Podcast Advertising: Growing Media Helps Your Business Reach New People

Podcast advertisements are getting more and more common today with a significant number of people downloading podcasts regularly.  In June of 2005 when Apple released the version iTunes that first allowed native podcast integration, Apple saw 1 million podcasts downloaded in only the first two days. 

Those results prove that podcasts are:

Highly Popular

Although the large majority of computer users do not currently listen to podcasts, studies suggest that the number of people to be podcasting in the coming years will be astonishing.  In fact, the number of podcast listeners is expected to hit 12.3 million by 2010 (Forrester Research).

Capable of Producing Action-Oriented Results

Just being able to download podcasts easily caused mass downloads of the free iTunes software.  There was no large press push nor was there even a significant media announcement, but through mostly word of mouth (WOM) people found out that the new version was available and downloaded the software in unheard of numbers.

But, advertising on podcasts can be tricky.  They are a new medium and their exploitation, for marketers, is dangerous and exciting.

Here are some tips for advertising on podcasts:

1. Don’t be too long winded
   People know they can fast forward through your commericial easily, but because of the pure laziness factor, most people will not skip them unless they significantly interfere with user experience.  Keep it short and to the point.
   
   


2. Offer an incentive
   Consider a coupon code as an incentive.  It allows you to track your ad buy AND encourages the user to take action.
   
   


3. Make it entertaining
   You could sponsor a contest that is silly but memorable (like this one that’s a Pirates vs Ninjas debate). Of course you need to make it a good prize.  The example podcast is giving away an iPod.  That’s applicable to the site and something most people want but do not have.