Experts agree that social media marketing is becoming less relevant as consumers flee previously seemingly ubiquitous platforms. For artists in particular, content marketing is becoming more critical than ever. For the last decade, podcasts have been seen as a staple for content marketing.
Podcasts are cheap to produce and have enormous reach. Launching one in 2025, however, means entering an utterly saturated market with over two million podcasts available. However, it can be worth attempting to penetrate the market. Podcast listeners are exceptionally loyal, and podcast advertising works much better than other media.
This means that new rules for launching a podcast in 2025 will give you the strongest chance of standing out from the crowd.
Have a podcast with a strong premise
While having a podcast can be a great way to market your work, listeners will switch off if they feel they’re listening to an extended advertisement every week. As with social media marketing, podcast listeners want a genuine hook or narrative that keeps them returning for episodes.
Here are some ideas for working artists.
- A process-centred podcast that builds a narrative for creating work over an extended period. For this to work, episodes must be diary-like and occasionally vulnerable, showcasing all the authentic trials and tribulations of building work.
- A conversation or interview podcast where you speak with respected artists in your field. This has the bonus of extending your professional network. It means a layer of administration that can be burdensome: contacting, booking and researching interviewees is time-consuming. But it can be a powerful hook when done correctly.
- A narrative podcast that tells the story of a significant work or artist in your field. This could be from any point in history, but it can serve tremendous value to your community as an act of archival or oral history on a work that’s valuable to your sector.
Build a podcast with a targeted audience in mind
Barring a jackpot viral moment, your podcast is unlikely to build hundreds of followers in its first few months. Instead, focus on a small audience and market straight to them.
For most artists and arts organisations, this means deciding if your podcast is designed for consumers of your work or industry peers. Both have value, but would respond to different content. Keeping your podcast focused on a tight audience means you are more likely to experience the engagement you’re chasing.
Your podcast must be accessible and high-quality
Ten or more years ago, amateur sound quality for small podcasts was acceptable and part of the medium’s homespun nature. Now, all consumers expect broadcast-level quality. Luckily, this is more accessible than ever. Countless websites will help you design your podcast set-up and assist with editing software.
Your podcast also needs to be acceptable on as many platforms as possible. This includes Spotify, Apple Music and (if you can manage) YouTube as an audio file. Again, the platforms have made this as accessible as can be, but it does mean administrative overheads in posting to multiple platforms simultaneously. Still, all consumers expect every podcast to be available in their favourite app. You can’t afford to skimp on accessibility.
