Branded podcast: what short-term ROI can you expect?

For 1 euro invested, how much can my podcast earn me? Show me how podcasts generate more ROI than other media? How can I justify to my boss that starting a podcast is a good idea? These are the questions we regularly hear at the agency during discussions with our clients (or just after the question: "What do you do for a living?")After some consultation (yes, it happens to us!), we decided that we had to put an end to the confusion surrounding ROI for branded podcasts.If you're a brand looking to :

• Diversify your media presence,
• Make better use of your marketing budget,
• About to launch a podcast...

Keep reading, because we're going to try to answer the $1 million question: "How do I measure the success of my branded podcast in the short term?" (the article on ROI and KPIs to track in the long term is in the pipeline!)

1/ How can you measure your podcast's short-term return on investment?

I'll give you a five-word answer...Are you ready? .........Answer: it depends on your objectives!At the risk of disappointing you... Measuring a podcast is totally different from measuring a kilo of tomatoes (it sounds silly, but you should have said so... if only to show respect for the tomatoes). If only to show respect for tomatoes)Measuring your podcast is intimately linked to your brand objectives... And these objectives depend on your brand, sector and current priorities! An already well-known luxury brand like Dior will not have the same objectives as a luxury brand that has just been created.First ask yourself if your audience should be :

• Educated about your brand?
• Educated about your products?
• Educated about your services?

Every brand embarks on podcasting for different reasons (I'm sure you don't embark on podcasting "because everyone else is!"...). Our readers are smarter than that!).These reasons intrinsically affect the KPIs you're going to select and how they'll measure their success.And now you're going to say to me, "Yes, but how do I know the objectives of my brand podcast? "And I'll reply, "Without further ado, let's get into the details of the KPIs that can help you evaluate the ROI of your podcast for your brand!"

2/ First define your objectives

Like a good lobster at a Christmas party... Let's break down every bit of the objectives you can use for your branded podcast.Let's start with a few examples (hors d'oeuvres), just to whet our appetites before the big lobster dissection.FunctionShort-term issues

• Marketing director of an organization

• Increase revenues

• Brand Manager

• Increase awareness of your service

• Agency account manager

• Selling a disruptive idea to your customer with your team

• General manager of a non-profit organization

• Change the public's perception of your cause

Does this sound like you? Do you hold one of these positions? Do you carry one of these responsibilities on your shoulders?

Follow my lead and I'll help you make strategic decision for your branded podcast (And it's free!)

1) Brand podcast and brand awareness

Here, the objective would be to use your branded podcast as a lever to :

• Capture your audience's attentionExample: by being the author of an entertaining podcast that allows your audience to decompress during the covid, pass the time, smile after a long day

• Promote your brand's valuesExample: launch an audio documentary on a theme at the heart of your brand's values.

• Reinforce brand expertiseExample: create a series of interviews with unique, expert guests grouped around a theme.

ADVICE FROM THE CALLIOPÉ TEAM

To achieve this objective, two KPIs are recommended by the Calliopé team:

1) The number of unique downloads/listens to the podcastThismetric is one of the most popular when it comes to evaluating the success or failure of a branded podcast in terms of brand awareness.Thanks to this indicator, you'll know more about :

• The evolution of your podcast's popularity,
• The episodes that work best,
• The titles that make you want to know more.

The importance of this key indicator was reinforced during covid19. Caution: bear in mind that this metric gives you an indication of the listeners who have downloaded your podcast. You are therefore not in a position to define :

• How many listeners actually listened to it after downloading it?
• What was their listening time?

2) Number of unique podcast subscriptionsListenerssubscribing to the podcast channel who :

• Waiting for the next episode,
• Download episodes,
• Share, comment or bookmark certain episodes.

Just like subscribers to a Youtube channel, subscribers to a branded podcast are precious... far more precious than any other listener. Far more valuable than any other listener:

• Get the word out about your podcast,
• Leave a comment,
• Visit your website,
• will (ultimately) potentially buy your products and services.

Follow the evolution of your podcast subscribers over time. Is there a peak in subscriptions? This KPI will give you a clear picture of your podcast's popularity. And, so to speak... Your brand awareness!

2) Engaging branded podcast listeners

Between confinement, telecommuting and limited travel, 2020 has seen an increase in consumer attention spans. Ideal for a burgeoning medium like podcasting (which we've already covered in the article "podcast in France"This finding is reinforced by the BBC's recent study showing that, thanks to the high level of engagement of a branded podcast, brands recorded 16% higher engagement.

Podcasts deliver the highest levels of engagement of any marketing medium.

So, as competition intensifies on this medium, the "engagement" objective enables you to track whether or not your branded podcast stands out from the crowd.To do this, start from the premise that a listener who takes the step of commenting, subscribing to a channel, sharing the podcast with his or her network, is a convinced listener.This engagement deserves to be analyzed.Pay particular attention to the evolution of this engagement: over a given period, are more of them sharing the podcast? To go even further... You can measure what we like to call "deep engagement". In other words, engagement that tells us more about the success of our podcast. We'll leave you with a few takeaway KPIs, just like our restaurant friends are doing these days!

