Podcasting

[JR]

I would be interested to hear what you think about podcasting as part of the marketing mix? Seems to be getting a lot of publicity so is it hype or a good form of marketing?

John

 

[directmarketingadvice]

Hi John

I've never heard of podcasting, what is it? How does it work? And how is it used to bring in sales?

Cheers

Steve

 

[JR]

Hi Steve

If you google this you will find out more but in a nutshell.
As its name suggests, podcasting is an amalgamation of the words 'iPod' and 'broadcasting' - but you don't need an iPod or even a portable MP3 player to download podcasts - a computer or phone will do.

It's a means of keeping your customers up to date with what you are doing - it's a bit like being your own radio station

John

 

[click2britain]

Interesting... I would like to find more about this

 

[JR]

I actually do this for some PR companies that think it is a good idea as it gives them control of the content their customers receive from them - as in they get editorial control unlike traditional media. Without getting to complex it puts an audio feed on your website - where it gets more interesting is when you add an RSS feed to your site. This allows people to keep up with the latest news from you automatically.

The FSB website was singing it's praises a while ago as the most exciteing thing to happen to small business for a long time. I am just curious to know what the general feeling about it is.

 

[Rob Holmes]

isn't it just a gimicky way of saying mp3 downloads ?

Forgive my ignorance - I am not an apple person and touched an ipod once about 2 years ago.

Rob

 

[JR]

Hi Rob

Depends on your point of view. Pop this into google and you will get some idea as to how businesses are using it - business + podcast

I am doing them at the moment for some major brands, that does not mean I think they are a good idea just that some do hence the post in the real world

 

[DarrenC]

I think it depends on the nature of your business - I have seen podcasts work for some businesses, but not for many.

You can be wittering on and publish your podcast, but like anything else online, you have to have visitors listening.

I played around with this idea, and advertised on a popular podcast about travelling, and they had a few hundred listeners.

I couldn't see how affective this marketing was - during the period of advertising, I didnt see a surge in visitors, so assumed it was not affective.

Darren

 

[JR]

Hi Darren

Yeh it's an interesting one. I can see it working if it is a subject I am interested in - then I could take an RSS feed and stay updated. I think it might work for the major brands provided they have high traffic at their sites.

What will be interesting to see is the way the technology changes the way we perceive the media. As this I think is a wake up call to traditional media. Newspapers The BBC and the rest all now podcast so it's interesting times.

 

[ewan]

Podcasting only has a very very small business oppuritunity window in my opinion.

It could be beneficial to larger media companies or the like, but due to the general nature of podcasting I really doubt you'd be able to gain much business through it.

 

[JR]

At this stage I am inclined to agree but just wonder if there is a niche market it might work in?

 

[JR]

I think it depends on the nature of your business - I have seen podcasts work for some businesses, but not for many.

You can be wittering on and publish your podcast, but like anything else online, you have to have visitors listening.

I played around with this idea, and advertised on a popular podcast about travelling, and they had a few hundred listeners.

I couldn't see how affective this marketing was - during the period of advertising, I didnt see a surge in visitors, so assumed it was not affective.

Darren

Darren
I was just thinking about this and trying to recall the last holiday I had There a few locations in the world that I have an affinity with and that I would go back to with a bit of prompting (time permitting)

Interestingly I have just done a pod cast for a Tourism Board where I went and interviewed people there so we captured the real spirit of the place – food – nightlife – culture etc. I can see it working for them when done in this way as a good holiday evokes memories and if you have never been you might be tempted .

Because they have a budget for this we plan to do this a few times across the seasons so people get updated and might just be tempted to return or visit. I also suggested they had virtual maps and pictures plus discounts on travel and other things when you got there. My original plan was that whole thing could have been sponsored by local / national business but they did not have the time to set it up.

Just a thought

 

[DarrenC]

I have a few other ideas that are around the podcast and iPod video theme, but its time thats against me unfortunately

 

[JR]

That makes two of us :wink:

 

[puravida]

I think that providing your target market are the types that would be into podcasts that they can offer a pretty exciting and creative way to keep good dialogue with your customers.

Think of them like a newsletter for the iPod Generation and providing you are offering some genuine, valuble content rather than just trying to plug a product then you'll get people signing up for more.

 

[bitsnstuff]

I am by no means an expert in this field and am very new to the ipod scene, however, I downloaded Ricky Gervais' podcast yesterday and was in stitches. It actually made me cry with laughter. I have now signed up to receive more, which apparently will automatically be sent to itunes on my pc, and then uploaded to my ipod next time I attach it.

Now surely, it is just another, more up to date, version, of an email newsletter and I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work as long as you had something decent to say.

The other benefit, is that people can listen to it whilst doing something else, like the radio, so you may get more listeners.

Enough of my rambling, I think there is a place for it, if done correctly.

Kate

 

[ewan]

I've listened to that podcast before too kate, very good

But my question has to be, do you think the guardian (who release it: http://www.guardian.co.uk/rickygervais) really get any business out of it? The newspaper may be mentioned one or two times during the podcast, but is that really going to get any real amount of people buying the newspaper? And then, if the guardian decided to impose more advertising on the podcast, would as many people listen to it? With a podcast you can "fast forward" as it were and skip and adverts, or you could just see a podcast littered with adverts as an invasion of your free time (as it were) and not listen to it at all.

Lots of theoretical questions there, but I can't think of a business which has made a success of podcast advertising yet, and I'm not to sure whether there'd be one to come.

 

[10Yetis]

I think they are a very valuable addition to the marketing mix.

Not only are they informative and "add value" to the customers experience of dealing with you, but if you have quite a niche product, or a product that is difficult to get enthusiastic about, then a podcast, or mp3 file gives you an opportunity to breathe life into an otherwise dry area.

Similarly, they can be a great way of getting editorial coverage in a region because they are still seen as new and innovative... hell, even the Sunday Telegraph has a podcast, what is the world coming to?

In summary (your honour), as i said at the top.. I love them and think they are a really valuable addition.

 

[JR]

Thanks ladies and gents. Seems the jury is still out but positive non the less I think ewans comments are interesting. I am not certain that I would call podcasting advertising as such. Maybe brand reinforcement – brand awareness – or maybe something else. Maybe 10 yetis hits the nail on the head with “added value”.

One thing is certain a lot of people are getting excited about them so we will see.