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Creating Engagement with Podcasting & Live Streaming
Both businesses and nonprofits are experiencing a trust crisis.
According to the Edelman Trust Barometer, just 33% of consumers trust the brands they use and only 52% of respondents said they trust nonprofit organizations to “do what is right.” Why is it important that your customers and supporters trust you? Eighty-one percent of respondents told Edelman that a major consideration for a big purchase or a donation is “I must be able to trust the brand to do what is right.” The Covid-19 pandemic complicates your ability to build and maintain trust. Humans build trust in face-to-face interactions because they can see all the body language and expressions that convey key messages. Social media posts, no matter how well crafted do not necessarily build trust. Beautiful pictures of your products on Instagram, or moving stories about your nonprofit’s impact posted to Facebook can generate brand awareness and interest. However, all that social media clutter does not generate the emotional connection and belief that you need to convert viewers into customers or donors. 
The Time is Right to Incorporate Podcasting and Live Streaming in Your Outreach
The popularity of long-form content like live streaming and podcasting continues to grow exponentially. In 2020, for the first time, more than 100 million Americans listened to at least one podcast each month and 68% of those people listen weekly. Similarly, the live streaming sector has taken off during the pandemic with a growth rate of 99% between 2019 and 2020. Most of the literally billions of hours of live streamed content is gaming related, however, video is an increasingly important part of marketing. Eighty-two percent (82%) of viewers say they prefer seeing a live stream about a product or cause rather than a brand’s social posts. How Podcasts and Live Streams Build Trust Long-form content is successful at building trust because it offers transparency and personal connection. Unlike a carefully crafted corporate video or curated Instagram feed, podcasts and live streams thrive on immediacy and spontaneity. Candid, live streamed “behind the scenes” video is an act of vulnerability. A willingness to be vulnerable elicits trust and empathy in the viewer. Longer, intimate conversations via podcasts (video or audio) generate a sense of intimacy and insider knowledge that, again, elicits a positive response and a call toward relationship. Basically, this type of content says, “Dear customer or donor, I am willing to be open and available to you.” That openness and availability are ways to show your audience you are worthy of trust. Long form does not mean your podcast or live stream has to last an hour or more. What it means is that your content will go beyond the sound bites and slogans and get into your values, your process, and the meaning behind what you do. Long form is talking with, not talking at your audience. 
The Bar to Entry is Low and Impact is Tangible
Long form content is easy to produce. The medium and the focus on trust-building actually rewards raw, candid video, and slightly rambling conversation over tight production and slick editing. Long form content is also inexpensive to distribute. Services like YouTube, Facebook, and Anchor allow you to upload content for free. Your audience also pays no fee to watch or listen! And while it is true that there are thousands of podcasts and millions of videos competing for attention, you don’t need thousands of followers to make a measurable impact on your brand or organization. Even a small podcast or live stream audience is incredibly valuable. Think how much you would pay to have the undivided attention of 100 interested potential customers for a full hour? In addition, because weekly podcast listeners tune in an average of 6 podcasts per week, your podcast doesn’t have to beat Joe Rogan or Michelle Obama...there’s enough airtime for everyone.
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AuthorCharles Matheus grew up in an old mining town in Arizona. He managed to graduate from an Ivy League University and knows that you won't hold that against him. Archives
November 2020
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