Branded Podcasts: Tapping Into Your Audience's Passions

A fascinating data point from Tom Webster's recent report "The Podcast Landscape in America" shows that 43% of Americans 18+ say they'd be interested in listening to a podcast about their favorite brand or product.

A major opportunity.

This highlights a major opportunity for effective branded podcasts - when they tap into people's existing passions and interests. As the article points out, a podcast from an irrelevant brand, like a random car company, is just an annoyance to people who have no interest in cars. But a podcast from a beloved brand people are passionate about becomes fascinating content they actively want to consume.

Take the Trader Joe's podcast as a prime example. For diehard TJ fans, getting an inside look at product development and company stories is incredibly engaging content. And even for non-customers, the curiosity and intrigue surrounding the quirky grocery chain makes for a compelling podcast. It goes beyond a pure sales pitch and connects with what people genuinely care about.

It’s not about you.

For podcasters and brands alike, the takeaway is that understanding your target audience is crucial. What brands and products are they passionate about? Is there data to gather about their affinities that could inform partnership and sponsorship opportunities? When crafted strategically, branded podcasts allow you to leverage people's pre-existing interests and turn marketing into content.

But it all starts with the audience. Ads and branded content only feel intrusive and annoying when they're irrelevant to the listener. The more targeted and aligned with people's passions they are, the more they transcend into fascinating material people want to consume. Essentially, branded podcasts work when they feel like content rather than traditional ads.

There is major potential here for brands to learn about their audience's brand loves and to partner with your ecosystem in really compelling ways. Podcasts present an avenue to create content that taps into target customers' passions and provides value beyond a sales pitch.

In an era of endless ad-free entertainment options, branded podcasts that feel like content are the way to grab attention and generate interest. But again, it comes back to understanding the audience and what they truly care about. Start there, and you have the blueprint for branded podcast success.