity to really explore a subject at length and you’re guaranteed great retention rates as Edison Research found that 80% of podcast listeners typically listened to most of or all of a podcast episode.
With 37 minutes of content within your grasp, podcasts can really showcase your credibility by providing prospective customers with very detailed and informed expertise. They can listen to you speaking about your industry and sharing your passion and knowledge, all the while building trust and authority with them without it feeling like a sales pitch.
Driving more traffic to your website
A good B2B podcast will drive traffic to your website, especially if your podcast strategy is specifically focused on attracting your target customer.
Utilising content making resource time
A single podcast can be used to produce lots of different pieces of content, saving you time and resources overall. For instance, from the transcript of the podcast why don’t you also release it as a written interview as well? Or edit segments of the podcast and release them across your social media platforms? Have a great quote, piece of advice, or funny line from your podcast? Why not create a social media post in the form of a text card or typography video and share the content that way.
Here at Kartoffel Films, our animation agency in London, we love turning one tiny piece of content into multiple variations of itself and repurposing it for all different social platforms and audiences.
Generating leads
Your B2B podcast should ultimately generate leads, and by the time they reach out to you, you would have already had around 30 minutes for them to get to know you and have already started the sales life cycle.
How to choose your B2B podcast format?
The format of your podcast will depend on the resources available to you and also what kind of information you’d like to convey to your listeners.
Host
The least taxing but very effective audio and video B2B podcast formats, this involves just a single person hosting the podcast and the necessary audio recording equipment. This host could be someone from your company or for a more refined approach you could work with a video production company to cast a personable and natural actor who could present your podcast. We’ve worked with many clients to help them find just the right professional to communicate their message.
Interview panel
Here you can record a topical conversation involving several different perspectives. The additional leg in arranging this could be worth it following a high value conversation with several credible individuals.
Repurposed content
Have you had a conference recently or has your CEO given a speech? Why not package that content into a podcast. Creative agencies are known for repurposing content into something that feels original and new.
How to add value to your B2B podcast?
Backdrops
There are a lot of podcasts out there so it’s important to be engaging and by offering something a little different to your audiences, such as a visual podcast with a nice backdrop, this allows you to stand out from your competitors.
Talent
Here are Kartoffel Films we have 8 years of experience casting talent for the charity, healthcare, tech and education sectors. Choosing the right individual to convey an organisation’s message that feels both engaging and organic.
Sound quality
It’s always worth remembering that any content you put out into the world reflects your brand and will tell your consumers how you operate. So definitely don’t skip on the audio quality when producing podcasts and ensure you work with a creative agency to help plan your podcast strategy.
