What Happened
Brands have been jumping in on the podcast bandwagon since Serial blew up in 2014, and now they are getting some positive results from their branded audio content. Brands including eBay, GE, and State Farm all created their own podcasts as a way to reach potential customers and drum up customer engagement. eBay, for example, partnered with Brooklyn-based Gimlet Creative to develop a branded podcast series called Open for Business, a “curriculum-style” guide to starting a business. It landed on the No. 1 spot for business podcasts in iTunes when it launched in June, reaching more than 200% of its initial download goal.
What Brands Need To Do
Branded podcasts may be costly to produce, but it is a good way for brands to connect with targeted niche audiences and capture their attentions. At a time when ad blockers and ad-free streaming services are helping millions of viewers avoid ads, brands should consider working with content creators to experiment with new ways, such as sponsored content and native ads, to win back the consumer attention.
For more information on how brands should leverage interesting branded content to earn consumer attention, check out the Ad Avoidance section of our Outlook 2016.
Source: AdWeek