At GoVocal.AI, we have helped hundreds of podcast and radio shows to launch on Amazon Alexa. There are lots of podcasters and podcast networks who immediately realize the potential of Amazon Alexa and have already launched their podcasts on Alexa but there are some who want to understand the benefits of launching their own podcast Alexa skill in more detail. For those who are not familiar with Alexa Skill, what app is for mobile, Alexa skill is for Alexa i.e. Alexa skill is a voice app on Alexa. In this post, I am outlining 10 reasons why every podcast and radio show should launch their own Podcast Alexa Skill (voice app).
1. Create Brand Identity
If your podcast is available on many podcast apps that are on App store but not on iTunes then do you think you are serious about podcasting and you can really grow the great audience? Perhaps not, because you will have to ask your audience to download and install podcasting apps to listen while iTunes is available by default in all Apple devices. Additionally, having your podcast on iTunes gives it an identity. For exact same reasons, it doesn’t matter whether people can listen to your podcast on Alexa using third party Alexa Skills, you need to have your own Alexa Skill to give it a brand identity, just like you would have created a website for your podcast.
2. Provide Convenience
How cool it will be to just say “Alexa, Open My Podcast” rather than remembering a third-party skill and then searching your podcast in it. And there are great chances that your podcast is not searchable among thousands of other podcasts if it doesn’t have a unique name. And there is a fair chance that any competing podcast comes in a search result and your audience starts listening to that. Using Alexa and voice commands is all about convenience and getting things done instantly. By launching your own podcast Alexa Skill, you are giving convenience to your audience to listen to your podcast instantly.
3. Build Loyal Audience
While third-party Alexa skills allow you to search shows, they don’t let you search episodes and play previous episodes. Majority of podcast listeners when they discover and like a particular show, they listen to old episodes also. So, every time if a listener needs to go and search your show on third-party Alexa skill then it is a pain. Secondly, it is difficult for them to listen and search for previous episodes. Giving your listeners ease to listen to old episodes will create a loyal audience base.
4. Grow your audience
People initially use Alexa app to search Alexa Skills, they will never know if your podcast show is available via a third-party Alexa skill. If you have your own Alexa skill then it will be immediately available in search results in Alexa App. Additionally, your own skill will allow you to have reviews and ratings on Alexa Skill store and great reviews and ratings will make your show more discoverable on Alexa, Alexa Skill store as well as on Google search. Additionally, you can launch your own Alexa skill in multiple English-speaking locales like USA, UK, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, INDIA.
5. Get recommended by Alexa
If you have your own podcast skill then Alexa can recommend your podcast even if people are not able to invoke it by the correct name. This will make your podcast more discoverable on Alexa. Many times, people will be able to directly listen to your podcast as Alexa will enable Alexa skill with simple voice command.
6. Send Reminders
If you launch your own Alexa Skill using GoVocal.AI platform then you can send reminders to your audience whenever a new episode is launched. This way your audience will never miss any of your great episodes.
7. Make it available on Alexa in Cars
According to recent podcast consumers report by Infinite Dial, 49% of people listen to podcasts at home and 22% in cars. Now if you see the trend, over 60 million homes have access to Amazon Echo devices and multiple vendors including Amazon has already launched smart accessories fitted with Alexa for cars. Over 1 million “Echo Auto” devices are pre-ordered. Additionally, lots of cars launched in 2019 will have Alexa built in, this will create a tremendous opportunity for you to market and find a great audience on Alexa in cars.
8. Reach new demographics
The audience on Podcast mobile apps is growing but belongs to similar demographics. While there is whole new demography of people who are using voice assistants like kids, teenagers, senior people, women at home. If your show has content that is related to these new demographics then your podcast can easily attract them on Alexa. One early-stage parenting podcast show that was launched on GoVocal.AI platform is a great hit on Alexa because its audience is mainly parents who would like to babysit and same time listens to related podcasts handsfree.
9. Earn more
Growing your audience and presence on Alexa will help you earn more money through advertising and other means. Having your own Alexa skill will even give you the chance to launch exclusive premium content on Alexa.
10. Follow the trend
Leverage the early mover’s advantage. 1000s of podcast show are already leveraging Alexa to build a loyal audience. Gimlet, BCC, TED Talks and other podcast networks have already launched their shows’ Alexa Skills individually. You can check out even hundreds of podcasts that are published on GoVocal.AI Platform If you don’t know how to launch your own podcast Alexa Skill then just sign up at GoVocal.AI, follow the instruction here and launch it in just 5 minutes.