As the hottest media format on the market, podcasts continue to attract new audiences every day. Their success can be amplified by social networks, which, according to one study, is the number one place for discovering new podcasts.

If you're a fan of podcasts, social networks can be a great source of inspiration. According to the latest report from the US radio broadcasting company, Cumulus Media, conducted in partnership with survey platform Knit, 20% of consumers have discovered a podcast via social networks in the past year. Searching YouTube came second at 18%, ahead of recommendations from friends and family, at 13%.

In September 2023, 156 monthly podcast consumers were asked about their preferences for discovering new shows and their reactions to their online promotion. Only 15% of those surveyed said they didn't want to discover new podcasts, while a third said the opposite. However, while 32% are open to more discoveries, at the same time they lament the difficulty of finding new shows. Despite this, 80% of podcast fans have listened to a new program in the past month.

Getting promo right

To attract new listeners, podcast creators would be wise to pay attention to their show's message. The report stresses the importance of consumers seeing ads for new podcasts that motivate them with thought-provoking messages or topics. "Podcast consumers pay attention to what is being said in podcasts as opposed to the more lean-back, in-the-background nature of music streaming,” the report reads.

Far from being tired of seeing podcasts everywhere, listeners don't seem to be annoyed by podcast promos. In fact, 70% feel they are hearing just enough of ads for podcasts, while only 14% feel that they are hearing too many of them.

Here again, the message is important, as is the context of the promotion, the report stresses. Communication around a new audio show must be aligned with the podcast theme to appeal to the audience. "When asked about what podcast promos get right, top responses include an alignment in listener interest, comprehensive product details, and an engrossing presentation," the report states.

So what's the secret to a successful podcast promo? A mix of information and entertainment, it seems. The degree of humour in an advertisement, for example, is often equated with the type of content expected in the podcast. The objective in promoting a show is not necessarily to capitalize financially, but also to entertain and reach a wider community. "According to one respondent, podcast promos need to be entertaining. If they just wanted a dry education, '[they] would read a book,'" the report points out.

 - AFP Relaxnews