With so many advertising opportunities lurking in the digital world, it’s hard to know where to spend your marketing dollars. The biggest chunk of ad budgets goes to online advertising (search, solo ads and so forth). But many businesses overlook a great way to market themselves in an area which can get them exposure to their niche audience. That medium is podcasting.
Ever since podcasts exploded onto the market in 2005 when Apple included podcast support on iTunes, individuals, organizations and businesses began offering audio education and entertainment. Since then, the advances of cell phones and MP3 players have made it possible for people to listen to podcasts virtually from anywhere.
What do you gain when you advertise on podcasts?
1. Better use of advertising dollars. The cost of advertising on radio and television is often enough to turn many smaller businesses off from the idea. On top of that, the lead period between when you produce an advertisement and when it actually gets broadcasted can be several months.
Podcast advertising gives you an edge here. The price to advertise on a podcast is much cheaper than more traditional media. Furthermore, once your advertising copy is written it can get produced on the target podcast much faster. This gives a business the opportunity to take advantage of quick changes in industry trends so they can create timely ads.
2. A targeted, niche market. Podcasts have a very specific target audience. For example, there are a lot of car buffs out there, but the subject of cars is very broad. Therefore, one podcast might focus on car maintenance while another one focuses on car purchases. If a business which manufacturers car parts wants to advertise on a podcast, they’d get more out of their marketing dollars on the car maintenance podcast because that’s who their target audience is. You just can’t get this type of targeted advertising with large radio or television stations.
3. Podcast listeners are very loyal. You don’t need to find one that has millions of listeners. Even a smaller podcast with just a few thousand loyal listeners can mean big returns for your marketing budget. Remember, these are people who will listen to a podcast week after week, and they’ll likely engage with the podcaster online as well. This means you’re tapping into a small community of like-minded individuals who will already be interested in what you’re offering.
The world of podcast advertising is growing. Several podcast advertising networks have popped up over the last several years, expanding the market greatly. The potential in podcast advertising lays in the ability to find your niche target and reach a loyal audience. And with tens of thousands of podcasts being produced every year, finding one to advertise on is easier than ever. For additional useful information regarding podcast advertising, confer with the professionals found at RadioActive Media. They’ll be happy to answer any questions or address any concerns you might have.