ADVICE FROM THE CALLIOPÉ TEAM

KPIs recommended by the Calliopé team to measure quality commitment :

Todo this, we invite you to use various KPIs such as :

• Listening time per episode: are some episodes listened to longer on average than others? Find out why.
• Audience retention: how many listeners listen to certain parts of the episode? Do most listen to 1, 5 or 10 episodes of your program? Find out why.
• Abandonment rate: during which part of the episode do you lose the most listeners? Find out why.

3) Generate brand awareness

+89% !

This is the increase in brand awareness generated by organizations that have launched a branded podcast.

(Source BBC Audio : Activated)

Makes you think, doesn't it? It's a far cry from the simple garage podcast of a few years ago, so if your branded podcast offers :

• Rich content for your audience,
• On a regular basis,
• The opportunity for your audience to connect and interact with your brand (and its mission, values and culture).

You should be well on your way to achieving this goal.

ADVICE FROM THE CALLIOPÉ TEAM

The brand podcast is not a long advertisement!

Forget the pages of ads 30 minutes before the start of the film at the cinema. Or irrelevant ads in the middle of a YouTube video. They're annoying, don't you agree? so avoid any crude mention of your brand in the content (even if your hooves are clean, we can hear them!). Trust us, even if it's tempting or counter-intuitive, so you're more likely to connect with your audience in an authentic, human and natural way... And achieve your goals.

For example:

La Mutuelle des Etudiants and its fictional show "Les Dreamers". To tackle the taboo subjects that affect 18-25 year-olds (harassment, mental health, revenge porn, alcoholism, etc.), LMDE has launched a podcast in the form of audio fiction, perfectly adapted to its target audience, with characters who act as mirrors for the listeners ("a la Thirteen Reasons Why, no less). The brand never appears in the content, only in the introduction and outro. No product placement is integrated, to avoid the immediate effect of rejection that would make the fiction absolutely more credible for listeners.

Find out more here:

4) Be perceived as an authority

Like Dr.Raoult for Covid19 management, Jamy from "C'est pas Sorcier" for education, or Batman for making Gotham City "secure", all aim to be perceived as an authority figure (or the one who knows)! This perception helps generate trust and therefore... revenue! Nevertheless, it's not easy for a brand to be perceived as an authority in its field...The podcast has the particularity of capturing listeners' attention:

• On duration (up to 2 hours for some episodes)
• By limiting external distractions (listening while jogging, washing dishes or in transit)
• Usually alone (with headphones)
• By the "host" or presenter of the podcast who speaks directly to them

... This format creates a genuine connection between your listener (and potential prospect) and the podcast presenter (brand representative).listeners come to regard the podcast "host" and his guests as true experts on the theme they are listening to.this is the case for Hermès with its "Le Faubourg des Rêves" podcast series.Le Faubourg des Rêves". A podcast that takes us behind the scenes of the historic Faubourg Saint-Honoré store in Paris. 9 episodes in all, Hermès gives the floor to :

• Its craftsmen,
• Its stylists,
• Its vendors

Through never-before-told stories, staff anecdotes and the discovery of know-how, it humanizes the brand and reinforces the idea of expertise "behind the scenes" of this legendary brand.

Before selecting this objective, ask yourself this question: Does my brand want to be perceived as an authority? If so, in what?

A general theme:

• DIY projects?
• The trip?
• Fitness?

A more "niche" theme and therefore less competitive:

• DIY projects in tech?
• Luxury travel?
• Post-pregnancy fitness?

If you choose this objective, keep in mind that your podcast should be used as a :

• A key resource for your listeners (when they have questions about a topic)
• An educational tool (when they want to go further on a subject)
• A strategic tool that answers your prospects' "frequently asked questions" (take the opportunity to explore topics in depth)

ADVICE FROM THE CALLIOPÉ TEAM

Make your podcast sound like an authority

Focus on reviews (whatever it takes!)Whether it's for a film (via Allociné), a product (via Amazon) or a hotel for an upcoming trip (via booking), the modern consumer scans reviews.Podcast listeners are similar in this respect. The more positive reviews you get... Add a call to action to each episode of your podcast to encourage your listeners to leave a positive review, and you'll create a chain reaction:

• The algorithm of podcast platforms (Apple, Spotify, Audible...) will bring you up in its search engine.
• Potential listeners will be reassured that "I can invest my time in this podcast rather than another".
• Your expertise will be showcased, and you'll be Top of Mind when it's time to buy.

Still hesitating? Perhaps your brand prefers to work on the basis of long-term objectives. If so, take a look at our dedicated article: What ROI can you expect in the long term?

Avner UZAN