With their ability to captivate listeners through storytelling, expert discussions, and entertaining content, branded podcasts offer a unique opportunity for brands to amplify their message, establish thought leadership, and build lasting relationships with their target market.

Most people assume that podcasting really only works for B2C brands that are looking to attract new customers and spread awareness. But that’s wrong, so so wrong. 

B2C and B2B brands can leverage branded podcasts in several different ways to achieve growth. Below we’ve outlined a few examples of how brands and podcasts go hand-in-hand. 

But remember, the possibilities to get creative with your show are endless – this is just a guideline.  

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1) Awareness

Let’s start off with the most popular use for branded podcasts: awareness. It’s the most popular with good reason – the BBC found branded podcasts boost brand awareness and consideration by 89% and 57%, respectively. 

Podcasts that have a goal of awareness are usually created by brands that are looking to grow their audience and build stronger relationships with new and existing customers. 

With this goal in mind, podcasts give you the opportunity to foster relationships with potential customers (your listeners) by educating them on your respective industry in an engaging way while showcasing your personality. It’s even been shown that podcast listeners are more likely to follow companies and brands on social media (Podcast Insights).  

When you're creating content for awareness, make sure that your podcast isn’t an incredibly long infomercial for your brand (no one wants that). You need to create content that’s still relevant to your company and industry but provides listeners with some sort of value. 

For instance, we suggest leveraging a branded podcast to showcase your brand story, values, and mission in an engaging and relatable manner. By sharing insightful anecdotes, behind-the-scenes peeks, and real-life experiences, brands can humanize themselves, making the connection with the audience more authentic.

Similarly, hosting discussions, interviews with industry experts, and providing valuable insights can establish credibility and authority within your field. As a result, potential customers are more likely to view your brand as trustworthy, leading to increased brand awareness and a positive brand image. 

Some great examples of branded podcasts that have a focus on awareness:

• Field Tripping by Field Trip
• The Beat by Heart and Stroke Foundation 
• Pick Me Up, a series created by Lyft in partnership with Gimlet
• #LIPSTORIES powered by Sephora. 

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2)  Internal communications

Today, everyone is busy, especially your employees. With so much going on in the world, it’s hard to grab their attention to provide them with company updates, and news, or to try to build more of an internal culture within the brand.

This is where podcasts come in. Podcasts can make it easy to communicate all of this information in a quick, convenient, and scalable format. It’s been proven that productivity can increase by 25% when employees feel more connected and engaged. Yet 74% of employees state that they feel like they're missing out on company information and getting to know their co-workers. 

Podcasts open the door when it comes to internal communication and brands can easily implement them to better their communication channels, employee engagement, and employee retention. If you’re worried about privacy, not to worry — just make sure you have a private RSS feed. 

Say farewell to the days of email and hello to the world of audio. Podcasts bring the convenience factor to your employees – they can tune in whenever, wherever. 

Let’s take a quick look at how an internal comms podcast can be useful to you: 

Providing updates

Have something going on in a specific department or some big news company-wide? Podcasts give you the ability to spread the message to the masses in an efficient way. 

Employee training 

If you’ve onboarded new employees, you can have a series that everyone joining the company can tune in to. The show could cover facts about the company, who they should know, the benefits of working there, etc. the options are pretty endless. 

Employee engagement 

Keep your employees interested and engaged with what’s happening within the company. A podcast is a great way to interact with your workforce by being in their ear and providing valuable content. 

Community building

Make your employees feel connected to one another no matter their job title or department. Podcasts are open to everyone and it gives your brand a chance to bring everyone together by listening to the same show. 80% of communications professionals feel like it’s their goal to make leadership more visible – podcasts help make this possible by showcasing your leadership team to your employees.

Corporate culture

With only 15% of employees being actively engaged at work, corporate podcasts have emerged as a valuable tool that not only engages employees but also cultivates a positive work culture. 

Industry news 

Keep employees informed on what’s happening in your brand's respective industry. This helps to keep everyone educated and in the know about what’s going on in your space.  

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3) Sales

Not many marketers or business development professionals see how useful podcasts can be in filling your pipeline and strengthening relationships with your current clients and partners. 

