The Popularity of Audio as a Medium

Let’s look at the popularity of audio as a medium.

‘We really are living in the glory days for audio. Not since the advent of the Walkman have we seen the same kind of exponential increase in personal audio consumption.’ Peter Charlton, the CEO of entertainment brand Nova, said in an AdNews article. And he’s bang on.

According to RAJAR’s latest audio survey, 54 million Brits listen to some form of audio content each week.

That’s more than 80% of the population. And we can’t get enough of it.

Between podcasts, radio, and on-demand music services, we’re plugged into audio content for a whopping 26 hours a week. The numbers say it all. Audio is booming.

If you’re not tuned into its potential, you’re missing out.

What’s driving the audio boom?

In a word, technology, specifically, digital technology.

As RAJAR says in an Audio Time report, ‘the combination of new devices and delivery systems have liberated audio, presenting audiences with an unprecedented range of content and services that can now be accessed in more places at more times and in more ways to fit conveniently into our lives.’

How true that is. Music streaming services have provided us with instant access to vast libraries of music, podcasts, and audio books; smartphones have evolved into portable music players, enabling us to consume audio on the go. And thanks to the proliferation of voice-activated technology, we can play, skip and shuffle without lifting a finger. Talk about convenient.

But consumers aren’t the only ones benefitting from technological innovation.

Digital audio workstations (DAWs) have democratised audio production, making it more affordable and accessible. And its empowered brands to explore the format and attract listeners with new types of content.

How to get your voice heard

So, consumers are hungry for audio content. And you’ve got a prime opportunity to satiate them. If you’re not riding the audio wave, it’s time to make some noise.

Here are three audio-first strategies you can use to get your brand heard.

1. Sonic branding

The classic roar of Leo the MGM lion. The iconic ‘ta-dum’ as you launch Netflix. Those cheerful chimes at the end of a T-Mobile ad.

When we hear these ditties, we immediately think of the brands behind them. Therein lies the power of sonic branding.

Defined by marketing Professor Charles Taylor as ‘the strategic use of sound as a part of a brand identity,’ sonic branding can take the form of an audio logo, musical riff, jingle, or sound effect.

And audio marketer Russell Boiarsky says it’s a potent tool in your marketing arsenal. ‘Sound is one of the most powerful senses we have. It is processed in the area of the brain responsible for emotion and memory — a desirable combination in marketing. When we hear a sound often enough, the associated emotional response is committed to memory.’

So, sonic branding can drive brand recall, recognition and memorability. But that’s not the only reason to invest in audio branding. It’s an essential way to reinforce your brand identity in an audio-first world.

To quote sonic branding agency WithFeeling, ‘with the rise of voice-activated devices and audio streaming platforms, brands now have more auditory touchpoints with consumers than ever before. It’s no longer just about how a brand looks; it’s also about how it sounds.’

So, a strong audio brand can help you navigate the growing dominance of voice-first technology. But what does good sonic branding sound like?

The world’s largest fast-food chain has one of the most resonating sonic logos out there: ‘ba-da-ba-BA-BAAA. I’m lovin’ it’.

For two reasons.

• It’s short, simple, and easy to remember.
• McDonald’s has used it consistently since 2003.

As a result, the pithy earworm is as synonymous with the brand as its iconic golden arches. Hmm. Big Mac, anyone?

Tip: Want to create an enduring sonic brand of your own? Get the lowdown in this article by brand strategist Housni Touhami.

2. Podcasting

Chances are you’re familiar with podcasts. After all, they’ve ‘taken the world by storm’.

But, for those of you who have been living on another planet for the last five years, here’s a quick primer.

‘A podcast is a digital audio show. Usually spread across a series of episodes, they can be downloaded from the internet and listened to on a laptop, smartphone, or MP3 player.’

And they attract a lot of ears. According to Exploding Topics, half a billion of us are partial to a pod worldwide. And it’s no wonder.

