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 brand podcast is structured as follows:1. Design

• a. define the "why" of its audio content, then design
• b. Format (interviews, narration, documentary, fiction, auto-fiction...)
• c. The name,
• d. Writing,
• e. Visual identity
• f. Sound identity

2. Production :

• a. Define the human resources to be allocated,
• b. Define the material resources to be allocated,
• c. Find and contact stakeholders,
• d. Organize the audio recording,
• e. Format content (editing, post-production and delivery).

3. Distribution :

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

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

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, the branded podcast enjoys an excellent reputation, and 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 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. 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, with annual incomes approaching $250,000.In France, it's the same story, with 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, taken to Instagram and gradually spent more time on TikTok.Yes, the attention of the new generations is hard to capture... If not impossible! Only here again, podcasting comes into its own.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%.

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, podcasts are exploding in European countries such as Spain, Ireland and Sweden, as well as internationally in South Korea, the United States and Canada.Now imagine that your brand offers audio content in English, accessible within a minute in Japan, Australia or England.And then you think, 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 maintain 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 ads... 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

Almost all sectors have already switched to podcasts, but when it comes to audio content, one sector stands out above the rest: the luxury sector. As we mentioned in the article WHY LUXURY BRANDS ARE GOING PODCASTING IN 2021, the Top 5 luxury brands have already switched to podcasts, including Hermès, Cartier and Balmain. The Top 5 luxury brands have already gone podcast, with brands such as Hermès, Cartier and Balmain. If you'renot sure 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 widely acclaimed for their many virtues.In the training sector, they are often associated with innovative pedagogy.To tell the truth, business schools, training centers and training organizations have already started using them.What do they love?The different ways in which podcasts can be used to capture the attention of their listeners, as discussed in detail in our article TRAINING PODCASTS: WHY ARE THEY ALL ON THE MOVE?If that's your ambition, I imagine our case study on SCHOOLS & TRAINING CENTERS AND THE PODCAST will help you make sense of it.

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. What impact?Well, listeners are simply becoming more demanding! Because while 1 in 2 French people claim to have already listened to a podcast... 20% of French people who have never listened to a podcast are planning to do so! As a result, 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

By now, I think you've understood this: becoming an unaccompaniedpodcaster in 2022 is a dangerous business, and you run the risk of :

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

Too bad, podcast agencies are there to help you.I can see you saying to yourself but how can they help me?My answer, go to our case study page to get an idea.https://www.calliope-agency.fr/references-agence/clients

Avner UZAN