4 Reasons to Launch a Custom Podcast

Why? With traditional advertising, such as banner or video ads, ultimately providing little more than background noise, today’s consumers are bombarded by messages all day. Simultaneously, in a time when they have never felt more isolated, these same consumers yearn for connection; for intimacy. And podcasts fill this void.

A far cry from the "alternative” medium it once was a decade ago, podcasting has infiltrated the mainstream zeitgeist much like television did in its early days. Now, more than half of consumers above the age of 12 in the US listen to podcasts, with kids, parents, and grandparents alike raving about their favorite pop culture, finance, or cooking show.

Meanwhile, a similarly wide range of voices can be found behind the microphone: joining the ranks of passionate activists, opinionated talking heads, and creative multi-hyphenates are brands with equally interesting perspectives. Businesses have important things to say: and audiences are listening. Podcasting provides a platform for any organization – whether offering consumer goods, services, pharmaceuticals, media, or more – to explore any particular topic for a curious audience that, with the right marketing plan, will not only discover and engage with this content but will eventually connect more deeply with the brand.

Over the past few years, well-established brands as varied as McDonald’s, eBay, Johnson & Johnson, and Microsoft have partnered with production companies to release  incredibly compelling podcasts to wide acclaim. And with brands like GE winning a Cannes Lions award for their podcast LifeAfter/The Message, or HBO generating over 10 million plays with the companion podcast to its miniseries Chernobyl, many are seeing massive results, providing true ROI that makes the investment worthwhile.

But with any new frontier comes the inevitable pang of skepticism; how can a brand be sure this is the right path for them? How does a custom podcast work, and why is it any better than more traditional forms of marketing -- whether via radio, tv, print, or a digital display?

Here are four reasons a brand should consider creating a custom podcast in tandem with – or in lieu of – those more traditional forms of advertising.

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1. Reach the audience you want to reach

An original custom podcast allows a brand to build an extension of itself, bridging its way into the lives of its target consumers more meaningfully. Think of it as the Trojan Horse that infiltrates audiences’ lives without those folks feeling like they’re being served an advertisement -- a brand can’t engage in such thoughtful discourse with consumers via a display ad or social post.

Not only do podcasts reach this audience with the content they are serving (i.e. selecting topics and booking guests that will appeal to the relevant men and women they wish to reach), but the right production partner can target that audience with a robust media plan, and amplify the message further.

Ruby, in particular, has done this successfully for brands like Under Armour, T-Mobile, and IBM -- not only building audiences quickly with powerful stories inherent to brands’ overall marketing strategies, but amplifying brand messaging further with supplementary paid efforts: “best of” audio spots and host read spots running across the entire iHeartPodcast network have heavily over-indexed in each client’s target audience.

2. Achieve upper funnel impact with massive lower funnel potential

The greatest strength of a custom podcast is its ability to captivate an audience with authentic, high quality content for extended periods of time. With a rapt audience invested in such content, host-read midroll spots can act as extensions of the podcast itself, delivering brand messaging without compromising the integrity of the programming.

As episodes roll out and seasons progress, the brand can build a more profound relationship with listeners and become a more integral part of their lives. With trust established, lower funnel tactics can drive trackable sales action. Meanwhile, the right media partner can provide the brand with enlightening research that will give further insight into the audience and consumer base.

3. Align with celebrities and influencers without breaking the bank

Celebrity endorsements can be insanely expensive; even a brief-shout out in a YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram influencer’s feed can cost tens of thousands of dollars. The same ask of an A-list actor or musician might run six figures! But these same celebrities are frequently happy to appear as guests on podcasts for free, in support of the show’s host, the company producing it, or simply to promote a project of their own

Ruby takes this a step further, leveraging our reputation and relationships to book celebrity guests for midroll advertisements. For example, the first season of our podcast with Trojan Brand Condoms, The Pleasure Is Ours, featured multiple collaborative midroll spots with host Cody Ko and comedians and musicians such as Yung Gravy, Demi Adejuyigbe, and Noel Miller – all of whom directly endorsed product.

4. Win awards and top the charts for more than just bragging rights

Listeners will seek out award-winning podcasts. Ruby's custom podcasts have won several MarCom Awards, including our Platinum-winning partnership with HBO Max, the companion podcast for The Murders at White House Farm, and our podcast with Miracle Gro, Humans Growing Stuff. Meanwhile, the Webby and Shorty Awards each award a Best Branded Podcast each year, and the Digiday Content Marketing Awards is entirely dedicated to awarding branded content. Such awards not only legitimize podcasts as quality works of art, but they open up a whole new audience to the associated brand beyond the reach of the podcast’s initial flight.The Murders at White House Farm, and our podcast with Miracle Gro, Humans Growing Stuff. Meanwhile, the Webby and Shorty Awards each award a Best Branded Podcast each year, and the Digiday Content Marketing Awards is entirely dedicated to awarding branded content. Such awards not only legitimize podcasts as quality works of art, but they open up a whole new audience to the associated brand beyond the reach of the podcast’s initial flight. Listeners will seek out award-winning podcasts.

The same goes for Apple’s podcast charts. Given the breadth of iHeart’s podcast network, our marketing efforts are always sure to result in tremendous listenership – but any production company can achieve chart placement if the quality of the podcast is high enough, and the host(s) and/or guests are willing to promote it as well.

Of course, awards and charts also provide the bonus of bragging rights. Winning an award for an original piece of content is an impressive accolade for any brand: such recognition signals to consumers that a brand’s primary product is equal quality!

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