For many brands, podcasting is set to play a massive role in their 2022 marketing strategies. 

And because of that, we’ve gathered 5 tips for branded podcasts this year and how marketers can make an even bigger *audio* wave with theirs. 

1. Focus on brand intimacy and connection

Seth Godin once stated, “It’s easier to love a brand when a brand loves you back.” And in today’s marketing world, this quote is becoming increasingly relevant. 

A concept that we started talking about in 2021 and will carry over into 2022 is brand intimacy. It’s now almost a necessity for marketers to build a personal connection with their customers. And on the flip side, customers are looking for brands that resonate with them. 

Luckily, podcasts are a great medium to achieve this. 

Podcasts provide brands with the opportunity to bring a human element to their name. It’s hard to feel a personal connection with a large Fortune 500 company. But with podcasts, you can showcase who your company truly is. 

In 2022, place a focus on having deep, valuable, and engaging conversations that will shed light on the people behind your company, what you stand for, and your vision for whatever industry you operate in. 

By equipping listeners with this information, it’s much easier for them to truly connect and align with you in a powerful way that in the end, hopefully turns them into a dedicated customer. 

2. Podcast marketing is more important than ever 

A topic that we don’t shy away from is podcast marketing. Now this has always been essential,  but as popularity of the medium continues to grow and more competitors enter the market, your podcast marketing needs to be even more on-point to help you stay ahead of the curve. 

Unless you’re a celebrity or influencer, increasing podcast discoverability is hard work. Even as a brand with a decent following, having your podcast picked up by listeners is no easy endeavor. Sit down and ask yourself what channels you have access to with your brand that could be used for podcast marketing. 

This might be your newsletter, website, social media, app, blog, industry partners, events—the list can go on and on. Build this list in a document and then create an action plan for how the podcast will be promoted among these channels. What creative assets do you need? What copy do you need? How long will it take for approvals? Answer these types of questions in the document so you can have a game plan for growing your podcast audience either immediately or whenever your podcast launches.  

3. Build partnerships/relationships with fellow brands and podcasters 

Why not build some new relationships in 2022? 

This is an element that not only helps your podcast marketing, but also can help to improve your podcast quality and awareness. Immersing yourself in the ever-growing podcast community can yield incredibly positive results.

A great way to kickstart that discussion and create some buzz is through partnerships and relationships. Create a list of fellow brands that aren’t competitors in your field or with your content. Start connecting with the people on your list to build a connection. 

When you feel as if you’ve built a strong enough relationship with them, pitch how you think you both can work together. Maybe it’s through cross-promotion or introducing each other to people in your network. Whatever it may be, just make sure that you’re providing them value, not just asking for something from them. 

Soon, you’ll find that more people are aware of your podcast and the art of word of mouth marketing will have the base to potentially take off. 

4. Understand the podcast industry and what listeners are looking for

Gaining an intimate understanding of the desires of podcast listeners will ultimately come down to research. 

The podcast industry is constantly evolving, innovating, and introducing new products, services, and shows. Set time aside every week to educate yourself on the podcast industry as well as on your listeners. Who are they? What platforms are they listening from? What content did they enjoy or not enjoy from you? 

If you’re looking for more ways to gather this type of information, add a survey to your podcast show notes for listeners to fill out that asks all the questions you’re curious about. Investing time to immerse yourself in the industry and your listeners will give you a competitive edge with other brands who lack the knowledge and expertise on how to create a successful podcast for listeners. 

For daily updates on the podcast industry sent to your inbox, sign up for Podnews! 

5. Stay on top of your competitors and what they’re doing well/poorly

We’ve talked about creating a competitive matrix and UVP (unique value proposition) in our Ultimate Guide to Branded Podcasts. Your competitive matrix is a chart of competitor podcasts, maybe by brands or pro-podcasters that overlap with your content. Make a list of these podcasts and breakdown the format, audio quality, average length, and your overall thoughts on the show. Do this for every podcast on your list. 

Once you’re done, you’ll move onto your UVP. Identify where you can lead in this podcast genre. For example, if you’re in a genre that only does formal Q&A-style podcast episodes, maybe you’ll decide to create a conversational or investigative podcast. 

Make this into a quarterly exercise where you update your podcast’s competitive matrix and UVP. This will ensure that you’re always up to date with the shows in your genre and that you’re continuously innovating your podcast to make it the best that it can be.