CliffCentral says that when it launched in 2014, pioneering podcasting in South Africa, many people didn't even know what a podcast was.

"In 2021, branded podcasts have become an important tool in any company's marketing arsenal. Well-produced branded podcasts help to reach a new audience; they help build a relationship with the audience, build trust and drive customer engagement," says Gareth Cliff, co-founder of CliffCentral.com.

"It's about producing content that adds value for the audience, rather than shouting your company's name or obsessing about banner clicks or impressions. It's about engaging each one of those listeners to care about your brand. That's what will bring the results," adds Cliff.

Collectomania is a weekly feature where the podcast interviews individuals about the items they collect, how their hobby inspires them.

The South African Gold Coin Exchange has become synonymous with investment and the lifestyle of collectors and hobbyists. The podcast series aligns with this strategy and aims to create a narrative that puts South African Gold Coin Exchange as a thought leader in the investment space. This is an ongoing series that has enjoyed high engagement and attracted publicity.

Another finalist was a podcast done in collaboration with Investec Focus Radio, called Preparing for a Post-Pandemic Future. This was a four-part podcast series featuring Investec subject experts and global industry leaders. The interviews were edited into bite-sized pieces and threaded together with a narrator telling the story for each themed episode.

Furthermore, Blind History Interpreted Content was another finalist. Podcasts (by the very nature of what they are) exclude the hard-of-hearing community, concludes Cliff Central.  

In order to make it more accessible and share entertaining, informative and compelling podcasts with as many people as possible, CliffCentral piloted a sign language interpreter video from the Blind History series with Thuli Zikalala. It was sponsored by Taylor Blinds & Shutters. The aim was to remove the barriers to information access, and ultimately introduce new audiences to the world of podcasts.

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