607-654-6010 [email protected]
Select Page

The Rise of Podcasts and Their Impact on Small Businesses and Nonprofits

by | Nov 22, 2024 | Insight, Video

Podcasts have surged in popularity over the past decade, evolving from a niche medium to a mainstream form of entertainment and education. With the rise of smartphones and audio platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts, people are now consuming more on-the-go content than ever before. This growing accessibility and the low cost of production have made podcasts an attractive platform for individuals, businesses, and nonprofits to share their messages and connect with audiences on a more personal level. Creagent Marketing has produced five podcasts within the community:

Overall, we’ve reached over 4,000 downloads across 5 podcasts and 120 episodes. 

In a Paesanos Podcast episode, owner of Creagent Marketing Sean Lukasik sat down with Maddy Masiello, an Audio Production Manager for The New York Times. In this episode they talk about podcast and audio content and why the internet can’t seem to get enough. When asked why she thinks podcasts and audio content are thriving the way they are today, Masiello explained, “podcasting is to radio the same way streaming services are to cable, they’re becoming a new normal. You’ve taken something that not many people produced and made it on demand for everybody. It’s easy to manipulate, it’s easy to iterate and it’s very accessible in ways that other media isn’t.” This shift has opened the door for creators, businesses, and nonprofits to share their messages more freely, connecting with audiences on a deeper and more personal level than traditional media allows.

For small businesses and nonprofits, having a podcast can offer a significant impact. It provides a unique way to build a loyal community by sharing the organization’s story, mission, and values in an engaging, conversational format. “I’d like to highlight the good of podcasting. It can really bring communities together,” said Masiello. She went on to explain her experience working on a show with incredibly devoted listeners. “They created a fan base and had live shows that felt like family reunions.” Podcasts create a platform for in-depth discussions, interviews with industry professionals, and the opportunity to showcase success stories, offering value to listeners while subtly promoting services or causes. Podcasts can also help expand an organization’s reach, tapping into new audiences who prefer audio content over traditional media. For nonprofits, this can be particularly effective in fostering relationships with donors, volunteers, and supporters. For small businesses, it can help drive customer loyalty and engagement.

Are you looking to create a deeper, more personal connection with your audience? A podcast might just be exactly what you need. Interested in learning more? Click here to listen to the Paesanos Podcast episode that was discussed in this blog!

Think About the Before While You Plan the After

by | May 23, 2019 | Insight, Video

My first thought when a friend or family member tells me about a home renovation or building project is, “I’ll be right over to take some before photos!” 

In many cases, when faced with a lengthy or costly project, people understandably concentrate on the job at hand. But the opportunity to document “the before” is fleeting. Too many times I have heard from folks that it occurred to them to take photos or video only after the project was complete. 

Take a cue from the myriad home improvement shows that document the transformation of a property. The benchmarking shots they take before any work begins become invaluable at the show’s conclusion when we see them dissolve into the newly re-done space. The juxtaposition of those before and after shots creates maximum impact for viewers.

Telling your audience what something used to look like is one thing, showing them is another altogether. 

Original Brick House Brewery website… and our recent re-design for them

At Creagent, we regularly catalog the before & after in the work we do for clients – that not only helps them see the value in the work we have done, but it also builds a strong portfolio we can show to future clients.

Some of what we do is showcasing the before and after of the work our clients themselves do. For example, the Corning Housing Partnership is all about transforming neighborhoods in our City. The most effective way to show how far we’ve come in cleaning up and improving properties around the City, is to show where we were before the work began. This recent film we made for the Partnership – showing the state of several areas of Corning, both “now” and “then” – would not have the same impact without video and photographs that were taken several years ago.

Before & after shots of Arbor Housing and Development’s Lamphear Court

Make capturing before images part of your planning process for any transformative project.