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Loyalty is a strong word. It evokes more than a slight liking or interest in a brand. In fact, customer loyalty is the emotional and behavioural attachment that customers have to a brand. We’re thinking repeat purchases, positive word-of-mouth recommendations, willingness to pay high prices for a product or service, etc. Customer loyalty is a key part of a company’s long-term success. This is primarily because loyal customers tend to be more profitable and less sensitive to price changes.

Considering we live in a world full of distractions and such a competitive market, customer loyalty also seems pretty difficult to attain. It’s tough enough getting people to avoid their phones at the dinner table, let alone give a brand their undivided attention long enough to build brand loyalty.

How can a podcast help?

Podcasts have a unique advantage. You see, they deliver significantly engaged audiences who immerse themselves in the content for, on average, half an hour each time. Podcast listeners are generally also receptive to ads and branded content. In fact, “86.5% of users say they listen to the ads during podcasts and 55.6% say they purchased a product they learned about in a podcast advertisement.”

Something that also helps is that podcast audiences are “much more active on every social media channel (94% are active on at least one – vs 81% for the entire population)”. Therefore as a brand, you have more opportunities to capture their attention and gain their loyalty. It also means, once they are brand advocates, they are more likely to engage and share your content.

These opportunities that podcasts bring allow brands to educate and entertain listeners in a way that other content forms really do not allow. Podcasts are typically consumed during ‘micro-moments’ of downtime. Such as work commutes or while doing household chores. This can make them more memorable and impactful (we explain more about this in our blog about why podcasts beat video engagement but in a nutshell, audiences who are active while consuming content are much more engaged). Additionally, podcasts allow for a more intimate and personal connection with listeners, as they are often hosted by individuals, rather than a faceless brand.

Of course, this doesn’t mean any content will do, especially if your aim is to boost customer loyalty. Your podcast should centre around the wants and interests of your audience, and be paired with a clear marketing plan and consistency. The medium itself doesn’t guarantee anything if good protocol isn’t followed.

In order to create content that is tailored to your audience – and will help to build trust and establish a deeper connection with them – here are a few things to think about:

1. Choosing a format

The format of your podcast will depend on your goals and audience. For example, if you want to build brand awareness, an interview-style podcast might be a good choice, as it allows you to feature experts and influencers in your industry. If you’re looking to educate your audience, a tutorial-style podcast might be more effective. It’s important to choose a format that aligns with your brand and resonates with your audience.

2. Structure and style

Once you’ve chosen a format, it’s important to create a structure and style that will keep listeners engaged. This might include using a clear and consistent introduction and outro, creating segments within the podcast, and using sound effects, music, etc. to enhance the listening experience.

3. Content creation

Creating high-quality sharable content is a really important aspect of your podcast. Focus on the topics that your audience cares about when creating any assets so that your audience will be moved enough to share them.

4. Promoting your podcast

Once your podcast is live, you need to promote it. This might include creating a landing page for your podcast on your website, sharing episodes on social media, and reaching out to influencers in your industry to ask them to share your podcast with their followers.

5. Building an audience

Growing your audience and their loyalty over time requires a consistent and strategic approach. Regularly releasing new episodes, actively engaging with listeners through social media and emails, and encouraging listeners to leave ratings and reviews on podcast directories are a good start. Additionally, hosting giveaways, contests, or other promotions via the podcast can help attract new listeners and encourage current ones to spread the word.

Podcasts offer a unique opportunity for brands to build customer loyalty by providing a highly engaged and receptive audience. By targeting the right audience, creating entertaining and informative content, and promoting the podcast effectively, brands can establish a deeper connection with listeners and turn them into loyal brand advocates.

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