A BBC radio presenter is so convinced by the power of podcasts that he’s launched his own business producing them.
Guy Kilty has worked for the BBC for eight years, including BBC Radio 5 Live’s flagship business programme Wake Up To Money.
Now he’s launched his own company – Dap Dip Podcast Production – while continuing working for the BBC as a freelance.
It’s estimated that six million adults in the UK now listen to podcasts every week and the 43-year-old believes there’s a gap in the market for businesses to produce their own podcasts.
“I feel there’s a real opportunity for companies to have their own branded podcast,” he said. “Some brands are backing podcasts. A good example is General Electric. They did a podcast a couple of years ago and it had five million downloads. It was an interesting standalone piece of content. It was not an advert.
“The main thing is you have to produce content that is engaging and interesting. It’s got to be high quality.
“There are two types of podcasts: telling a story and the other one is people talking to each other. There’s no magic bullet but it’s about being able to stand out from the crowd.”
Kilty said Dap Dip Podcast Production, which gets its name from the Sharon Jones’ song The Dap Dip, offers everything from coming up with the idea, to production, recording and marketing.
“I believe that all companies can benefit from the right podcast,” he said. “You don’t try and sell through the podcast. It’s about bringing the listener in and getting your brand behind it.
“Podcasts are a very intimate medium. You tend to be listening on your own and you listen more intently than the radio. Also you don’t have to listen to it in one go.
“You don’t have to have five million downloads to be a success. It’s about creating an audience.”