8 things you need to know about podcasting

Podcasts: a format that works

Podcast history

The word podcast first appeared in an article for The Guardian in 2004, by British journalist Ben Hammersley. A contraction of Ipod and broadcast, it was then democratized by Apple via iTunes to make it Mainstream and grow from 3,000 podcasts in 2004 to 800,000 in 2020.

Anatomy of a podcast (structure of a branded podcast)

A branded podcast is structured as follows:

1. The design

This involves defining the why of its audio content, then designing

• format (interviews, narration, documentary, fiction, auto-fiction...)
• the name,
• writing,
• visual identity
• sound identity

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2. Production :

• Define the human resources to be allocated,
• Define the material resources to be allocated,
• Find and contact speakers,
• Organize the audio recording,
• Format content (editing, post-production and delivery).

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3. Distribution :

• Find out where to host the podcast.
• Distribute the podcast on streaming platforms.
• Promote the podcast on social networks and the Internet (Google Ads, Landing Page).

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4. Learning: understanding the success or failure of the podcast,

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Native podcast definition

The native podcast is a 100% original podcast. Unlike radio, the creator has control over all production elements:

• Tone,
• Format,
• Editorial line,
• Production.

Content is everything. And offers unique creative freedom for brands.

Captures and holds listeners' attention

Rare are those who :

• Still read an entire blog post
• Watch a Youtube video to the end
• View a series of Instagram stories

Conversely, engagement with podcasts is unique, with 80% of listeners completing each episode.

Makes it easier to buy

Considered freer and more authentic, branded podcasts enjoy an excellent reputation. In terms of "recommendation power", it's the same thing. Few mediums can sit at the podcast table, since almost 7 out of 10 listeners (69%) say they are ready to buy a product or service after listening to a podcast.

A medium that attracts valuable listeners for brands

It's a fact of life now. Creating a good podcast is all about capturing valuable listeners. And by valuable, I mean those who are hard to reach, quicker to buy and more receptive to messages. Having trouble projecting yourself? Read on to break down your preconceptions about podcasts.

Educated listeners with high purchasing power

In the U.S., 45% of podcast listeners are affluent, earning around $250,000 a year. In France, it's a similar story, with a high proportion of CSP+ listeners (+27%) living in urban areas (50%: CSA, Havas Paris and Podinstall). The same is true in terms of education, since podcast listeners are :

• 45% more likely to have a university degree,
• 68% more likely to have a graduate degree.

A new generation of listeners

They've deserted Facebook for Instagram and are gradually spending more time on TikTok. Yes, the attention of new generations is hard to capture... If not impossible! But here again, podcasts are making their mark. But how? Well, according to Spotify's latest study, the average number of podcast listeners among Generation Z (18-24) has increased by 99%. Yes, you read that right, 99%.

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Podcasting explodes internationally

If the podcast market in France is doing very well, it's also exploding internationally.

The podcast format for internationalization

Some see it as a sign of a medium that helps internationalize your brand.

As the statistics above show, podcasting is exploding in European countries such as Spain, Ireland and Sweden. But also internationally in South Korea, the USA and Canada. Now imagine that your brand offers audio content in English. These can be accessed within a minute in Japan, Australia or England. And now you're thinking, okay, just like Instagram...Yes, but no... Because podcasts have the advantage of capturing and maintaining attention over a long period of time. So you can capture and hold the attention of Koreans, Canadians and Japanese at the same time. No wonder Spotify is spending billions to acquire companies specializing in podcasts, such as :

• Gimlet Media,
• Parcast
• Anchor.

Podcasts in the age of advertising

Everyone hates advertising... Except, perhaps, in the audio content sector. Yes, because as I write, users of :

• YouTube gets angry waiting to skipper their ads
• Instagram undergoes ads every 3 stories
• Facebook, have already left their network

Conversely, 66% of French people consider the number of ads in a podcast to be perfectly acceptable.

Advertisements that encourage purchase

Worse still, those ads so hated on other media translate into purchases in the podcast, and the figures speak for themselves:

• 75% of French people feel that a pre-roll ad has already prompted them to find out more about the product/service in question.
• 71% of French people say that the same message has already made them want to buy the product or service concerned.

Conseil de Calliopé :

As advertisers arrive on the podcast, advertising becomes more and more innovative. And listeners are increasingly demanding. To stand out from the crowd, it's in your interest to choose a good podcast agency/studio.

Podcasts, a medium that luxury brands love

Virtually every sector has already switched over to podcasts, but when it comes to audio content, one sector stands out from the rest: the luxury goods sector. As mentioned in the article WHY ARE THESE LUXURY BRANDS GOING PODCASTING IN 2021? The Top 5 luxury brands have already been podcasted, including Hermès, Cartier and Balmain.

‍Don't know what to say in your audio content? Take a look at theluxury podcast case study produced as part of our collaboration with Dior. It should help.

Podcasts offer so many educational possibilities

Podcasts are acclaimed for their many virtues. In the training sector, it is often associated with innovative pedagogy. In fact, business schools, training centers and training organizations have already started using them. What do they love? The various podcast storytelling possibilities to capture the attention of their listeners. We discuss this in detail in the article TRAINING PODCASTS: WHY ARE THEY ALL ON THE MOVE?

‍Ifthat's your ambition, I imagine our case study on SCHOOLS & TRAINING CENTERS AND THE PODCAST should help you see things more clearly.

Podcasts are becoming increasingly competitive

One figure follows another... In fact, today :

• 59% of users spend more time on podcasts than on social networks
• 66% of users also claim to consume more podcasts than they watch television.

These figures show the extent to which podcasts are taking up media space. But above all, the increase in the number of players in the sector and in audio productions is having an impact on listeners, and what? Well, listeners are simply becoming more demanding! For if 1 in 2 French people claim to have already listened to a podcast... 20% of French people who have never listened to a podcast plan to do so! They will abandon a podcast as soon as :

• The sound quality is poor,
• Podcast storytelling is boring,
• The value proposed by the podcast is too low.

Conseil de Calliopé :

To get the most out of your podcast, you need to be able to distribute and promote it properly. Podcast agencies and studios now have experts who specialize in these tasks.

Podcast agencies to support the medium's growth

I think you've understood by now. Becoming an unaccompanied podcaster in 2022 is a dangerous business today, as you risk :

• Wasting time
• Losing money
• Lose your audience's attention.

Too bad, podcast agencies are here to help. How can they help me? Go to our case studies page to find out. https://www.calliope-agency.fr/references-agence/clients

Avner UZAN