At the tap of a button, we can immerse ourselves in thought-provoking discussions, engaging stories, and expert insights; all in the time it takes to do the dishes. And we can listen wherever we want, whenever we want, for free.

Navigating the noise

With listenership at an all-time high, there’s never been a better time to jump on the podcasting bandwagon. And there are a ton of great reasons to get behind the mic.

Here are two for starters.

Authority and trust

Whether you opt for a solo riff, two-up conversation, or a multi-headed panel format, podcasting is a great way to build authority and trust.

As per satellite radio service SiriusXM Media: ‘The intimacy of the format creates a level of trust that’s unmatched by any other medium; podcasts offer a highly intimate, inherently trustworthy environment. When listeners tune in, they feel as though they’re part of a conversation between friends – they value what hosts have to say and place stock in their ideas, opinions, and, yes, brand recommendations.’

This is evident from a Vox Media study. When asked which media figures influence their opinions most, 75% of respondents said podcast hosts, compared to 15% for social media influencers and 10% for celebrities.

But there’s another good reason to add podcasting to your marketing mix.

SEO

In 2019, Google started indexing podcasts so they’d appear in search results.

This made podcasts easier for listeners to find and provided businesses with a new way to increase their search engine visibility and ranking.

What does this mean for your brand? An SEO-optimised podcast can help you to:

Generate organic web traffic: Ranking high in search engine results pages (SERPs) can get you lots of clicks. Which means tons of organic traffic to your website. Considering the top three Google results get 54.4% of all clicks, that’s where you want to be.

Boost brand credibility: As comms agency Connect360digital rightly says, many website users ‘perceive top-ranking websites as more trustworthy and authoritative, which can lead to higher click-through rates and increased traffic’.

So what makes a good podcast?

We’ve established that podcasting is a great way to establish a digital audio presence. But how can you grab listeners by the ears? By adhering to the following three pillars of good podcast content.

A unique idea

There are 300,000 business podcasts out there. Churn out the same tired advice as everyone else and you’ll be broadcasting to an audience of zero. Don’t do it. Make sure your content is different to everyone else’s.

Value

88% of podcast listeners tune in to learn something. So, educate them. But whether you’re teaching listeners about PR, politics, packaging, or pharmaceuticals, frame it in a way that’s engaging and easily digestible.

Entertainment

Dull podcasts haemorrhage listeners. If you want yours to keep coming back for more, keep it light.

This podcast will kill you

The above three pillars are key to growing an engaged podcast audience. And This Podcast Will Kill You delivers all three, in spades.

Each episode of this weekly pod sees epidemiologists Erin Welsh and Erin Allmann Updyke teach listeners about the biology, history, and epidemiology of a different infectious disease. Think Smallpox, HPV, and Zika virus. Yes, really. As far as unique ideas go, that’s pretty out there, right?

It’s educational too. As per a write up by Today magazine, ‘the co-hosts tackle different aspects of the infectious disease – one of them addresses the history of the disease and the other discusses its biology. Neither of them knows what the other might share so they often find themselves gaining insight during the shows.’

And they wrap up with the state of the disease today, highlighting stats, current treatments, and symptoms to look out for. Value by the bucketload.

But, given the heavy subject matter, you’d think it’d be a hard listen, right? On the contrary, Geekade reviewer Brenda Cierech describes it as ‘wildly entertaining’.

And podcasters Book Squad Goals explain why, ‘[the hosts] break down key terms and make complex microbiological phenomena comprehensible for any listener.’ And they’re ‘really funny together too’.

That’s evident from this quirky episode description.

What’s more, the Erins lighten the mood by inviting listeners to join them in a themed cocktail at the beginning of each episode.  Fancy a Smallpox on the Rocks?

PR takeaway

Originality, education and humour are a winning podcast formula. And the proof is in the pudding.

It’s bagged the two Erins a ton of rave reviews and a Webby award nomination. How’s that for earned media?

