2025 has already brought a multitude of changes for brands to navigate–from a rapidly changing and volatile political landscape to continued uncertainty when it comes to costs of living. One change that stands out is the rapid rise, focus, and validation behind podcasts.
Just recently, podcasters were granted access to the White House press briefing room. The inclusion of podcasters marks a significant turning point, solidifying podcasting as a legitimate and influential media platform. This shift comes as no surprise, having become especially more evident during the presidential race, as both parties embraced popular interview podcasts like Call Her DaddyandThe Joe Rogan Experience to get in front of voters.
In addition to the increase in the use of podcasting within politics, a recent survey from Magna and Vox Media found that 75% of consumers point to podcast hosts as the most influential figures driving their purchasing decisions. In addition, we recently launched the 2024 Podcast Marketing Trust Index report that found that over half (56%) of Americans say the endorsement by the host of the podcast influences their trust in a product or service to some degree. As consumers place more trust in podcasts, top North American brands see a clear trend for 2025 – now is the time to launch a branded podcast.
Enhanced Tools Supporting Podcast ROI and Audience Insights
Since booming in the mid-to-late 2010s, the increased appetite for podcasts has resulted in enhanced technology supporting how brands can make the most of podcasts. For example, through CoHost, we’ve developed technology that allows brand marketers to analyze their listeners to garner a deeper understanding of whether you’re reaching your target audience and what content resonates with them. It also measures impact with in-depth analytics dashboards that support marketers in tracking ROI.
These enhanced technologies and tools aren’t just for B2C brands utilizing branded podcasts. Rather, B2B businesses that have found impressive marketing traction through the strong thought leadership, brand reach, and audience engagement that podcasts deliver and have used these tools to help hone that traction and better understand the impacts on their business. Podcast analytics can support B2B marketers to discover which companies are listening to a podcast, including statistics like size, industry, location, and average revenue.
Audio-First is Preferable for Consumers
Recent data reveals that 34% of Canadians have listened to a podcast in the last month. Our neighbours south of the border are seeing weekly podcast listeners of around 98 million, making the U.S. podcast audience just below the 100 million mark for weekly listeners.
Audio continues to grow as a preferred method of media consumption for consumers– utilizing it to receive their daily news, learn a new skill, or for entertainment. As consumers shift away from traditional media methods, podcast audio is a key way for brands to engage with consumers naturally and build a stronger connection with audiences.
Increased Interest in Niche Content
The growth of podcasts as a key form of content for consumers has enforced a boom in niche content consumption which benefits businesses–particularly businesses operating in unique areas.
A survey by Edison Research found that 74% of listeners prefer podcasts with topics that interest them specifically. This is an incredible opportunity for businesses to reach direct consumers who are more likely to become repeat customers given the ability to target and engage the right audience through podcasting.
Not only is this one of the best ways to engage your current community and audience, but also a powerful opportunity for brands to reach new customers and markets. We’ve seen success with niche podcasts supporting the marketing and community for brands and organizations like the Nuclear Energy Institute with Fissionary and Expedia Group’s Powering Travel.
Populating the Content Funnel
Content continues to be crucial for B2B businesses to build community, repeat touch points with customers, and compete in the marketplace. Not only are podcasts essential in establishing top of funnel marketing activity, but we see podcasts as a successful part of every stage of the funnel: awareness, interest, consideration, intent, and purchase.
With over two million podcasts on Apple, 80% of podcast listeners in the US listen to all or most of a podcast episode. This significant consumption rate allows marketers to strategically use podcasts within the marketing funnel knowing that the consumption of the content has a high completion rate.
We’ve seen a lot of companies get creative when it comes to the bottom of the funnel, intent, and purchase, over the past few years with everything from offering a free trial to launching a private podcast only for users. Incentivisation is key and the best part about a podcast is that an engaged audience will always be more aligned with your brand and ready to take action.
Podcasts have played a pivotal role in the marketing strategy of leading brands, including Microsoft, TD, Interac, Yelp, Walmart, and more, and the continued use of branded podcasts as a part of the marketing mix is only set to grow in 2025. There’s no doubt that podcasting allows brands to connect on a more human level when you compare it to alternative traditional marketing channels. Podcasts empower brands to showcase real stories and voices, ultimately building deeper relationships with consumers–rather than going through a transactional sales pitch.
Fatima Zaidi is the Founder and CEO at Quill Inc., an award-winning production agency specializing in corporate audio, and CoHost, a podcast hosting and analytics tool.
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