How do you leverage the power of storytelling and emotion in your podcast ad creative?

A good way to imagine how your audience consumes your podcast is to imagine what they are doing while listening to you. Is your audience listening to your podcast when they are working on their car, because you have a car podcast? Are they keeping it on in the background while they study, because your podcast is aimed at students? Your listeners are real people who like the same things you are passionate about. They find your podcast entertaining because you both have a common shared interest. Use this common ground to build the foundation of your relationship with your audience, engaging with them as you would a personal friend. That is the most effective way to reach people.

People often overthink their strategy in delivering their content. More and more people are consuming information from podcasts of subject matter they are interested in. When you already have an audience that wants the content now is your time to shine. The best podcasters bring life to the subject matter. They ask open ended questions of their audience or guests and offer other possible perspectives. Tell great stories and you will build a large audience.

We have discovered that to really nail your message on a podcast or in a podcast ad you really need to get laser-focused on your ideal Avatar. We go as far as to name that ideal Avatar that listens to a particular podcast and would consume this ad. For example: “Suzy is a mother in her mid-30’s who is tired of struggling with generating eyeballs to her side hustle, and wants to see great gains in the next 6 months.” We get to this point by asking questions like: - What do they want? - Why is they want this? - What is their profession? - What are their struggles? - What have they tried before and failed at? - What benefits your brand offers? Use these to nail that avatar!

We call this concept Storyselling and did not create that phrase, but when you think of it that way, it helps you see the purpose. Stories have been passed down from generation to generation and they are still effective today. Want to stand out with your podcast ads? Tell a compelling story. You need to craft the right hook that will get people to listen to the story. One way to hook is through sound effects your niche would know well like the sound of waves on a beach, typing, phone notification, or airplanes. Another hook is an emotional statement that hits your audience right where they are. A final hook strategy is to lead with shocking stats. Storytelling is powerful, but only with the right hook so they hear the story.

Before reading this paragraph I ended my previous comment with tell great stories and you will build an audience. Go back to your childhood. Bedtime stories, campfire stories, and sharing experiences with your friends and family. All these stories are compelling and need to be a staple of all great podcasters. Without stories your podcast will fall flat.

1. Relevance: Choose a story that relates to my product, service, brand values, or customer testimonials, making it relatable to my target audience. 2. Engaging and Memorable: Ensure the story is engaging, capturing listeners' attention, and leaving a lasting impression. 3. Evoke Emotions: Use storytelling to evoke emotions, as emotional connections can influence buying decisions and foster brand loyalty. 4. Structure: Structure the story with a clear beginning, middle, and end to maintain listeners' interest and ensure a cohesive narrative.

If you think about it all of us are motivated by emotions in every decision we make. Look over your content. Decide what your strongest points are and how the audience will react. Play to the strengths of the emotional story lines throughout your podcasts and your viewers will want to come back for the emotional rushes you deliver.

Years ago in journalism school I remember the exercises we went through to concisely deliver the who, what, where, and why in as few words as possible. As a writer the opening sentence and first paragraph were and still are the most important and valuable time you have. It usually will determine if a listener will stay or leave. Be sure you keep reviewing ways to deliver it. Cut out useless words like very ( or worse very, very ) ! Practice by recording yourself and you be shocked at how many times you throw in useless words and 'ums'. Continue to work at it until you get rid of your 'blips'.

Fortunately today's real time analytics are awesome. As a podcaster goals are new listeners and retention of existing audience. You need to do both well so look at drop off rates and keep working on the most concise way of delivering the who what where and why in your podcast.

Testing and optimizing my podcast ad is crucial for maximizing its effectiveness and impact: 1. Performance Metrics: Use various methods and tools to measure ad performance, including downloads, impressions, conversions, feedback, and surveys. 2. Data-Driven Insights: Analyze the data and insights collected to identify areas for improvement and understand audience preferences. 3. Ad Creative Tweaks: Based on insights, make adjustments to the ad creative, such as refining the script, voice, music, or placement. 4. Continuous Improvement: Continuously test and optimize the podcast ad to refine its effectiveness and enhance its impact.