Here are just a few ways that podcasts can be your secret weapon when it comes to sales: 

Lead generation 

Podcasts are a great excuse to get someone that you’ve been wanting to talk to sitting right in front of you (or virtually). If there is a lead that you are trying to find a way to get some face time with, invite them to be a guest on your podcast! 

At the end of the day, everyone loves to talk about themselves so if you bring them on your podcast, you can show them that you know their industry and start to build that relationship. However, it is important to remember that when you do bring them onto the podcast, the recording is not a sales meeting. 

Have a natural conversation that’s fun for both of you. You’re not trying to pry and see what opportunities they can bring. Make sure to foster the relationship on and off the mics so you can grow that lead into a paying client.

Relationship building

Have you been stuck trying to find ways to maintain and strengthen relationships with your partners, clients, or really any stakeholder? Podcasts can be a great way to continue to build this connection. 

Similar to the lead generation tactic, invite them onto your podcast to chat about their journey, role, industry knowledge, or whatever your series is about! This will show them that you value them as well as their insights. 

Case studies

This one can be a little tricky because you don’t want to come off as too sales-y. But overall, case studies are a great way to show your audience that you’re credible, knowledgeable, and can execute. 

Ensure that if you’re giving examples during your podcast and reference your own case study, also throw in information from other brands (these don’t need to be competitors) that are relevant to the conversation. This will help to make sure that your podcast doesn’t come off as an infomercial.

4) Company events 

Live podcasting at events, such as panels and trade shows, has become a popular and effective way for content creators, businesses, and organizations to engage with their audience in a more personal and interactive manner. 

It combines the intimacy and authenticity of podcasting with the excitement and immediacy of a live event, creating a unique experience for both hosts and attendees.

Live podcasting at events requires careful planning and technical setup. Podcast hosts need to ensure they have the right equipment, a stable internet connection, and appropriate soundproofing to minimize background noise during the recording. 

The two ways of doing this are: 

Recording your podcast directly from the stage

This is where repurposing the content comes in. 

All you need to do is record directly from the main soundboard that’s gathering all the audio from the microphones on stage. This means that after the session is done, you can take that audio and edit it into a podcast. 

Behind-the-scenes interviews

This is one where you squeeze out some more value from your speakers or sponsors or whoever you’d want to be featured on your podcast. Create a list of questions that dive deeper into the subject matter of the speaker's talk or the industry of the sponsor. 

Not only does it provide listeners with more insights, but it also builds a stronger relationship between you and the guest. 

The goal is to repurpose the amazing content that your event is already sharing or to catch some extra value from the speakers or sponsors that you have. There are also some additional benefits including:

Audience Engagement

Live podcasting allows hosts to connect with their audience in real time. Attendees have the opportunity to witness the creation of content firsthand and actively participate in discussions through Q&A sessions, polls, or audience interactions. This level of engagement strengthens the connection between podcast hosts and their listeners, fostering a sense of community.

Networking Opportunities

Events like trade shows and panels attract a diverse range of professionals and enthusiasts from various industries. Live podcasting at these events can help content creators and businesses expand their network, form new partnerships, and increase their brand visibility by reaching a broader audience.

Content Creation

Hosting a live podcast at an event offers the chance to generate unique and timely content. Presenters can cover event-specific topics, interview industry experts or event speakers, and share their experiences and insights related to the event's theme. This content can be repurposed later for regular podcast episodes or other marketing materials.

Real-Time Feedback

Live podcasting enables hosts to receive instant feedback from their audience. They can gauge reactions, read live comments, and adjust their content or approach accordingly. This feedback loop is invaluable for podcasters looking to refine their content and engage with their audience more effectively.

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So which branded podcast use case is for you? 

By incorporating podcasts into your brand's marketing strategy, you open up a world of possibilities, from increasing awareness to improving lead generation efforts.

Whichever approach you decide to take, it’s up to you (or your agency) to make sure that there's some sort of unique twist that makes it your own. 

If you’re curious and want to learn more about how your brand can use podcasts, get in touch with us here!