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This company used podcasts to grow 200% year-over-year

Published by Small Town Startup on

Today we’re chatting about marketing, but not our usual social media content. Today - we’re talking about podcasts.

If you listen to them, you’ve likely heard at least one ad about Athletic Greens (AG1), and if you listen to them frequently, you have likely heard 500 of those ads.

The strategic placement of Athletic Greens podcast advertising is not just a buckshot - this strategy has helped them drive incredible triple digit growth and catapulted them into a billion dollar valuation. Let’s talk about it. 

 

The background

Chris Ashenden bought the domain, athleticgreens.com, in 2009. He focused on early adopters such as trainers and nutritionists when he launched the company, a drinkable pre-and probiotic powder filled with vitamins and minerals.

The drink started to take off when Tim Ferriss, a famous entrepreneur and author of “The 4-Hour Body,” mentioned the product in said book. From there, sales went nuts. And with that, Chris started looking into other avenues of marketing to capitalize on - including podcasts.

Jonathan Corne, chief revenue officer of Athletics Green, initially tested podcast advertising by reaching out to podcasters he personally enjoyed, trying to convert them into customers. Over time, this strategy moved on to target podcasts with audiences that are interested in health, finances, relationships and more - leading to partnerships with hundreds of podcasters across a variety of shows. And with this, the return on investment kept getting bigger and bigger. 

In fact, Athletic Greens experienced 200% year-over-year growth for two consecutive years. In 2021, they brought in a $150 million revenue run rate and over 100% customer growth. In 2022, the company received a $1.2 billion valuation. Currently, they budget $2.2 million in monthly podcast ads.

So, what can we learn from this?

Don’t follow the crowd - find the marketing mix that works for you

Athletic Greens identified podcasts as an unsaturated yet aligned channel, crucial for their competitive market. Regularly test new channels to discover what works best for your brand. Make a ranked list of channels to test each quarter.

Find the influencers that matter

Leveraging influential advocates in the health space has been key for Athletic Greens. Even without mega influencers, engaging superusers in your category can significantly boost your ads and brand visibility - plus, we live in a Yelp culture. What your advocates say about you will always hold more weight than what you say about yourself.

Make sure your strategy is clear and easy to test

Athletic Greens’ initial podcast strategy was straightforward—get the product to as many influencers as possible and observe the results. Sometimes, quick action and testing can be more beneficial than extensive planning - and who has time for that when running a small business?

 

Good luck- you've got this!