The webpage Czech Podcasts presents an overview of the most attractive Czech podcasts. As it could not be otherwise, our eWay-Podcast cannot be missing on the list. What principles should companies follow when creating representative audio content, and what are the most interesting company profiles? We asked Dan Trzil, the owner of the webpage and "the only Czech who makes a living by creating podcasts”.
What role do you attribute to podcasts within the corporate marketing mix?
The primary objective is to reach the goals determined by a company. Podcasts can be used for direct support of sales, but in the Czech environment, they function as a tool for brand development. However, podcasts are an excellent HR tool, which illustrates the recruitment campaign created by the company E&Y. Another great example is Red Bull as the company managed to promote a perfect brand campaign. I, personally, enjoy the cooperation with the IT company Keboola that manages corporate data and makes podcasts focused on Data Driven Business. Of course, their content is of interest to a few hundred listeners, but these few hundreds create their customer base. Moreover, if the company manages to create an interesting podcast, potential customers can be invited to be part of it, which is surely a better approach than arrange a business meeting over the phone.
Do you like personalized podcasts?
Of course. If I want to offer my product to a large e-shop, the best way is to make a podcast with its owner. This is a relatively natural way of how to present myself.
What foreign companies create interesting podcasts?
I enjoy the podcasts created by the Dutch Airlines KLM The Journey focused on true stories about people whose lives were changed by a journey. KLM says that it is the only channel of their marketing mix, which keeps customers’ attention for thirty or forty minutes. Interesting is also the series Message created by the US giant GE in which a group of scientists tries to decode a message from outer space. The listener does not know whether it is reality or fiction...
And is it fiction?
Yes. GE does not place any self-promotion into the series. But it is about technology which GE developed or is about to do so.
So it is like a more sophisticated War of the Worlds...
That's right.
In your opinion, what defines a good podcast focused on the promotion of a company? Let’s take the podcast made by eWay-CRM as an example.
Most of the companies I work with, try to make a podcast which is not longer than thirty minutes. I think that podcasts could even be longer because if their content is interesting, people will be happy to listen. The most common format are interviews as they are easy to edit. But I believe that the increasing competition will result in new formats, such as a panel discussion or a report seeking to offer multiple perspectives.
Which publishing platforms are the best?
I think that SoundCloud is a bit overrated. The big trio includes Apple, Google and Spotify as these platforms are able to catch the attention of eighty to ninety per cent of the audience. I use one particular podcast hosting, which is generated by an RSS feed. It is Libsyn which enables to upload the podcast and link it with other channels. The main advantage is that I have one source which provides me with data on how many people have listened to my podcast.
How detailed are the statistics you receive?
I have to say that the statistics are quite weak. The primary indicator is the number of downloads. But if someone downloads an mp3 to the phone, I'll never know if he ever listened to the podcast. Spotify gives me the basic information about listeners; the same applies to the clients of Apple. I can use demographic data to identify the city or state where the listeners come from. Spotify is the only platform which gives me information about the age of a listener.
Why don’t you recommend YouTube as a podcasting platform?
I think it is not correct to use YouTube because if you do not create a video, it does not make sense to upload just a soundtrack. YouTube is a video channel and, therefore, podcasts will not be successful at this platform. However, it will be no harm for a podcast to be presented on YouTube.
Is there any black horse on the market which could threaten the position of the platforms you mention above?
I think it is Spotify because last year the company invested three hundred million US dollars to companies focusing on the creation of podcasts. There are some start-ups trying to get to the market, but from a historical point of view, it is the company Apple which dominates the world of podcasts. I believe that the market will rather consolidate than split into various companies.
Is there any crucial feature missing at the big three podcast platforms which could be introduced by a new player?
I think that in terms of technology, all platforms work very well. News could be introduced from creators or advertisers. Once companies do not want to create their podcasts, they can at least promote an advertisement on the platform. However, advertisers can be discouraged by limited statistics and might lack some features offered by YouTube or Google.
Dan Trzil speaking to university students.
What application do you recommend for listening to podcasts?
I use Overcast, which is the best.
What are the general requirements for a successful podcast?
Today, it is super important to pay attention to high-quality production. Podcasts with disturbing sounds have no chance to be successful.
Which creators are worth following?
When it comes to Czech podcasts, I recommend the podcast Vaše jméno je vaše značka (Your name is your brand), which is focused on creative professionals. In terms of quality, I suggest listening to the podcasts created by Czech Radio and of course I cannot forget my own work, Proti proudu (Against the stream) which introduces interesting personalities from the domestic business sphere.
And from abroad?
I listen to the interviews from Tim Ferriss Show or shorter podcasts Akimbo created by the marketing consultant Seth Godin. Excellent are also the scientifically-oriented podcasts Exponential Wisdom by Peter Diamandis who is the owner of various companies and whose podcasts focus on the extraction of minerals on asteroids or colonization of Mars.
What are the current trends in the creation of podcasts?
I have noticed that podcasts in the Czech Republic are created by people who were active at other platforms such as blogs or YouTube. In the United States, there are many podcasts based on a storyline or continuation, such as true crime podcasts focused on the investigation of old murders. The quality of these podcasts approaches radio plays, which is not so common in the Czech Republic.
Is there any podcast reality show?
I do not know any.
How big is the issue of podcast charges?
Most podcasts earn a living by selling advertising and, therefore, they need as many listeners as possible. There were some attempts to create something like a Netflix podcast, such as Luminary, but so far they have not been very successful. The question is whether Spotify embarks on this journey in connection with the investments mentioned above. However, these attempts are not accepted by the podcast community because historically podcasts have always been free of charge.
