The podcast market in Italy boasts over 7 million monthly listeners, with a growth trend of 217% in the last 4 years. Over 64% of podcast users positively remember having listened to an advertising message and over 50% take an action towards the brand. It is therefore a new media that offers infinite communication potential for companies.
But what is a podcast? Something different from an audio commercial, both in form and content, which are not linked to something to sell, but to the transmission of the narrative themes of the brand or product in an emotional and value-based form.
And in more detail, what do you mean when you refer to branded podcasts?
Branded podcasts are a modern communication format that aims to give a voice to Brands. According to the literature, they are defined as ‘original audio content, available in mp3 format for streaming or downloading to listeners’ devices, produced by a brand or a company as part of its content marketing strategy. A branded podcast has the objective of offering, to the acquired audience or to those to be reached, an authoritative in-depth analysis or a new perspective on a theme that is relevant to them, which is within the narrative identity territories of the brand or company itself”.
Three main types of podcasts can be identified:
- journalistic: they are based on typical structures of the sector (news, reportage…)
- educational: they have a more didactic and formative approach, such as tutorials for the use of certain products
- editorial or narrative: they tell the story of the brand’s identity with the intention of entertaining, involving, and amusing.
Any company can decide to talk to its audience through branded content, educating, informing, or entertaining them, through personalised storytelling, an in-depth column, an exciting story.
They are therefore an effective and highly iconic tool to add to those already widely used by PR and Digital PR to amplify the voice of the company uniquely and memorably.
