Results of recent study prove podcast usage continues to gain momentum as a marketing content delivery vehicle.

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) July 10, 2006 -- KnowledgeStorm, Inc., the Internet’s top-ranked search resource for technology solutions and information, and Universal McCann, one of the world’s largest media services firms providing strategic services and consultancies, today announced the results of a joint research study on the emerging role of new media, particularly podcasts, on B2B technology purchase decisions.

This is one of the first surveys focused specifically on the B2B audience and it clearly shows that podcasts, blogs and other new media types are viable mediums for reaching B2B technology buyers.

The survey was completed by more than 3,900 business and IT professionals, representing a variety of job titles, vertical industries and company sizes. "The objective of this study was to explore the impact new forms of media, concepts of Web 2.0 initiatives, such as podcasts and blogs, are having on content consumption and purchasing influence within the B2B marketplace" says Matt Lohman, director of market research, KnowledgeStorm. "This is one of the first surveys focused specifically on the B2B audience and it clearly shows that podcasts, blogs and other new media types are viable mediums for reaching B2B technology buyers."

Podcast usage among B2B technology buyers is significant and growing; 41% of survey respondents claim they have listened to podcasts on more than one occasion, while 13% stated that they "frequently" download or listen to them.

Thirty-two percent of survey respondents stated their usage of podcasts has "Increased" or "Significantly Increased" in the last six months. The same question yielded 39% for blogs. And, there is plenty of upside as the innovative media types, like podcasting, blogging and RSS, are still gaining momentum in the technology buying community.

"With this particular study, our goal was to determine marketing opportunities with podcasts by closely examining the behavior of podcast users as well as non-users," says Stacy Malone, vice president, interactive media director, Universal McCann. "The results of this study prove that opportunities with new media are growing rapidly. In fact, podcasts have moved into the Top 10 most frequently accessed types of online content. This spike can be directly attributed to the addictive nature of this on-demand medium."

B2B technology buyers are listening to podcasts for business interests, specifically technology-oriented topics, according to the study findings. Respondents are listening to a combination of personal and business interests in most cases — 65% responded that they listen for both personal and business interests. Furthermore, these respondents are listening to technology specific topics — 72% claimed that they have downloaded or listened to podcasts on technology topics on more than one occasion. Twenty-three percent do so "frequently."

The study also revealed that B2B technology buyers want research content, such as white papers and analyst reports, delivered as podcasts. Nearly 60% of respondents said that information on business or technology topics, currently delivered as white papers or analyst reports, would be more interesting as podcasts. Fifty-five percent of respondents would be more likely to consume white papers and analyst reports if they were delivered as podcasts.

"Business and technology-related subject material is a perfect match for podcasting content," says Malone. "Podcasts are no longer being used only for pure entertainment value. They are turning into an indispensable, business-critical information tool."

"This survey presents a lot of encouraging findings for marketers considering podcasts as a content format. Not only are business and IT professionals tuning in, but frequent users are eager for more business and technology podcast content," says Lohman. "Fifty-seven percent of the frequent podcast users stated their biggest challenge with podcasts is the scarcity of interesting content. That represents real opportunity for savvy marketers."

This is the first in a series of joint research studies focused on the effect of new media with the B2B marketplace. Upcoming studies will cover topics such as: blogging, RSS feeds, Wikis, Webcasts and mobile technology.

Have you considered using Podcasts, blogs, webcasts or webinars to reach a larger audience for your business?

Do you actually understand what these web 2.0 initiatives can do to increase your exposure? Or do you think these are just buzz phrases used by marketing gurus who purport to be at the cutting edge of technology?

Stats from the US point to podcasts, especially, having a huge takeup rate in the B2B market and gaining strength in B2C communications strategies.

So why would you want to use them for your business?

When Nathan Moss began podcasting his introductory psychology lectures last semester, he assumed no one was listening to them.

His classes stayed full and no one commented on the podcasts that he was taking up to six hours to prepare each week, until the time he was late putting them on the website. "I started getting all these emails saying, 'Where are the podcasts?"' said Dr Moss, a lecturer at Queensland University of Technology.

"It was really good because the [lecture] numbers weren't going down at all, so they were using them to revise," he said.

