Ausha Reports a 17% Audience Increase for Brand Podcasts in 2022

Pulling data from the 200+ brand podcasts hosted on its platform, Ausha reports a 17% audience increase for the category in 2022.

The data pool is a diverse one: 32% of those podcasts are by CAC 40 companies, i.e. companies ranking in the Top 40 of the French stock market such as BNP Paribas, Orange, Renault, the LVMH group or even EDF, while the rest are a mix of mid-sized and small companies.

The data follows the trends laid out in the CSA and Havas study in October of 2022:

• 88% of podcast listeners think that a podcast is a good way for a brand to communicate.
• 74% want to get to know brands better after hearing them on podcasts.
• 69% say that hearing about a brand on a podcast made them want to buy the product/service.
• 65% have changed their mind about a brand after listening to its podcast.

Regardless of the sector, companies are surging on the podcast medium. Marketing and communication teams discover a channel where they can talk about their brand differently, with ‘softness’ and ‘optimism’, and develop or renew relationships with consumers. Far from saturated (unlike social networks, Youtube or blog articles), the brand podcast allows companies to benefit from interesting visibility and, through its innovative character, to boost their brand image.

The medium is working so well some companies are launching multiple brand podcasts. The AXA Group is now launching its fourth show on Ausha’s platform:

“In the battle for attention, we are constantly on the lookout for new levers of engagement and attention with our audience.” explains Audrey Brahim, Group Head of Digital Communication at AXA Group. “The podcast is a great opportunity to reconnect with our audience in a more innovative and intimate way… strengthen[ing] our content and influence strategy on social networks.”

Ausha is forecasting that the trend will accelerate in 2023 based on feedback from agencies (Calliopé, Havas, etc.), government organizations (Ministry of the Interior, Paris City Hall, etc.), non profits, or the Media (L’Équipe, Le Figaro) that the French startup supports on a daily basis. Nawal Hadrami, the CEO of Calliopé, states:

“In 2023, we have 95% renewal of our clients, very sharp increase in budgets (production and media coverage), development of more ambitious formats (docu-fiction, reportage, debate, etc.), and planned integration of podcasts alongside SEO, Social Media, and PR.”