Branded Podcasting
I interviewed Matty Staudt, former Vice President of Podcast Programming at iHeartRadio, in Episodes 13 and 14 of the Sound In Marketing Podcast. Just recently, he took his passion for podcasting full time devoting his full efforts to his company Jam Street Media, a podcast production company for brands.
Matty is not new to the world of audio. At age 16, he started in broadcast at his hometown radio station. Then he was off to CBS Radio to produce the G Gordon Liddy Show in DC, The Sports Guys at WNEW NYC and Alice Radio and Live 105 as the AM Executive Producer in San Francisco. In 2007, he left traditional radio, and became Stitcher’s first Director of Content.
Matty is a wealth of knowledge on what a podcast can look like for a brand, why a podcast is relevant to a brand, and how a brand can go about finding their podcast story. Not to mention he helped start Stitcher. I feel that gives him more than a little bit of an authority on this.
Radio Vs. Podcasts: The Differences and The Similarities
Back in the 1930’s, all radio was branded audio. Flash forward to today and we’re doing it all over again. The only difference is it’s delivered through a different format and the entry level bars for new talent has changed.
Another new thing is that in traditional radio, the message was in the background. As Matty so perfectly explained, “radio is just a toaster.” Relevant information is delivered once or twice a day, but for the most part, it’s just sitting in the background.
For podcasts, the opposite is true. Podcast listeners are tuning in specifically for the information and they are tuning in loyally. According to Matty, 27% of podcast listeners are active listeners and 64% follow a brand. They care about those brands and support them which should be a huge sell to companies interested in the marketing investment. There are many great reasons to use podcast advertising. It’s cheaper than radio, the metrics are incredibly specific, and the shelflife is longer.
Matty predicts, and I tend to agree, that podcasting is in the 2001 Dot coms and aps era right now. It’s a buzzword, the advertising spend is in the billions and only going up, and so everyone’s trying to “get in”. But it’s not for everyone.
Pod Fade
The monetary ROI for a podcast isn’t easy and that’s when “Pod Fade” happens. Podcasters start to realize it’s an actual job and a lot drop off. Those that are truly dedicated and actively crafting content to stand for something relevant will last. The rest will shake out as the industry grows. Those that stick with it, will be rewarded.
So when it is time to start a podcast for your brand, put some thought into it before launching. “No one is ever good at it right away.” Matty stated. With any craft or new project, it takes trial and error. And until you try, you just don’t know what will come out of it.
The Three E’s
Matty has 3 E’s that he carefully considers when starting any new podcast. Empathy; a good podcast creates an empathetic experience. Education; is there an educational factor that goes along with the podcast? People want to learn. They are interested in the world. And lastly, is it entertaining? Is it good?
Matty has launched some 300 podcasts. It’s his job to convert the ideas of a company into something that will actually fit right for the platform. The best collaboration is just that; him as the professional in the podcast space, and the company as the expert on the company and the company’s message and intention. Both parties need to work together to create a strong, cohesive, and worthwhile product.
It’s Not Just the End Result
Is the brand or company aggressively marketing the podcast? Are they looking for an audience or just sitting back and waiting for the audience to come to them? A company should be spending at least a couple of hours a day advertising or promoting (if not more time for a larger company) or else they run the risk of being swallowed up by the onslaught of programming already out there.
Network, network, network. Community is everything and right now the podcast world is friendly. We need to take advantage of that. How can we help one another out, and how can they help us? Give advice, bring value, know the goal, and know that your company or brand brings something different to the table.
