Case Study: Marketing with Podcasting

While many possible goals can be accomplished by podcasting, choosing which to focus on will depend on the larger marketing objectives being pursued. Podcasts have the advantage of both sharing information and putting a human voice or face on a brand. As such, podcasts can complement a broad variety of other social media efforts as part of a SMM campaign.

A podcast can be a strategic component of the marketing plan, but it requires a strong commitment to creating content that is tailored to the marketing objectives. This commitment will not only provide focus when developing content, but it helps ensure some payoff from the effort. As an example, suppose one is promoting a catering business, and the objective is to gain new clients from the podcast. The focus could be to demonstrate expertise, by creating a vodcast of the owner assembling delicious hors ‘oeuvres. Additionally, it could teach the audience about the ingredients being used without giving away the exact recipe, building up demand for the service and product. A list of podcasts by subject is available on Podbay. In addition to indirect marketing, podcasts can bring in independent revenue. There are two very different methods to monetize podcasts. The first option is to recruit paid sponsors to advertise on the podcast, much like with any radio or television station. This model of advertising is well established but has potential negative side effects on subscribership.
Advertisements that interrupt content will annoy people and may cause them to stop listening. The second method to monetize podcasts is to offer fee-based content. Taking this approach requires the creator to produce top-notch content that viewers will find worth a monetary investment. With so many free podcasts floating around, it may be difficult to convince consumers to pay for one unless it is truly unique and superior. While monetizing is a fine ultimate goal in a podcast-based strategy, it should not be pursued from the start, or there may never be enough subscribers to accomplish anything at all!

Perhaps more important than direct revenue are the advantages a brand can gain from regular podcasting. Speaking persuasively about a field demonstrates confidence and expertise, helping to distinguish a company as a thought leader in the industry. While setting  up a website and blog is relatively easy, podcasting well requires both more determination and talent. Still, while it requires a significant commitment of time and energy, podcasting can be a valuable tool in a SMM campaign.
In the late 1990s, the Harry Potter series of fantasy novels, written by British author J. K.
Rowling, made reading fashionable again for children and spawned a series of blockbuster films based on the books. Over the years, Harry Potter has become a fixture of the pop-culture landscape. Not surprisingly, “a flurry of podcasts sprung up to report Harry Potter news, debate Harry Potter theories and celebrate beloved (or despised) Harry Potter characters.”
MuggleCast emerged from the pack to not only become one of the most popular podcasts with Potter fans but one of the most popular podcasts, period.
The MuggleCast show covered a wide variety of subjects about Harry Potter. According to the Mugglecast website, Andrew Sims, the original content manger, is still involved in the show today https://www.mugglecast.com/

The biggest challenge for MuggleCast was to convert the massive Harry Potter fandom into loyal listeners. The show had to come up with a format and content that would draw in the fans and keep them coming back for more. In addition, the podcast faced competition from other fan-based podcasts, especially the popular PotterCast. The show was looking for a way to gain a competitive advantage but still remain fan friendly because many of the same listeners might become subscribers to both podcasts.

MuggleCast sought to create superior programming and content that featured a unique mixture of interviews, breaking news, and give-and-take with fans by reading fan email and responding to it. MuggleCast personalized the listening experience by the reading of fan email (MuggleMail), which typically consisted of listeners arguing with statements made by the hosts. Fans were encouraged to submit audio questions for a panel of Potter experts to answer. • Character analyses and a discussion on a theory of the week provoked audience participation, keeping the interaction between hosts and fans lively.

The hosts of the podcast made their commentaries entertaining by frequently interjecting wit and humor.
Finally, one of the most important strategic decisions was to list MuggleCast on Apple’s iTunes, which provided a sizeable potential audience for the podcast. In the words of Andrew Sims,
“It]he day I saw MuggleCast finally up on iTunes I couldn’t believe my eyes that we were actually published that’s when I realized we could really make something out of this.”
Underscoring the success of the show’s podcasting strategies is the significant public and media industry recognition that it received: It won the Podcast of the Year from the Weblog Awards in 2005; the People’s Choice Award in 2006 at the Second Annual Podcast Awards in Ontario, California; the Best Entertainment Podcast in 2008; and the Best Entertainment Podcast at the 2009 Podcast Awards. Although the Harry Potter book and movies series have ended, new generations of readers appear to be developing an appetite for Pottermania, which is likely a good omen for this podcast, which has been going strong since 2005. Current topics include which Harry Potter character that the listener would like to be and the politics of the wizarding world. The podcast helps to keep the Harry Potter brand in front of the consumer, making this valuable content an important part of the brand strategy.
In terms of monetization of the podcast content, the podcast is crowdfunded, that is, supported by its brand community, with paid monthly subscriptions available at various levels.  Subscription titles are reminiscent of the original Harry Potter books, such as
“Dumbledore’s Army” and the “Slug Club.” Members receive escalating benefits including participating in focus groups to share ideas about future directions, co-hosting a podcast, and participating in monthly Hangouts. Listeners are referred to either as listeners or as patrons, not customers, and the emphasis is on joining a group, or a broader brand community, rather than paying for a service. This emphasis on membership and patronage appears to lead to greater participation in the crowdfunding effort. Many of the ideas for the podcast itself are then “crowdsourced” from patrons and listeners, creating a true online community for the podcast. This case study is a lesson for all podcast creators as to how to create a long lasting production. In addition to getting timely and relevant content, listeners can, in many cases, be convinced to stay around if they perceive they are part of a larger community. The community approach also can help support the podcast financially.

Do a summary of the case and answer the following case questions.
Consider these case questions as you ponder the future of the MuggleCast:

1. What is the target market for the podcast going forward?
2. How will the needs of the audience change and evolve?
3. Should the delivery mechanism be changed and what should be the role of video?
4.   Should new management be involved in the future of the platform?