Sustainability and Innovation Amplified: Trane Technologies' Growth Through Podcasting

Key achievements:

1. Ranked #1 in Technology and #13 in All Podcasts in the US on Apple Podcasts

2. More than doubled subscribers during the promo campaign (to over 40,000 subscribers)

3. Recorded a live episode with their CEO from Climate Week NYC 2023.

4. The podcast got promoted on NPR through host-read ads, a perfect channel to reach their target audience.

5. High average episode consumption, indicating engaged and sustained listenership

Although Trane Technologies has deep roots dating all the way back to 1885, the new brand was officially established in March 2020, mere months into the COVID-19 pandemic. While the timing could definitely have been better, the company did not let this deter them.

Choosing instead to face the challenges of the global health crisis head-on and build awareness for the new brand, they launched a podcast to engage their audience with educational discussions on healthy indoor environments.

Lower Street helped them choose the right format. To be effective, a branded podcast needs to avoid sounding like an infomercial and instead offer engaging content that's interesting for the target audience.

By prioritizing this approach, Trane Technologies attracted a tech-forward audience interested in sustainability, leading to the aptly named Healthy Spaces’ rise to the top of the US Apple Podcast Technology charts. 

The podcast also provided a platform for their CEO to share his message and solidify their thought leadership during influential events and forums like Climate Week in New York. 

Our case study unpacks Trane Technologies' podcasting journey, examining how their show became a catalyst for growth, enhanced brand visibility, and amplified their thought leadership. We also look at how working with us has helped to significantly free up the Trane team’s time to focus on other aspects of content creation.

Key Highlights

1. Trane Technologies entered the market as an incumbent in the heating and cooling technology and innovation sector, but as a new brand, just a week before the world shut down due to the pandemic. Although coincidental, the timing highlighted its commitment to sustainability, along with social and economic resilience.

2. Through their podcast, Trane Technologies successfully brought together experts from around the world to have conversational, educational, and hopeful discussions during a time when people were seeking guidance and insights for healthy and efficient spaces.

3. Taking a strategic approach of staying uplifting and informative, rather than sales-oriented, helped Trane Technologies attract and engage its target audience of tech-forward individuals interested in sustainability.

4. The podcast's success in ranking #1 in Technology US and #13 in All Podcasts US on Apple, along with doubling subscribers, brought significant brand exposure and the opportunity to broaden their reach and influence.

5. The above-average episode consumption rate is indicative of the engaged and sustained listenership of Trane Technologies' podcast, affirming its ability to deliver quality content and build a loyal following.

Part 1: The Problem 

Trane Technologies entered the market as a climate-focused innovation company a week before the world shut down due to the pandemic.

This meant that they needed to introduce their brand and core expertise during a time when people were adjusting to spending more time indoors and the challenges that brought with it.

The company had also just created a new Center for Healthy & Efficient Spaces, and wanted to use their expertise to guide the industry, consumers, and business leaders as they faced new challenges.

When considering formats, they decided that a podcast would be a great way to bring together experts from around the world to have conversational, educational, and hopeful discussions.

With no specific internal podcast development expertise, Trane Technologies decided to outsource the production of their podcast. After spending some time searching for a production partner, they landed on Lower Street.

Part 2: The Solution 

From the outset, Trane Technologies made a point of keeping the tone uplifting and informative, rather than sales-oriented. They knew that their brand would sell itself by bringing expertise through a variety of voices, not just their own.

The Healthy Spaces podcast has certainly achieved this. Through their conversations with scientists, engineers, and business leaders, they explore how technology and innovation are transforming the spaces where we live, work, and play. 

For the first two seasons, they focused more on indoor environmental quality components. This was appropriate at the time, given the pandemic, and also the genesis behind the podcast’s name: Healthy Spaces.

With the help of Lower Street, they implemented an assertive strategy for paid promotion, ensuring maximum visibility and exposure for their podcast.

Working with us has also freed up the Trane Technologies team’s time, enabling them to focus on repurposing core episode content into related blog articles, YouTube videos, organic social content, remarketing, and large cross-channel diffusion. 

Part 3: The Outcome 

Since its launch, Healthy Spaces has experienced remarkable success and continues to thrive in its third season. 

The podcast has enjoyed a number of achievements and milestones. Most notably leveraging the established podcast platform as an extension of their presence at Climate Week New York with a special episode featuring their CEO. This opportunity allowed their CEO to share his insights and message with industry leaders, further cementing the company's thought leadership and raising its profile within the sustainability community.

Paid promotion efforts played a significant role in building a strong following and establishing a healthy listenership. The strategic approach taken by Lower Street helped maximize the visibility and impact of the podcast, solidifying its presence in the industry. Additionally, with a solid archive of episodes, the Trane Technologies team explored new paid promotional tactics, like NPR host-read ads, to connect with their targeted audiences in another way.

During its third season, Healthy Spaces reached the #1 spot in the Technology category in the US and ranked #13 across All podcasts on Apple. Its strong showing in the charts also contributed to an increase in organic followers, as the high position attracted new listeners to discover and engage with the content.

The podcast also experienced substantial growth in its subscriber base, doubling its subscribers, growing from 14,193 to an impressive 39,355 subscribers during the paid promotion period. 

Healthy Spaces has also enjoyed excellent consumption metrics. This high level of engagement affirms the podcast’s ability to deliver quality content that resonates with its audience, building a loyal following and sustaining listenership over time.

Conclusion

Now in its third season, the Healthy Spaces podcast continues to thrive, despite facing the initial challenges of launching during a time of great uncertainty. The show’s remarkable achievements are a testament to the effective combination of strategic planning and a steadfast commitment to delivering high-quality, informative, and engaging content. 

Yet again, we’re reminded that although paid promotional efforts can deliver impressive results, it's the narrative that drives success by keeping people not only coming back for more but listening to the end. 

Trane Technologies has successfully harnessed the power of podcasting, using it as a dynamic thought leadership platform. Imagine what it could do for your brand.

Get in touch to find out how Lower Street can help you build your brand’s reputation, expand your reach, and engage with your target audience on a deeper level.