The Podcast Show+
The Podcast Show+ is The Podcast Show's new OnDemand service, extending the festival's reach beyond its physical event. For the first time, attendees can access all sessions from The Podcast Show 2024 in audio format anytime and anywhere. This includes engaging talks, insightful panels, and interactive sessions that highlight industry trends and insights from top podcasting experts. The Podcast Show+ is the go-to community for skill development and staying updated in podcasting. As the Communications Lead, I managed the platform setup, web integration, marketing campaigns, branding, email marketing, social media strategy, and content planning to ensure a seamless user experience.
Services
Marketing Campaigns, Branding Identity, Social Media Strategy, Email Marketing, Website Management, Content Marketing
Year
2024
Project Overview
Objective
As Communications Lead, my task was to build and launch The Podcast Show+, the festival's new on-demand platform. For the first time, The Podcast Show offered recorded audio sessions as part of its delegate and Digital Pass, giving attendees and digital pass holders access to content post-festival. These recordings, drawn from the 2024 programme, also supported year-round community engagement via social media and email newsletters. I led on platform setup, web integration, marketing communications, branding, and content planning.
Insights
Since launching in 2022, The Podcast Show has faced the challenge of maintaining audience engagement outside the festival period, a common issue for many festivals. Podcast Show+ was introduced to address this, offering on-demand access to curated sessions from the event to foster ongoing interaction. The platform enhances engagement by providing global audiences with year-round access to valuable content and insights, extending the festival’s reach and creating new revenue opportunities while ensuring a sustained connection with the brand.
Strategy
The approach for launching Podcast Show+ centred on positioning it as a distinct sub-brand of The Podcast Show. I commissioned designers to develop a cohesive brand identity and built an online platform for users to purchase content and engage exclusively with the brand. Key tactics included setting up email automation for important updates, crafting targeted newsletters for various audiences, and creating a campaign plan with promotional videos, a social media strategy and collaborations with influencers to enhance awareness and engagement.
Branding
The brand identity for Podcast Show+ served as a dynamic extension of The Podcast Show while establishing its own distinct visual language. Emphasising the concept of "play," the identity incorporated iconography and illustrations featuring key symbols such as play, rewind, and fast forward buttons. This approach ensured clear differentiation, particularly as the sub-brand was developed for off-festival periods across various channels. The visual elements were designed to be cohesive and adaptable, supporting year-round engagement. The identity explored the incorporation of a '+' sign, integrated into the logo or used as a key feature, with a gamified or tech-inspired design to visually convey the on-demand online feature. The identity system encompassed logos and logo marks (including a favicon), a colour system, typography, and a set of iconography, symbols, and patterns.
Website & Digital
I built a digital platform for Podcast Show+ using Supporting Cast, a podcast hosting website used by some of the largest brands. This involved designing the layout and implementing the brand identity onto the platform, along with copywriting and messaging. I set up payment gateways and email integration, created alerts, and set up promo codes and discounts. Additionally, I managed and tracked analytics, transported customer data, and organised audio channels and categories for the podcast, ensuring integration with Spotify and Apple Music for user convenience. To further enhance the service, I transformed The Podcast Show website to centralise and promote the new on-demand offering mid-festival and post-festival, featuring imagery, branding, copywriting, FAQs, and direct links to the platform.
Social Media
I developed a comprehensive social media strategy and campaign to successfully launch the Podcast Show+ initiative, starting on the first day of the festival to harness the excitement and momentum of the live event. This approach was meticulously planned through a content calendar that outlined specific posts and timing, incorporating various tactics and calls to action. The campaign introduced the new branding while communicating key messages, including early bird sign-up discounts and exclusive sneak peeks of upcoming content.
This strategy was particularly key in attracting new audiences who may typically be unable to attend in person but still wanted access to the valuable content as a resource. To enhance engagement, I collaborated with designers to create eye-catching social media graphics and content that aligned with the overall campaign theme. This thoughtful and visually appealing content ensured a cohesive and impactful launch across all social media channels, driving anticipation for the new platform and encouraging immediate action.
Email Newsletters
As part of the email campaign, multiple newsletters were sent during and after the festival to promote the new on-demand offering of Podcast Show+. These newsletters targeted different email lists, including delegate attendees who were informed about their complimentary access to the platform as part of their ticket and delegate pass. We also reached out to previous attendees who hadn’t participated this year, as well as new audiences who had never attended before, highlighting early bird and discount offers to encourage them to sign up.
Additionally, emails were sent to event partners, encouraging them to share the initiative within their networks and help spread awareness. Throughout the festival, Podcast Show+ was prominently featured in mid-festival emails, post-show thank-you messages, and targeted solo emails detailing the benefits of signing up. These communications broke down what the offer included and spotlighted key sessions, guest speakers, and participating brands, categorising them into themes for podcast creators, brands, and industry leaders. This strategic approach ensured our messaging reached a broad audience, driving awareness and engagement for the new platform.
Content
Commissioning a video trailer for Podcast Show+ served as a pivotal promotional tool to enhance visibility and engagement for the new platform. This visually compelling trailer encapsulated the essence of the on-demand offering, effectively communicating its unique features and benefits. By showcasing snippets of recorded sessions, guest speakers, and highlights from the festival, the trailer provided a tantalising glimpse into the valuable content available to users.
Placing the trailer prominently on our website and across various social media channels ensured that it reached a broad audience, resonating with both festival attendees and those who couldn't attend this year. This strategic move not only capped off the festival with an impactful closing message but also transitioned our focus toward building momentum for the on-demand platform. This approach effectively bridged the gap between the live festival experience and the new digital offering, ensuring that our audience felt connected to the content throughout the year.
Podcast Show 2024
We leveraged striking images from the festival to enhance the promotion for Podcast Show+, creating a visually engaging narrative that captured the event's vibrant atmosphere. By incorporating these visuals into our marketing materials and social media posts, we showcased the energy and excitement of the live event, reinforcing that attendees could continue to experience these moments through the on-demand platform. This strategic integration not only highlighted the festival’s highlights but also fostered community engagement, encouraging audiences to connect with the content and stay involved throughout the year.
Outcome
During the festival, the Podcast Show+ achieved remarkable engagement and growth metrics, highlighting the success of our strategic initiatives. During the festival, we welcomed 43 new sign-ups via our digital pass feature, marking a significant increase in our audience base. Additionally, 282 subscriptions were activated, indicating strong interest in our OnDemand offerings and a positive response to our promotional efforts. The podcast episodes garnered an impressive 1,643 downloads, showcasing the content's appeal and resonance with our listeners. This surge in engagement fostered much greater interaction during the festival season, allowing the brand to remain actively present on social media while promoting content for Podcast Show+. These figures not only reflect the effectiveness of our marketing strategies but also demonstrate the growing popularity of our platform within the festival community.