Podcast ad agencies and marketers are facing different challenges according to a new survey by CoHost, the branded podcast hosting and analytics platform for brands and agencies created by Quill Podcast Agency. It finds that 45% of podcast agencies say that the biggest constraints they are facing is being stretched too thin.
“This is a sign that podcast agencies are under-resourced and need solutions to save time and increase efficiency,” CoHost’s State of Podcast Agencies 2023 report says.
A likely culprit to the resource stress is the size of the shops as CoHost found 78% of podcast agencies have fewer than 10 employees and on average, use seven tools throughout a podcast journey. On top of that is the learning curve. On average, podcast agencies are using two hosting platforms, two recording software programs, and three extra podcast tools for clients. CoHost says that level of investment sparks the question as to why agencies require so many different tools in their podcast toolkits and why there is no all-in-one solution for agencies to rely on.
“This highlights the challenge of resourcing for agencies when it comes down to areas like the number of people they have, time, and budget,” its report says. “Limited resources can create bottlenecks in the production process, potentially leading to delays, reduced quality of content, or not enough time spent on scaling the agency.”
While resource management is on the minds of the agencies, clients are most focused on audience growth for their branded shows. CoHost says 37% of survey respondents identify that as their biggest challenge. And one in four said measuring return on their investment was the biggest constraint.
“While podcasts can be a highly effective marketing tool, it’s difficult for brands to quantify the ROI of their podcasting efforts,” the report says. “Unlike other digital marketing channels, it can be challenging to track the impact of a podcast on lead generation or customer acquisition. As a result, brands may struggle to justify the resources and investment required to produce and promote a podcast, particularly if they are unable to demonstrate a clear ROI.”
With that ROI focus among marketers, the survey shows that three in ten podcast agencies executives surveyed predict better measurement to measure podcast return will be the biggest focus in the industry during the next five years. Nearly as many (28%) say that the growth of video podcasts will be the biggest trend in the next five years.
CoHost says its survey of 46 podcast agencies found social media is the most popular tactic to grow a podcast agency but word of mouth and referrals are the most common way podcast agencies are acquiring new customers. It says that if agencies struggle to attribute ROI for their clients, this might be an issue they struggle with for their own business as well.
Download a copy of CoHost’s The State of Podcast Agencies 2023 report HERE.
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