Influence Buying Through the Power of Podcasts

Here’s the tea: The way consumers engage with tech is rapidly changing. As they grow tired of screens, they’re turning to music and podcasts to disconnect and unwind.

So, what does that mean for your media strategy? We’ve got the answers, and we shared them in our latest LinkedIn audio event. 

In the audio event, The Audio-Tech Movement: Key Trends Driving Consumer Behavior, our experts Julie Matiasic, Senior Sales Director, Tech Sales, SiriusXM Media and Sarah van Mosel, Senior Vice President, Podcast Strategy, prove that audio offers advertisers the opportunity to connect with audiences in a personal way and drive major ROI.

Ready to discover how to use consumer insights to leverage the power of audio? Tune in to the full interview below, then check out highlights from the conversation where our experts break down the value of podcast advertising. 

The Value of Audio

Highlight: “The number one thing is this rise in audio as this multitasking companion. It's a great way for consumers to increasingly choose audio over other forms of medium. Since there is this emotional draw to how music and podcasts tap into emotions, it offers this unique opportunity for advertisers to connect with audiences in moments that matter. Brands are continuing to see the value in reaching their audience beyond the screen. But music is not the only way that consumers like to connect with their emotions. Podcasts are now everyone's latest obsession—62% of listeners never miss an episode of their favorite podcast. Daily consumers are listening to podcast content faster than ever before.” - Julie Matiasic

Podcast Listeners Are in Learning Mode 

Highlight: “You don't have to choose between living your life and listening to podcasts. When you look at the podcast audience, for the most part, these are intelligent folks who like to learn. They want to know something. They're almost hacking their lives in order to maximize the amount of information and entertainment that they can get into their heads while they're doing all the busy stuff that they need to do. So, I also identify as one of those people, and it's just more efficient to live your life, take in your information and not have to compromise on either one.” - Sarah van Mosel

Podcasts Create Accessibility 

Highlight: “I think the evolution of podcasting, there's been this explosive growth since COVID. But when you think about accessibility, it's what kick-started this revolution, if you will, and folks were able to have that accessibility. And now for brands, they can tap into that authenticity, they can tap into two friends that are talking about something meaningful who may have PhDs in something, but there's an audience who wants to hear it.” - Julie Matiasic

The Ultimate Democratized Platform

Highlight: “Podcasting is the ultimate democratized platform. You don't even need to brush your hair. As long as you're passionate about a subject, you can get that content online and people can find it. You don't have to be a celebrity. You don't have to navigate the gatekeepers of the entertainment industry… The rising stars of the indie podcasts or the podcasts that didn't come from celebrities really came because these folks found their audience and serve them extremely well.” - Sarah van Mosel

Key Content Verticals 

Highlight: “We've got a lens through which we make building and buying decisions. Part of our strategy is really tied to six key content verticals:

• Entertainment

• Comedy

• Curiosity

• Sports

• True crime 

• News and politics. 

So that's the overall framework, those six categories, where we're really leaning in and that's through demographics, through engagement, fan intensity, and verticals. That's 75% of the process.” - Sarah van Mosel

The Podcasting Trifecta

Highlight: “Creators who make good podcasts are going to make good creative for ads. We see it all the time with Conan. Where else can you get a star like Conan O'Brien to just riff in a truly authentic way, in a way that makes his entire team giggle? And he loves it; he enjoys doing it. And it's so rare that you have that level of access, that level of depth and freedom and unfettered creativity at your disposal. That's when the trifecta of the brand, the audience, and the creator are all resonating at the same frequency. It's a beautiful thing. And that's really not uncommon in podcasting.” - Sarah van Mosel

Lean Into the Authenticity of Podcasts

Highlight: “When you think about these podcast hosts, if you start listening to a podcast when it's small, you become part of that trajectory with them. If you're giving them 35 minutes, 40 minutes of your day, you're sitting down, you're interested in what they have to say, not dissimilar to when you discover a musician and they're really small and you're like, ‘I knew them before when we're selling out big arenas.’ A lot of the brands that we work with, they talk about the fact that podcast hosts are influencers. You're part of the conversation with them. You lean into your favorite hosts. And I think that brands have a real opportunity to to lean into the fact that it is that authentic environment.” - Julie Matiasic

Podcast Hosts Are Influencers

Highlight: “Mel Robbins is an author and a thought leader. And even though she lives in the podcast world along with Roman Mars, she lives in a different part of it. But she, too, brings this creativity to the advertising plate. She had a Bridgerton campaign that she did in her show, and she's a Bridgerton fan. But then she went above and beyond, not because she was asked to, but because she was having fun with it. This is the level of joy that creators authentically bring to these campaigns because they're used to being that free with their people, and their people are used to receiving that level of authenticity from them. So yes, I believe podcast hosts are definitely influencers.” - Sarah van Mosel

Build Engagement with Hosts

Highlight: “When you're thinking about assembling an audio advertising strategy, it shouldn't just be about brand awareness. You can create calls to action with these podcasters who are influencers. It's influencer territory now, and you can encourage those audiences to engage with your brand. That's what we've learned more and more in the last year. The stats are showing that building that engagement with these hosts are really paying off.” - Julie Matiasic

Key Points

Highlight: “Key points: Podcasters are influencer territory; lean into it, it's going to pay off if you are already utilizing the power of podcasting in these hosts. Rethink your strategy because it's a massive targeting marketing channel. And then the second is podcast audiences are huge and targeted. Podcasting is not the wild, wild west anymore. There's this refined, intricate approach that you can take to reaching your exact consumer. When you couple that with these massive audience pieces, you can really get in front of the person that you're trying to reach.” - Julie Matiasic

Podcasting continues to grow with rapid growth, meaning the opportunities for brands and creators alike are following suit. If you’re ready to make a move on podcast advertising, let’s chat. 

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