Beyond the Podcast: There's More to Audio Content Marketing

One of the most overlooked methods of content marketing is audio. Audio content provides an intimate connection with your audience that cannot be achieved with words on a screen. Between laptop computers and smartphones, streaming audio content is just as easily available to travelers at an airport in Utah as it is to a small business owner in front of a desktop computer.

When people think about audio content marketing they instantly think podcasts. Podcasts are effective because it gives listeners the ability to subscribe. Whenever new content, in the form of episodes, is released, it is automatically pushed to their mobile devices. This gives the creators of a podcast opportunities to expose listeners to frequent calls to action, such as an invitation to visit a website or attend an upcoming event. 

While podcasts are the most common method for audio content marketing, their reach is limited. A study by Edison Research shows that only 21 percent of smartphone owners listen to podcasts monthly. While this number may seem high, contrasted with traditional broadcast radio, which boasts 68 percent usage from the same group, podcasts have room to grow. A local Utah radio station gets more exposure than a podcast competing for the same audience.

While podcasts deploy a scheduled, episode-based type of audio content, non-episodic content is incredibly effective. An example of non-episodic audio content would be a verbal greeting to your website or a recorded interview embedded into a blog post.

Services such as SoundCloud allows for flexibility in content, such as the length and timing of audio posts. A business in Utah can post content to SoundCloud at any time, making it a top choice for non-episodic audio content providers. 

SoundCloud boasts a number of features that make it attractive. Any SoundCloud post can be embedded into a website or blog post. This allows marketers to combine the authentic feel of audio content, with the visual stimuli accompanied by a blog or website. 

Another feature SoundCloud boasts, is any post can be accompanied by an image. An audio post about driving safety in Utah can also function as an image embedded into an article online. 

Non-episodic types of audio content can also be shared and embedded into social media posts, providing companies yet another opportunity to connect with listeners that is not available with podcasts.

Utilizing a variety of audio content mediums throws a greater net with which to capture an audience. Podcasts can be a valuable weapon in a company’s audio content marketing arsenal, but should not be the only method used. Non-episodic content embedded into traditional types of content marketing will ensure maximum reach.

Drew Scholl writes for Fusion 360, an SEO and content marketing agency. He/She writes for many other clients as well. Follow on Twitter