Marketers Give Pointers on Branding Podcasts the Right Way

Half of having a successful podcast, aside from quality content, is a reachability that can be achieved through familiar branding. Once a podcast gains traction because of its uniqueness, it is easier to gain listeners.

According to marketing experts, identifying the podcast’s theme is the first step in proper branding. Talking about a passion is the first route in having high quality content. It is almost too obvious when podcast hosts about something that is not familiar to them, making the podcast seem fake and unoriginal. This explains why personalities who have established themselves in their respective fields find it easy to capture an audience; they talk about what they know.

One example is how Russell Brand, a comedian, channelled his wit and humour in an uncensored podcast called “The Russell Brand Podcast." Streamable through Audioboom (London AIM:BOOM), the show currently has 3.4 million listeners who tune in to listen to the comedian as he interviews fellow funny personalities with Matt Morgan and Mr. Gee. Aside from American podcasts, Australian comedy shows such as “Something For The Drive Home” and “The Little Dum Dum Club” are getting worldwide recognition for their brutally honest take on humour.

Giving the podcast a catchy and SEO-friendly name and description is an important step in properly branding one. Those who browse via search engines will type in these keywords, and the main goal is to stand out among similar podcasts that share the same category or theme. One good thing about podcasting is that the opportunity for getting recognised is equal among all categories, and there are millions of listeners to tap.

“It’s an even playing field, whether you are podcasting for a brand or a mum who wants to talk about how she makes cookies while her kids are in school,” said John Lee Dumas, host of EntrepreneurOnFire.

Getting the podcast into proper streaming or host channels is key in reaching audiences. iTunes and Stitcher Radio are some host channels that distribute podcasts. Ray Ortega, founder of The Podcaster’s Studio, believes that iTunes should come first among all these distribution channels.

“You want to make getting into the iTunes store a top priority. Start with the biggest ‘podcatchers’ listed here, and then move on to others as you grow,” Ortega said in a post by Contently.

The length of the podcast is another issue. Ideally, a podcast should not exceed 30 minutes, since shows can easily get boring for listeners with short attention spans. The quality of recording is also a major factor in garnering an steadily increasing number of listeners. It’s fairly easy to conclude that no listener wants fuzz or static when tuning in to podcast. Beginners who don’t have the means for expensive microphones can easily turn to the microphones in their computers and record using GarageBand for Mac users or Audacity for PCs.

Contact the writer: a.lu@ibtimes.com.au