Discover the Power of Podcasts in Reaching and Influencing B2B Podcast Listeners
In the rapidly evolving landscape of B2B marketing, B2B podcasts have emerged as a dynamic and powerful medium to reach and engage with business podcast listeners. Business podcast listeners, often comprising senior executives and aspiring business leaders, represent an ideal demographic for B2B brands to create branded podcasts. This article delves into the reasons why B2B podcasts are perfectly suited for these listeners, based on comprehensive research by Signal Hill Insights.
If you remember in a previous post, Signal Hill Insights has reported on C-Suite Listeners.
The Perfect Audience for B2B Brands
Research by Signal Hill Insights underscores the significance of business podcast listeners for B2B marketers. Through extensive surveys conducted in support of Triton Digital Podcast Metrics Demos+, Signal Hill Insights analyzed over 1,245 listeners who tuned into business podcasts in the previous month. This robust sample reveals key insights into the demographic and psychographic profiles of these listeners, highlighting why they are a valuable audience for B2B brands.
Demographics and Diversity
Business podcast listeners represent a surprisingly diverse cross-section of the podcast audience:
- Gender Balance: Unlike the male-dominated senior executive podcast audience (72% men), business podcast listeners are more evenly split by gender, with men indexing only slightly higher than women. This gender balance makes it easier for B2B brands to appeal to a broader audience.
- Ethnic and Racial Diversity: Business podcast listeners over-index among Asian and Hispanic listeners, showing significant diversity. Black listeners are represented equally among business podcast listeners as they are in the overall podcast audience, with an index of 103. Interestingly, business podcast listeners index slightly lower among White listeners compared to the general podcast audience. This ethnic and racial diversity allows B2B brands to connect with various cultural backgrounds and perspectives, enriching the brand’s reach and impact.
Age Distribution
The age distribution of business podcast listeners largely mirrors that of the general podcast audience, making it a comprehensive segment:
- 18-24 Year-Olds: Young adults in this age group listen to business podcasts in equal proportion to podcast listeners in other age cells. This demographic includes many early-career professionals and students with executive aspirations.
- 25-54 Year-Olds: A significant portion of business podcast listeners falls within this age range, including mid-career professionals and senior executives. This age group is often at the peak of their career trajectory, making them a valuable target for B2B brands.
- 55+ Year-Olds: While not the largest segment, this age group still represents a substantial portion of business podcast listeners. These are often seasoned professionals and executives with significant decision-making power.
Motivations for Listening
Understanding WHY business podcast listeners tune in is crucial for B2B brands aiming to create compelling content:
- Desire for Information: A primary driver for business podcast listening is the need to be informed rather than merely entertained. This aligns well with B2B content, which often focuses on industry insights, trends, and professional development.
- Self-Improvement: These business podcast listeners prioritize personal growth, seeking inspiration, and challenging their thinking. B2B podcasts that offer educational content, leadership advice, and innovative ideas are likely to resonate with this audience.
- Professional Aspirations: Many business podcast listeners are either current senior executives or have executive aspirations. They listen to podcasts to gain knowledge, stay updated with industry trends, and enhance their professional skills. This audience is particularly receptive to content that helps them achieve their career goals.
The Opportunity for B2B Marketers
Given the demographic and psychographic characteristics of business podcast listeners, B2B marketers have a unique opportunity to engage with this audience through branded podcasts. Here’s why B2B podcasts are an excellent fit:
Reaching Beyond Business Genres
Most podcast consumers don’t only listen to one genre, and we can clearly see the business audience’s focus on learning, self-improvement, and inspiration in the other content they prefer. For instance, business listeners are much more likely to consume technology and education shows than average. That makes these genres and the other genres where they over-index a helpful complement to business podcasts, increasing reach and reinforcing messaging.
Cross-Genre Appeal
Compared to the podcast audience as a whole, business listeners are much more likely to listen to:
- Technology: Indexing at 202, business podcast listeners are more than twice as likely to consume technology-related content. This aligns with their interest in innovation, trends, and staying ahead in their respective industries.
- Education: With an index of 190, these listeners show a strong preference for educational podcasts. This reflects their commitment to continuous learning and professional development, making educational content a valuable addition to B2B podcasts.
- Health and Fitness: Indexing at 172, business podcast listeners prioritize health and fitness, reflecting their interest in maintaining a balanced and healthy lifestyle. B2B podcasts that incorporate health and wellness topics can tap into this interest.
- Arts: An index of 169 indicates a significant interest in arts-related content among business podcast listeners. This suggests a well-rounded audience with diverse interests, providing opportunities for creative and engaging B2B podcast content.
- Science: With an index of 151, these listeners also have a strong inclination towards science-related content. B2B podcasts that explore scientific advancements, research, and innovation can captivate this audience.
Successful B2B Podcasts
Several successful B2B podcasts exemplify how brands can effectively leverage this medium:
- Disruptors by RBC: This podcast explores how technology and innovation are reshaping industries. By featuring thought leaders and industry experts, Disruptors provides valuable insights into the future of business, making it a compelling listen for business podcast listeners – specifically senior executives and aspiring leaders.
- This Is Small Business by Amazon: Amazon’s podcast offers insights and advice for small business owners and entrepreneurs. It covers a wide range of topics, from starting a business to scaling and growing it, providing practical tips and inspiration for business leaders at all stages of their journey.
- Infernal Communication by Staffbase: Focusing on internal communication and employee engagement strategies, this podcast by Staffbase delves into the challenges and opportunities of modern workplace communication. It offers actionable insights for HR professionals, internal communicators, and business leaders aiming to foster a more connected and engaged workforce.
Key Takeaways for B2B Podcasts
- Targeted Audience: Business podcast listeners are an ideal demographic for B2B marketing due to their diverse backgrounds, professional aspirations, and engagement with informative content.
- Engagement Through Information: These listeners seek informative and inspirational content, making podcasts an effective medium for delivering valuable insights and thought leadership.
- Diverse Vertical Opportunities: B2B brands can tap into various verticals such as travel, luxury, insurance, fitness, and more, to connect with business podcast listeners.
- Broader Reach Through Adjacent Genres: Business podcast listeners also consume content in related genres, enhancing the potential reach and impact of B2B podcasts. This cross-genre appeal allows B2B brands to reinforce their messaging and expand their audience.
- Proven Success: Examples like Disruptors by RBC, This Is Small Business by Amazon, and Infernal Communication by Staffbase demonstrate the effectiveness of branded B2B podcasts in engaging with business podcast listeners. These successful podcasts show how B2B brands can create compelling content that resonates with their target audience, driving engagement and building brand loyalty.
Roger transitioned from a 22 year career in advertising account management to co-founding JAR, a podcast podcast production agency. As CEO of JAR, he propels the company’s growth by prioritizing audience engagement and podcast marketing. Under his guidance, JAR flourishes with a global clientele, aiming to broaden its reach across North America and revolutionize brand connections through immersive storytelling.