Want the lowdown on the three pillars of good podcast content? Read: Ensuring Your Podcast Gets Heard With PR for Podcasts

3. Audiobooks

Audiobooks are having a moment. According to the BBC, they’re ‘the fastest growing arm of publishing’, with consumers listening to ‘nearly four-billion hours’ of content on Audible each year.

And it’s no surprise. To quote tech brand Quilt.ai, ‘the rise of the audiobook makes perfect sense. Many of us don’t have the luxury of time to sit down and read a book, so an audiobook gives us access to stories whenever and wherever’.

Right. So audiobooks are the perfect medium for storytelling. And they’re not just for fantasy novels.

Considering there are more than 60,000 business titles on Audible alone, there’s an established market for business content.So why not use one to tell your story?

Whether it’s the unique way your business was launched, the way your industry-changing product was invented, or the exemplary way in which you serve the local community, your story needs to be told. Why? As digital software brand Acquia rightly says, it’s a powerful way to ‘create an emotional, value-driven connection between your customers and your brand.’

Richard Branson knows this. That’s why he published ‘Losing and Finding My Virginity’ as an audiobook earlier this year.

Losing my virginity

The self-narrated memoir is a no-holds barred account of the entrepreneur’s journey from high school drop-out to global business icon.

And it makes for a captivating 27-hour listen. The eccentric entrepreneur talks about the pivotal moments that propelled Virgin into a global brand, delving into the challenges he faced, the risks he took, and the lessons he learned along the way. But it’s not just a tale of business triumphs.

He shares a ton of intimate moments from his personal life, digging into how they moulded him into the adventurous, fun-loving, and daring entrepreneur he is today. Emotive, authentic, and packed with lessons in life and business, this audio tome contains all the elements of a killer brand story.

No wonder it’s got a 4.9-star rating on Audible.

Audiobook innovation

An audiobook is a great way to tell your brand story. But that’s not the only way you can use the format.

Get creative with it and you could bag your brand a ton of media coverage. Like IKEA.

In 2020, the Swedish flat-pack furniture retailer announced it was retiring its popular print catalogue, ‘due to a shift in customer behaviour and media consumption’, hinting at plans to venture into new formats to reach its increasingly internet-dependent customer base.

True to its word, the brand launched its 2021 catalogue to the US market as an audiobook. Yep. 286 pages of product descriptions, features, and prices, delivered straight to consumer’s ears. Sounds kinda dull, right?

On the contrary, thanks to the quippy narration from American actress Jasmin Richardson, it was quirky, informative, and engaging. The three-hour, 41-minute audiobook saw Richardson take listeners on a tour of six IKEA-furnished homes. And she improved on humdrum product descriptions by ad libbing jokes and inserting wry observations.

For example, when talking about home organisation, she says, ‘research says we spend up to six years of our lives looking for things. Well, that explains a lot. If you’d rather spend that time doing something fun, we have good news for you. Getting organised is a totally doable dream. Underneath, we see some light grey cotton imported Raggisar baskets for $6.99 for a set of three.’

And, when recommending products for wrangling small items around the house, she quips, ‘next, we see a little rack holding some paper and envelopes. The caption reads, ‘technically it’s a plate holder’. In real life, it’s an I’m-happy to hold-whatever-you need-me-to-hold holder. I, too, would love to be held.’

Reaction

The audio catalogue was published on Audible, YouTube, and Spotify. And it went down a storm with the media.

According to Cannes Lions, ‘the catalogue landed over 416 mentions across broadcast (233 clips) and digital press outlets (183 articles), and 315 million earned media impressions, all for zero dollars of media spend.’ A stroke of PR genius.

Want to wrap your ears around this fine example of audio innovation? You can listen to some excerpts on AdWeek.

Make some noise

From podcasts and sonic logos to audiobooks and voice search, the audio landscape is rich with opportunities to build your brand through sound. And considering just 25% of brands are making audio a priority, you’ve got a prime opportunity to get ahead of the game.

Ready to enter the audio age? Put the above strategies into action and find your voice.