There’s no escaping it: podcasts have taken the world by storm. Whether we’re loyal subscribers ourselves, or discussing the latest listening recommendations with friends, it’s impossible to ignore the podcast boom of the last decade. 

So, where did podcasts originate, why have they become so popular, and how can they fit into your marketing strategy?

The history and evolution of podcasts

Podcasts burst onto the scene at the turn of the 21st century, with the first widely recognised podcast being Christopher Lydon’s Radio Open Source, which launched in 2003. However, the term “podcast” wasn’t actually coined until 2004 when British journalist, Ben Hammersley, formed a portmanteau of “pod”, inspired by Apple’s iPod portable audio player which was new at the time, and “cast”, as in “broadcast”.  

The medium remained a relatively niche hobby until 2014, when true crime podcast, Serial, broke records and became the fastest podcast to reach 5 million downloads and streams on iTunes.  

Nowadays, some of the most popular podcasts have acquired millions of subscribers, such as The Joe Rogan Experience, whose episodes are downloaded 16 to 24 million times each month on podcast platforms alone. 

Let’s take a look at what took podcasting from a niche hobby to a global storytelling phenomenon. 

What’s driving the popularity of podcasts?

Convenience  

Podcasts are exceptionally convenient. They require no reading or watching, meaning they’re the perfect entertainment for multi-taskers. Although video formats are on the rise, a podcast in its simplest form can be enjoyed whilst cooking, cleaning, commuting, exercising… the list goes on! 

Diverse content  

A conversation can be had about anything, meaning there really is a podcast for everyone – even hyper specific topics you may not have heard of. Really into bats? There’s a podcast for that. Interested in the history of textiles? Then Haptic & Hue is the podcast for you. The diversity of podcasts means they’re accessible to absolutely everyone, hence their popularity.  

Community  

Podcasts offer a sense of belonging and community, so listeners find themselves instantly connected with people who have a shared interest. Creators foster intimacy with their subscribers through inviting feedback, responding to comments in real time during the podcast, or running competitions for their listeners.  

How can podcasts fit into your marketing strategy?

Audience engagement 

Podcasts are a brilliant way to foster intimacy between creators and listeners, which is great news for your brand. Humans are creatures of belonging, and a podcast has the power to convert listeners into engaged community members who go on to become loyal customers.  

Storytelling  

Podcasts offer a unique space that can be entirely tailored by their host. They’re a great platform for building brand awareness through storytelling, helping creators to humanise their brand and create an emotional connection with their audience. A great example of this is eBay’s Open for Business podcast, which tells the story of building the company from the ground up.  

Drive conversations 

A podcast is nothing without conversation, making it the perfect platform for driving discussions and positioning creators as thought leaders in their field. Creators can leverage their platform to react to hot topics, share expert insight and spark dialogue.  

Niche targeting  

The beauty of podcasts is their diversity. They offer the opportunity to create highly personalised content that resonates with your brand’s audience on a deeper level, no matter how niche. If you’re in any doubt as to whether your brand could sustain a podcast, know that the likes of The Pen Addict and Beach Too Sandy, Water Too Wet – podcasts dedicated to stationery and one-star reviews respectively – have garnered a loyal following.  

SEO 

You can even use podcasts for SEO purposes by optimising titles and using keywords to increase your brand’s visibility. Guest appearances can lead to backlinks too, driving traffic to your website. Podcast can also be transcribed and uploaded to a brand’s website, to support long-form content that is favoured heavily by search engines.   

Podcasts have taken the world by storm and it’s easy to see why. With a podcast out there on just about anything, listeners enjoy entertainment that’s accessible, easy to consume, and gives them a sense of community. Brands can certainly leverage podcasting to boost audience engagement, build brand awareness through storytelling, and drive conversations to enhance their marketing strategy. In other words, if you’re not already on this train, hop on!  

Want to explore how to diversify your marketing strategy? Get in touch!