Corporations Jump into Podcasting
By Tim ‘Gonzo’ Gordon
www.digitalaudioworld.com
If you believed in the theory that lemmings all jump into the sea as
soon as the first one does, it would not surprise you that the corporate
world is leaping headlong into the world of podcasting.
From radio, TV and newspaper outlets to small mom-and-pop corporations
to entities such as Chrysler, podcasting is an attractive tool to help
get the word out.
Even from my experience with
my own podcast,
I can see that the simple act of doing a podcast has attracted a lot of
new viewers to my website and listeners to my podcast.
But imagine what happens when General Motors, Ford, Volvo, Proctor and
Gamble, Warner Brothers and more decide they’re going to add podcasts.
Any press release of theirs is going to get mentioned. All of the
aforementioned have moved into podcasting, by the way.
And sure, the larger corporations are bound to get some people to
listen. But one of the keys to podcasting’s success is that it is
essentially ad-free. That’s the way regular listeners want it. Many are
turning to podcasts simply to avoid the saturation of advertisements on
commercial radio. Others are tuning in for specific information on very
niche-oriented topics you won’t find on the public airwaves.
I think it all depends on the content. If a corporate podcasts offers
some truly interesting and unique material, such as interviews with car
designers, executives, aftermarket tuners and the like, then it will
find a small but enthusiastic audience.
And with more and more corporations moving into creating their own
podcasts, many are at least looking at sponsoring podcasts that hit an
audience they’re hungry for. For instance, Unilever and Proctor & Gamble
are looking at sponsoring content that ties in with certain brands.
Perhaps one way to attract a corporate sponsor is to create a podcast
that targets a very specific audience, develop that audience and show
listenership, and you’ve got a very good vehicle for at least some
modest corporate sponsorship.
Radio stations are a natural for podcasts – they create audio 24/7/365.
It’s only natural for them to either repackage some of their broadcasts
or create new content and podcast it. Newspapers are also moving into
podcasting, albeit a bit slower then their radio media brethren.
Zenith Media, recently released a white paper on podcasting,
accentuating the benefits of reaching early adopters. "Advertisers who
embrace the new technology and communicate to consumers in meaningful
ways through podcasts may be viewed as innovators, forward-thinking,
cutting-edge, and the envy of the neighborhood," the report says.
Not a bad way for consumers to think of you, eh?
About The Author:
Tim 'Gonzo' Gordon shows you how to create professional, high-quality
audio on your home computer. With 25+ years of radio production, writing
and voice talent, Tim can show you how to set up a small pro studio and
create audio for fun and profit. Subscribe to his free newsletter
Digital Audio Bits at
http://www.digitalaudioworld.com
© 2005 by Tim Gordon |
