B2B Podcasting: Benefits, Best Practices, and Statistics

B2B podcasting is for businesses and brands that want to reach out to a business-oriented audience in a unique and authentic way, allowing your business to share valuable information, build relationships, and cultivate thought leadership.

In today's digital age, with 61% of people globally listening to podcasts, B2B podcasting stands as a powerful platform for conducting interviews, discussing industry trends, and delivering actionable insights to your audience. The inherent flexibility of podcasts allows businesses to produce relevant and evergreen content on a schedule that meets the needs and goals of their target audience.

Whether you want to record a solo monologue or facilitate a round-table discussion, having a podcast for your business can provide you with a direct line to your target audience.

Benefits of B2B podcasting

There are numerous benefits to producing a B2B podcast for your business.

Having a podcast is a fantastic way to build brand awareness and establish yourself as an expert within your chosen industry. By presenting a podcast, not only are you showing your knowledge of the area, but you begin to build a relationship with your listener that could prove fruitful in the future.

As businesses traverse the digital landscape, podcasts offer a convenient form of consumption as audiences can listen at their leisure, whether during a commute or while multitasking. A study commissioned by the BBC in 2019 found that the way in which we typically consume podcasts, while performing other tasks, actually elevates engagement with the brand and reduces listener wear-out by 85%.

You can also use your podcast to further convey the ethics, ethos and expertise of your brand. Through this, your audience gains a better understanding of you and your business with each episode, allowing you to build trust with them.

Moreover, if you decide to invite another business to appear on your podcast, you can levy the trust their audience has in them, as well as build upon an established relationship.

Running your own B2B podcast, can also give you a wealth of re-purposable content for your website and social media. Consider transcribing your episodes and converting those discussions into essays, blog posts and LinkedIn updates to widen your reach, bolster your position as experts in your industry and draw in more listeners.

A B2B podcast can also be a new avenue for your business to generate leads and improve sales figures. With regular and engaging podcast episodes, your business can effectively tap into a new medium that fosters connection, conversation, and conversion. Your audience members, composed largely of decision-makers and influential figures in your industry, are likely to be captivated by your insightful content and motivated to explore your business further.

Best practices for B2B podcasting

Before starting your B2B podcast, there are a few things you need to consider.

It is vital that you define your target audience, the topics you want to cover and the goals you have for the podcast. This will give you focus and ensures that your podcast doesn’t deviate from its intended purpose.

Understanding your target audience enables you to deliver content that resonates with their needs and expectations.

When selecting the right topics to cover, choose areas that you are knowledgeable and passionate about and that your target audience will find interesting and valuable. Additionally, try to harness your  insights and expertise to provide a unique perspective that sets your podcast apart from the competition.

It’s also good to have a structure to your podcast. Scripting an engaging intro and outro for each episode and having some licensed music will help you stand out and catch the listener’s attention quickly, but you also need to work out what to put in the middle. Will you have an interview? A weekly round-up of relevant news? Or a Q&A session with listener submitted questions? Having a structure planned before you start recording will help you have an easier recording session and will ultimately produce tighter episodes.

To distribute your podcast, services like Acast and Transistor allow you to host your podcast on all major platforms, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts and many more, for a single monthly fee, ensuring your audience can find you, however they choose to listen.

When it comes to promoting your podcast, the key is to utilise multiple channels. Use your business website, social media platforms, email newsletters, and other relevant marketing channels. You could even reach out to your existing network who can help you spread the word about your podcast.

Statistics on B2B podcasting

In terms of revenue and return on investment (ROI), businesses with podcasts have shown promising results. It’s suggested that podcast revenue is expected to surpass $4 billion by the end of 2024, showing the undeniable potential of podcasting as a lucrative marketing strategy.

Moreover, having a podcast for your brand helps it to stand out. Even when in a discussion of similar products or services, you are more likely to be remembered because of your podcast.  Moreover, having a podcast for your business provides you with an additional avenue to tell your brand story and establish a deeper connection with your audience. When compared to branded content on TV, podcasts can bring a 22% increase in consumer brand recall, 27% improved engagement and 23% greater emotional response to the brand. This suggests that your audience is less likely to choose to avoid your advertising efforts and more likely to build an actionable relationship with your brand.

Conclusion

The rising trend of B2B podcasting and its demonstrated impact on user engagement and sales make it an undeniable contender for future marketing strategies. With a well-planned and meticulously executed podcast that accurately represents your brand, you have the potential to reach new audiences, drive customer engagement and establish your brand as an industry thought leader. It's a potent tool that allows brands to break through traditional marketing noise, providing value while building a strong rapport with listeners.

Remember, the importance of identifying your target audience, creating engaging and insightful content, and exploiting various channels to promote your podcast cannot be overstated. It's also crucial to continuously analyse your podcast's performance and audience feedback to keep improving.

Lastly, success in B2B podcasting doesn’t come overnight. It requires targeted effort, commitment to producing high-quality and relevant content, strong promotion strategies, and a deep understanding of the target audience. However, with consistent and dedicated work, your B2B podcast can be a useful and lucrative asset for you and your business.