New Offering Driven By Explosive Growth of Podcast Format with Estimated 160mm Unique Podcast Listeners in US Alone By 2023.
San Juan Capistrano, CA – in Within a few brief years podcasts, especially those in the sports industry have become a must-have tactic for every one selling a product or service. According to Buzzsprout there were 120 million US podcast listeners in 2021, a number that is expected to grow to 160 million in 2023. Over half of the US adult population now listens to podcasts on their computer or smartphone, at home, or while exercising or driving to work. One third of the population listens regularly and 80% of listeners take in all or almost all of an entire podcast. Podcasts on sports, health, and fitness represent over a third of all podcast listens.
Podcasts are an ideal medium for the passionate golf community that can’t get enough information about golf tips, golf equipment, golf travel and golf courses. Golfers who are often frustrated with the chaos of Facebook and the intrusion of emails seem to enjoy an uninterrupted informational format they can easily access according to their own schedule. And the demographics for podcasts virtually mirror that of the golf industry as two out of three podcast listeners have at least a four year college degree with an average household income over $75,000. One fourth of US adults over fifty five listen to a podcast at least once a month. According to Buzzsprout 81% of podcast listeners say they are more likely to respond to a podcast than an ad from social media, TV or radio.
These powerful tailwinds are behind the formation of GolfCast (www.thegolfcast.com) which is offering an industry specific, turnkey, professionally hosted and edited podcast solution for under $1,000 that requires no more than an hour or two of the client’s time. In the case of golf courses, the roughly, twenty minute promotional product consists of an interview with the club pro or course executive and follows a suggested storyline including golf course history and folklore, noteworthy landscape elements, marquee holes, typical clientele, membership options and additional amenities including lessons, events and food facilities. According to Coronado (CA) Golf Course Golf Pro and GolfCast podcast client Brian Smock, “The podcast GolfCast created for us is destined to become an integral part of our overall marketing program and has received rave reviews; it would have taken far more time and money if we were indeed even able to do it at all, in house”.
GolfCast host Jim Plumb has a unique viewpoint of golf industry podcasts as someone who is a three decade marketing veteran of the industry. Says Plumb: “Though my partner and I are former advertising and media executives, it took us the better part of a year to master the art and mechanics of a golf podcast. There are a lot of moving parts including equipment and set-up, discussion narratives, editing, and distribution and plain ole knowledge of the golf world itself. Good podcasts tell a story that represent a nice balance between entertainment and education. We have become real fans of the medium and are excited to be at the unique intersection of golf marketing and podcast production specialists”
GolfCast realized that the podcast skills and relationship they had perfected would be ideal for the almost 20,000 golf courses in the US and Canada and the thousands more regional golf travel, golf services and golf associations working hard to build their brands. Every golf course is different and for course proprietors, a podcast provides a one-of-a-kind medium to favorable portray a course’s unique personality in a compelling uninterrupted format. Golf businesses can then promote the podcast’s digital link on their website, Facebook page and via emails and market on their business cards and newsletters.
The GolfCast promotional podcasts will have a regular suggested price of just $995 per podcast but the company will offer a $200 launch discount from now to June 30th and will also have special pricing for customers who purchase a minimum of three podcasts. A link to the Coronado Golf Course promotional podcast is available on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/interview-with-brian-smock-head-club-pro-at-coronado/id1599139323?i=1000552560405 GolfCast has also recently completed a second podcast with Gene Parente founder and President of Golf Laboratories available here https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/interview-with-golf-laboratories-founder-and-ceo/id1599139323?i=1000553419325 Both podcasts are also accessible at the GolfCast website at www.thegolfcast.com. Interested parties should contact Ralph Fascitelli at ralphfascitelli@gmail.com
