Episode Summary
In this episode, our host Ben Decowski dives into the world of branded podcasts with expert guest Carolyn Walker from Response Marketing. They delve into why podcasts serve as effective marketing tools and explore the different styles of branded podcasts. Carolyn emphasizes the importance of aligning a podcast’s mission with its brand and creating content that isn’t promotional but educational. Carolyn shares valuable insights from her experience working on ‘Hackable’, a successful branded podcast by McAfee. She highlights how the show boosted McAfee’s brand intimacy and received positive consumer and employee responses. She also stresses creativity’s role in podcasting and how it sets your content apart from the competition. Finally, Carolyn offers practical advice for businesses planning to launch their own branded podcasts. She encourages seeking expert help, utilizing all available marketing channels, and continuously promoting each episode. Additionally, she suggests strategies to achieve visibility on popular podcasting platforms. Tune in for a deep dive into the power of branded podcasts.
Featured Guest
- Name: Carolyn Walker
- What she does: CEO of Response Marketing
- Company: Response Marketing
- Noteworthy: Pioneered McAfee's successful branded podcast 'Hackable'.
Key Insights
- Unleashing the Power of Branded Podcasts. In this episode, Carolyn Walker dives into the untapped potential of branded podcasts as an effective marketing tool. By producing valuable, engaging, and informative content, businesses can build a deeper connection with their audience and drive brand loyalty. As Carolyn states, creating a branded podcast that's more about the audience's interests and less about direct product promotion can make all the difference. This approach allows brands to stand out in a saturated market and foster a positive brand image.
- Navigating the Creative Process in Podcasting. Carolyn stresses the importance of not stifling creativity when creating a podcast. While the interview style podcast is common, brands should explore diverse storytelling methods to create unique and engaging content. By curating stories that align with your brand's values and messages, your podcast can stand out amidst the competition. Encouraging innovation in the creative process can lead to a show that your audience will eagerly tune into, time and time again.
- Leveraging Marketing for Podcast Success. Marketing doesn't stop at podcast advertising. Carolyn shares the importance of exploring various marketing channels to promote a podcast effectively. They used everything from swapping episodes with other podcasts to leveraging their own employees' social channels for 'Hackable.' Consistently promoting each episode across multiple touchpoints can create a significant impact and broaden the podcast's reach. This comprehensive approach to marketing can help elevate your podcast and keep the momentum going.
Episode Highlights
The Birth of ‘Hackable?’
Carolyn recalls the inception of the ‘Hackable?’ podcast, McAfee’s successful branded podcast. She explains the thought process that led to the podcast’s creation and how it was strategically aligned to McAfee’s brand objectives. They recognized that, by producing quality content related to cybersecurity, they could reach and educate their audience while enhancing brand awareness.
“We talked to McAfee and said, you know, we think you should consider doing a podcast. It’s a way to engage with your audience. It’s a way to bring some levity to the topic of security.”
Balancing Content and Branding
Carolyn discusses the delicate balance between providing engaging content and promoting the brand. She emphasizes the importance of putting the listener’s interests first to make sure the podcast doesn’t feel like a sales pitch.
“It was never a sales tool. It was never something that was overly promotional. It was really about, you know, making it about the listener and putting the listener first.”
Engaging Employees in Podcast Promotion
Carolyn shares how involving McAfee’s employees played a pivotal role in promoting ‘Hackable?’. She emphasizes the value of harnessing the personal networks of the employees, turning them into brand advocates.
“This show was so good that we got employees telling us this is the best thing that McAfee has ever done. And so the employees loved it. And they’re talking about it on their social channels…”
Achieving Recognition through App Traffic
Carolyn discusses the strategy behind driving traffic to podcast apps to gain recognition. This successful tactic resulted in ‘Hackable?’ trending on major podcast platforms and subsequently boosted the show’s growth.
“We did everything that we could to drive traffic to the apps. And what happened when we did that is we got recognized like, oh, McAfee’s, hackable is like trending in our app.”
