SHARE:
Communication
Listening In
Podcasting is Becoming a Business Tool
Now, businesses are jumping on the podcast bandwagon. "It's a chance for them to come across as experts," says Tom Olivieri, creative director of The Creative Underground, a Fort Lauderdale advertising agency. For example, Olivieri and his partner, Dan Gershenson, are encouraging one of their clients, the Florida Beer Co., to promote its brand by doing a podcast geared toward consumers, who download the files the same way they would a song.
Because they are inexpensive to create, podcasts can be targeted to a very specific niche. A landscape architecture firm could do a podcast on maintaining a healthy landscape in Florida's harsh summer climate. A retailer might focus on what's fashionable and what's not for teenage girls. Because a consumer has to actively download or subscribe to the podcast, it's a good bet that he or she will be paying attention. "These are people who are 100% interested in your product," Olivieri says.
A podcast may sound like an audio infomercial, but it's not. "Consumers can smell B.S. a mile away," says Hallett.
Podcast content has to be authentic, with information that is valuable to listeners. It can't be a commercial because after the first download, consumers won't come back. You also have to have enough to say on a regular basis -- once a month at a minimum -- to keep people interested. The marketing message must be subtle. That might mean a casual reference to your product or service or just using the podcast to enhance your overall brand.