PODCAST PERSUASION

Podcasting has become a fast growing trend and offers tremendous opportunities for those who get involved in the revolution, writes Alan Swan.

Podcasting, a new form of broadcasting which enables consumers to download and listen to radio and video style programmes on their portable MP3 players at a time that is convenient to them, has continued to spread at an astonishing rate, with traditional broadcasters clamoring to join the audio visual revolution.

Setting Records

In just 12 months, the medium has become the New Oxford American dictionary word of 2006, led an established UK Newspaper to appoint its own podcast editor, and sees UK Comedian Ricky Gervais, of ‘The Office’ television programme set a Guinness World record for most downloaded podcast, gaining an average of 261,670 downloads per episode of ‘The Ricky Gervais Show’ during its first month.

Coupled with now easier access to internet broadband and the increase in sales of portable players, Irish podcast users are accelerating at an enormous pace.

Podcasts with a business slant and those specifically aimed at entrepreneurs have been quick to surface. US based PodTech.net podcasting, a new form are at the forefront of producing and distributing a wide range of video and audio podcasts aimed at entrepreneurs.

According to Eric Copeland of Podtech, “people are spending more and more of their time getting their information and entertainment digitally on iPods and mobile devices, and this is providing a tremendous opportunity for these new content ideas that don’t exist in traditional media.”

Podtech’s Potential

Podtech’s content ranges from interviews with leading business people such as Microsoft’s Bill Gates to behind the scenes access to some of the world’s leading organisations. It also appears that global companies have seen the potential of using podcasts as a marketing tool by sponsoring a selection of these shows. Already car manufacturer Volvo have sponsored podcasts on a leading US car review blog site. In Ireland, IT@Cork, a non profit industry organisation that supports businesses which depend on information technology in the Cork region secured sponsorship from software giant Microsoft for a series of its pilot are at the forefront of producing programme of podcasts. The content of these podcasts involved interviews with senior management from over 220 of IT@Cork’s members companies.

Success Story

One Irish podcast success story started over six years ago when marketing lecturer Alex Gibson was invited by then-fledgling local radio station, Dublin City Anna Livia 103.2fm, to host a weekly marketing programme. Armed with little more than a microphone and a keen interest in topics ranging from advertising to branding to public relations, the Persuaders took to the air in May 2000 and quickly established itself as essential listening for the city’s diverse marketing community.

The arrival of podcast technology has brought the show to a much wider audience who can listen when and where they want and The Persuaders Marketing Podcast, which was launched in March 2006, has been downloaded by over ten thousand listeners worldwide. Such has been its success and reflecting the show’s growing reach and ambition, the show has recently pulled together a back-room team to work with him in refining The Persuaders branding and programme structure, including Gerard Tannam of Islandbridge Brand Direction, Alan Bell of Adnet Web Designers, Diana Bonfilio of Dcoy Design and Denis Goodbody of Adept Advertising.

According to Gibson, “podcasting enables Irish entrepreneurs the opportunity to access easily information in a way that suits their busy lifestyles. I know of several entrepreneurs who have replaced listening to bland radio shows with podcasts. The variety of material out there is simply enormous - over 26,000 separate podcasts according to most recent sources, and with many of today’s top business gurus having their own podcasts, entrepreneurs can access the brightest brains globally.”

Surprisingly Simple

Gibson says that it’s simple for people to create their own podcast. “I also think that for business people they should be open to the idea of creating their own podcast. It’s surprisingly easy and would give customers a powerful reason to visit your website. This would be even more effective if, rather than engage in blatant self-promotion, you can position yourself as someone who is an authoritative source of information and commentary on your particular industry sector”.

Due to the niche content of the show, which would not normally be found on commercial radio, advertisers who wish to reach those interested in sales and marketing topics have a new channel to target their markets. The Persuaders recently signed a sponsorship agreement with AFA O’Meara Advertising.

“The advertising agency were looking for an opportunity to build their reputation with young prospective advertising talent - the podcast medium offers them an ideal way to connect with the iPod generation,” says Gibson. He is also anxious to point out that all you need to hear the show is a computer with speakers and preferably a broadband connection.