The Data & Marketing Association (DMA) has conducted research on the power of podcasts. During this, it discovered that over a quarter (27%) of weekly listeners find new brands through voice ads. This was revealed in ‘Future Trends: Speak & Listen’, which is part of a broader series of research reports.
While the research didn’t adopt a solitary focus on iGaming, it does reveal the extent to which this channel can be effective for affiliates in this industry. A variety of statistics back this up, which we’ll share in this blog post.
And after reading this blog post, it’s very possible that you’ll want to launch your own podcast. We’ve kept that in mind and will provide you with some useful tips for success too.
What should I know about the popularity of podcasts?
As our lifestyles get busier and busier, the need for easy-to-access information grows. And podcasts can help to fill this gap. They can be listened to on your commute, when walking the dogs or while you’re in the shower.
So, it’s perhaps unsurprising that DMA’s findings showed that 37% of Brits it surveyed listen to podcasts each month. They’re particularly popular among the higher classes – 54% of individuals in households earning over £75,000 annually listened to them.
The younger generation also seem to have a big interest in this form of media. Of those that took part in the research, 67% of individuals aged 16-29 tuned in at least once during the same time period. Moreover, 14% of 16-34-year-olds listen to podcasts each day and 29% do so multiple times each week.
Marketing via this medium also appears to be effective. According to the DMA report, the majority of listeners said that the spoken marketing messages they hear – either on podcasts or the radio – were relevant to their interests.
Are podcasts popular within iGaming?
At the end of 2019, betting operator Paddy Power delved into this medium. Its horse racing show is, in the operator’s typical satirical fashion, titled ‘The Horse’s Mouth’.
Fellow sportsbook Ladbrokes also used to run a podcast, but ceased producing new episodes in 2016. Elsewhere, there are independent gambling shows – but few operators and affiliates have tapped into this.
In the UK at least, one might pin this down to the abundance of established sports shows – especially within football – that have been around for years.
I think that I’m capable of launching a successful podcast. What should I keep in mind?
Don’t put your audience to sleep. Unless your podcast intends to cure insomnia. If that’s the case, then go ahead. An important thing you need to remember is that you’re competing for attention with not just other podcasts, but also the music streaming industry. If someone finds you dull, it’s not hard for them to just switch over to their favourite album instead.
You need to make sure that you sound like you’re excited to be recording this podcast, as opposed to being held at gunpoint saying your final vows. Get some interesting guests whose energy you can bounce off, too. This is just as important as knowing what you’re talking about, so think about the tone you want to project.
Be consistent and patient. If you’re a small affiliate in particular, it can take time to build an audience. But as with everything in life, being consistent with a clear vision in mind will get you to where you want to be. It just might take a while.
Don’t expect to set the world alight in your first couple of episodes. But know that you’ll improve as your confidence grows and you learn from your past mistakes.
Work out where you can fill gaps. Podcasts are, for the most part, long-form content. This means that you can use them to explain topics that are simply too long for blog posts.
At the same time, you’ll probably bore your audience to death if you just regurgitate a white paper. So, you need to find a happy medium.
As with other forms of content, it pays to do some research and find out what your audience wants to consume – plus what their problems are. Once you’ve gathered enough information to determine what might and might not work, you can focus on creating value in an entertaining manner.
Final thoughts
Podcasts are a unique way to engage your audience. If the right prep work is put in beforehand, they can be effective too.
Since not many operators or affiliates are in on the act right now, there’s plenty of space to grow in this channel. Sure, there are a lot of traditional sporting shows – especially in the UK. But that doesn’t mean you can’t look at other markets or verticals.
In a world where hundreds of affiliates jostle for attention, this media type might also unlock the key to two particularly sought-after audiences – millennials and Generation Z. By doing the necessary research beforehand and having a clear idea of what you want your podcast to look like, you can find a less saturated space to (literally) project your voice.
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