Are you interested in starting a branded podcast for your business but need clarification about how it works? If yes, this guide is for you!
Podcasting is gaining more popularity daily, and it’s the same for branded podcasts. While it’s not essentially a sales tool, you can use podcasts to promote your brand.
Again, how do you go about it? Click here for a secure branded podcasting solution for your business.
Keep reading this article as we explain: What is a branded podcast? How does it work? And how to create one? Let’s get to it!
What is a branded podcast?
A branded podcast is a promotional idea that uses storytelling and podcasting to enhance brand awareness or reach out to ideal consumers.
While they aim to improve brand awareness and positioning, it’s best to note that branded podcasts are not strictly sales or promotional tools. They only try to gather an audience interested in what they do.
Common uses of branded podcasts
Branded podcasts are quite similar to the normal podcasting methods but differ in the end goal. As much as they are to increase brand awareness, they don’t include promotional adverts.
Here is a summary of how brands introduce their voice into branded podcasts:
- Educational: Creating training & informational content on the industry, related product uses, and applications to everyday life.
- Journalistic: Attempts to use podcast recordings to report news and investigative findings about the product market. Content focuses more on building audience trust.
- Entertaining: Adding elements to the audience’s lifestyle while building their interest in what you create and sell.
How to create a branded podcast?
Starting a branded podcast is like creating an internal company podcast. However, the goal differs, which determines the podcasting methods you will use.
Irrespective of your branded podcast aims, we’ve compiled a list of guide points on creating a branded podcast.
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Define your objective
A specific goal or objective must exist for a branded podcast to benefit your business. Are you aiming to drive engagement, increase brand awareness, retain existing customers, or introduce a new product?
Whatever the driving force is, it must be clearly defined. Your specific objective would then determine the podcasting approach that works best.
2 Determine your ideal audience
Another reason to define your branded podcasting objectives is to determine who your target audience is. These are people you want to enlighten about your brand. But you can’t go to them directly and say, “come buy from me.”
You want to know their interests. What values do they probably look for in a business? What could you offer them different from the competitors?
Now, take those answers and focus on creating content that builds their interest in you, including the things you do or sell. That’s the essence of branded podcasts.
3 Check out the competitors
Researching your competitors is how to make a branded podcast work. Your target listeners probably listen to them, and you must prove why they should check out your content.
That’s where competitive research comes in handy. You can only stand out when you’re different. Therefore, check out what your competitors are doing well, and try to improve it. Also, determine what you find faulty and avoid them.
4 Decide formatting style
This step is where you decide how to record the branded podcast. For instance, it might be a solo-hosted podcast, or you can invite a co-host or make it an interview podcasting session.
Other engaging podcasting formats are scripted narrative or storytelling. However, your choice of formatting style should factor in your audience preferences. That’s part of the advantage of knowing your target audience.
5 Focus on your branding
You hear everyone talk about the benefits of great audio quality. Yes! Bad audio puts the listener off. But do you know what is worse? A poor branding effort.
Particularly for branded podcasts, you must be intentional about the image you create. The first impression is a thing; your podcast branding determines what the listener thinks of you before listening to your episode. Cover art, fonts, colors, and speaking tone make up your podcast’s branding.
6 Start creating your branded podcast episodes
We can talk about how a branded podcast works all day, but the truth remains that you eventually have to start from somewhere. Start with writing the podcast script. Some say they can record off their heads, but having an outline is always a good idea.
What we advise is jotting down key points of discussion. Don’t mistake writing out the whole script and reading it word-for-word. It removes the conversational and casual flow and makes it appear like you are reading a speech.
7 Choose a podcasting platform
A podcast platform is where you upload your new episodes after recording and editing. You can’t directly upload to a major playing app. Hence, you must pick an excellent podcasting host that connects your branded audio to popular media players.
You can also proceed to link the hosting platform to your website. It creates an embedded player to access the content right from your page.
8 Launch your first set of episodes
Here is one trick for a successful branded podcast. Start the launch with three to five episodes. It has its advantages.
Firstly, you’re providing your listener with a lot of content to introduce your branded series and get them accustomed to listening to you. Secondly, launching up to three or five episodes helps you rank quickly among other old podcasters.
Another benefit is that recording and launching that amount of episodes reveals how much you can talk on the chosen topic.
9 Be consistent
If you’re going to learn how to start a branded podcast, then consistency is a must. Imagine rushing home to your 8:30 pm TV show only for it to be postponed or delayed.
Feel the disappointment? That’s how your podcast subscribers feel when you miss uploading schedules. Now imagine you don’t even post regularly at all.
You got it – they keep losing interest and find another podcast show worth their time. Podcast length is also important. Let the listener know how long they must carve out of their busy schedules.
10 Promote your branded podcast
After launching your branded podcast: how do you reach more target listeners?
Firstly, leverage online channels like social media, websites, online forums, and other podcast shows. You should also consider releasing podcast trailers. It triggers an anxious audience waiting for the specified release date.
Other tips include using short, compelling episode titles and descriptions. Converting podcast series to blog posts would also widen your reach. Finally, use podcasting analytics to measure what implementations are working.
Conclusion
A branded podcast is an effective tool to extend your brand awareness to potential customers. You offer them useful information through podcasts that indirectly bring them closer to your brand.
While it is not entirely promotional, it’s a sure bet to boost your business if planned correctly. But success doesn’t come in a day. Stay consistent. Keep delivering quality content to your ideal audience, and they will give you the desired attention.
