There has been an explosion in the popularity of podcasts. What is so unique about this mass media? It’s easily accessible with a connection to internet or mobile data, and there’s a vast number of topics available. Interested in comedy? There are so many to choose from! Interested in comedy pertaining to a certain sitcom? “Friends,” “30 Rock” and “Seinfeld” all have multiple podcasts dedicated to them. Interested in just the secondary characters in “Seinfeld?” Yes, there’s even a podcast for that! The specificity of interests provides a great opportunity to get in front of niche audiences.
When it comes to the broader demographics of who’s listening, Millennials have gravitated the most toward this entertainment form. No matter the audience, users are very loyal to the podcasts they listen to. Listeners keep up with newly released episodes. If joining in after the initial episode, many will listen to older episodes. Similar to TV, listeners may revisit episodes previously listened to. This shows that podcasts (and the ads featured on them ) have a long shelf life.
Like with radio, these listeners grow to love the hosts of podcasts. When listening to scripted ads (though they can sound more like endorsements) by a favorite host, listeners may be more likely to remember the brand. A comScore study shows that podcast ads weren’t seen as “intrusive” and that “2/3 [adults 18-24] have acted on brands … either researching a product or service or by actually purchasing.” Users are also less likely to skip ads, even though it’s easy to do with ads located in the beginning and/or middle of an episode.
Since this is an audio platform, objectives that are awareness-based would fit best. Some podcasts have a digital companion ad for clicks. However, it should be treated as mostly an auditory tactic.
All in all, podcast is a medium that has a wide, interactive fanbase. The niche subjects of each podcast create some narrow targeting avenues that are attractive to advertisers. Users are actively listening, and with the right targeting, can be a prime target for advertisers.