A podcast is an audio file or a radio program that is uploaded to the Internet and can be downloaded directly or consumed via streaming. It’s very similar to a blog, but in audio format.
The difference is that you don’t need a broadcasting station to make a podcast or a radio to listen to it, because it’s usually available from an application or a website. Therefore, its format is usually mp3.
In a podcast, various information topics can be covered: culture, literature, current affairs, science, music, cinema, among others, which you can enjoy how, where, and when you want.
We can classify podcasts into two types by their nature:
- Podcasting
It is audio content created to be initially distributed via the Internet (through an RSS feed) where users can subscribe and download it for consumption on the device of their choice.
Podcasts are divided into 4 according to their content:
Entertainment Podcasts: These are podcasts that aim to disconnect and entertain the listener, narrating curious or mysterious stories, for example. They are the most common, so you will find many not so relevant ones, thanks to improvisation and lack of script.
It should be noted that a script is very important to maintain the linearity of what is being narrated, achieving acceptable quality and listener attention.
Informational Podcasts: These are podcasts that provide some type of interesting information, news, or updates on any topic. The most common ones are about technology and business.
Persuasive Podcasts: Persuasive podcasts are those that seek to impose an idea on their listeners. Many religious or political podcasts can be good examples.
If your listener connects with your way of thinking, you can guarantee a loyal and gradually growing audience.
Educational Podcasts: Educational podcasts are not very popular but have high engagement because they aim to teach something interesting about any topic and are timeless.
If you want to create an educational podcast, you must be organized and clear in your ideas, as well as consistent and committed to your audience, who will often ask questions about the topic you present.
- Radio and TV Programs
These are recordings of traditional media programs that are converted into audio files for distribution as podcasts.
The importance of this lies in its ability to help you achieve greater reach and visibility, as it is a content format that is constantly being discovered by audiences and with which people engage. Additionally, it offers the opportunity to become an authority on the topic you manage. Mastering a subject in a growing niche will make it easier to stand out.
How Can Podcasts Compete with Social Media?
The great advantage of podcasts is that they do not need to capture the visual attention of the audience to connect with them. Like music or audiobooks, podcasts serve to accompany the listener while they perform other activities: walking, cleaning the house, exercising, driving, or waiting in line.
Podcasts free the eyes of the listener while delivering content in a different dynamic. For example, a video longer than 8 minutes on YouTube can seem endlessly boring, whereas a podcast handles the notion of time differently.
Most podcasts are free and their consumption is growing rapidly, making them a novel communication channel that companies should not overlook. They present a good business marketing strategy, whether through advertisements, sponsorship, or as an alternative to branded content that is interesting and exclusive, creating original content that highlights the benefits of the products or provides useful information from companies to users.
A podcast can become the meeting point between a brand, its current and potential customers, helping to reaffirm the brand’s values with relevant information for an audience that pays less attention to conventional advertising. Companies like GE, IBM, BMW, Bancolombia, and the magazine Muy Interesante, among others, are already using podcasts as a medium for disseminating content at the corporate level or as part of their marketing strategy with their clients.
In Spain, companies like the financial entity BBVA and the National Electricity Company Endesa have dared to adopt the podcast as a marketing strategy, applying branded content in audio format.
Podcasts are the trend of the moment. On one hand, people are discovering the experience of consuming audio stories anywhere. On the other hand, it is an ideal space to delve into topics that fall outside conventional radio or a 3-minute video.