Podcasting has emerged as the latest innovation in university classroom teaching. Business and education lecturers are using it at Wollongong University, arts and medical lecturers are using it at the University of Sydney, and various disciplines are using it at Macquarie University, Newcastle University, the University of NSW and the University of Technology, Sydney.

UNSW started using podcasting this year through Lectopia, a technology developed by the University of Western Australia that is now licensed to 30 per cent of Australian universities. Lecturers request to have their classes podcast over the telephone and may provide PowerPoint presentations.

Students log in to use the recorded material on the internet and can download it onto an iPod or MP3 player.

The university introduced it for students with disabilities or poor English, only to discover other students were using it too, said Professor Tony Koppi, director of UNSW's Educational and Technology Centre.

At UTS the dean of education, Shirley Alexander, opposed a systemic rollout of podcasting on the ground that lecturers may limit interactive activities in class that cannot be recorded. "A lecture is not just a dissemination of information," Dr Alexander said. "Lectures can be and should be a lot more than that.

"[The US education thinker] David Thornburg said, 'Any teacher that can be replaced by a computer should be.'

"I would modify that and say any teacher that can be replaced by a podcast should be."

• Recording of your talks
  
• Video casting or filming your event such as fashion shows
• Post production and editing to slim down the content into relevant user friendly sizes
• Podcast server set up and skin to company graphics and logos
• Standard professional into and outro
  
• Podcast pay per view systems

A New Way of Pitching Sales is Growing

New technology for getting and reaching clients and prospects is changing the way we communicate in business. In one example, on-line ordering portals for business are growing in ways that are replacing salespeople. Pod casting is another way businesses are getting their message out and driving sales to websites. An RSS feed is another way to reach prospects or an industry with new information. However, only about 12 percent of the population knows how to use an RSS feed today. Expect this number to change quickly in the coming months.

With the growth and adoption of web meetings, streaming media including audio and video, salespeople can multiply their efforts and reach more contacts. The bottom line is that salespeople must practice and sharpen their sales skills using new technology and communication tools.

Source: "Ezine Articles"

Podcasting is a marketers dream!

PR: Audio press releases, messages from company executives, expert interviews and other industry related material, all delivered directly to the media.

Direct marketing: Sales letters and other ad creative, delivered in audio and directly to your prospects.

Customer Relationship Management and User Support: Personal messages and greetings from company executives, persoanlized messages to key clients by key account managers, educational content and industry interviews, seminar or conference recordings, product support information and tutorials

Promotion: Achieving additional company/brand/product exposure by providing podcasts and promoting them via podcast directories and search engines.

E-commerce: Audio product announcements and presentations, delivered to prospects that opt-in to receive latest product information. In the case of audio products, podcasts can also carry short excerpts or previews of new editions, thus enticing prospects to order.

Branding and Prospect Conversion: Educational content and industry interviews that help shorten the sales cycle or generate/improve company credibility and enhance its brand.

Content copyright Podtech.net

At PodWorkx, we offer package solutions depending on your requirements.

You may need a fully managed Podcast solution, updated daily from a word document sent to our production staff, or you may just need a single Podcast software setup on your IT systems.

We take a step by step approach ensuring your needs are accurately met.

Your Podcast project may follow the following steps:

• Initial consultation via phone or face to face
• Detailed project plan (so you know exactly what your getting)
• Project Go Ahead
• Web and Podcast server setup and installation.
• Podcast branding & graphic design for your podcast website
• A set number of professionally produced Podcast MP3's  (or)
• An ongoing arragement of podcast production services
• Telephone/Email Support
• Ongoing Internet marketing and promotions for your podcast

We can tailor a package to your requirements, but typically a Podcast solution for your company may be $10,000 to $100,000 AUD depending on the level of service and amount of content production you require.

Contact sales@podworkx.com for a further discussion.

Our services include:

• Podcast strategy consulting
• Podcast recording & production
• Podcast and blog server software
• Podcast promotion and internet marketing
• Podcast directory and iTunes Music Store listing
• Podsafe music licensing
• International voice over artists
• Corporate branding, graphic & web design
• Server hosting and management
• Custom software development
• Video casting
• Telephone and email support

Contact sales@podworkx.com for a further discussion

Podcasting home.