When it comes to thought leadership, podcasts continue to go from strength to strength.
Figures published by Statista showed that there were more than 15 million podcast listeners in the UK in 2020. And it estimates that figure will reach more than 19 million by 2024.
Amid this boom, there are a growing number of brands turning to podcasts.
Ebay’s Open for Business podcast advises people on how to build a business from the ground up. NatWest launched a podcast series during the height of the pandemic advising businesses how they could resume trading and plan for the future.
Land Rover created The Discovery Adventures podcast to encourage people of all ages to get outside and enjoy adventures. And the Hublot Fusion Podcast looks at the world of high-performance sport.
.@Hublot podcast named one of @GQMagazine best podcasts to listen to in 2021. https://t.co/1e7pgFri5m
— Huge (@hugeinc) June 14, 2021
With this rising popularity and influence, it is perhaps not surprising we are increasingly asked to provide media training courses for podcast guests. And with good reason, because being asked on to a podcast is not the same as going into a radio studio and giving a live interview.
But our involvement does not stop there.
We’ve been working closely with our sister company Thirty Seven as it has produced a series of podcasts for Sagentia Innovation.
The science-based research and product development specialists approached us during the first lockdown. Its work means it spends much of its time with clients, collaborating on projects, in meetings and at networking events.
And without that traditional face-to-face contact, it was looking for ways to continue to get its personality across and communicate with people on a human level.
How could it build trust with its audience, demonstrate thought leadership, experience and expertise, stimulate conversation and show a human side to the business when no one could meet up?
The answer was through podcasts, and together we have produced a series – called The Innovation Podcast - where topics have included ‘Changing women’s health’, ‘Exploring the journey from farm to fork’, and ‘Consumer insights and sensory science’.
Thirty Seven provided the know-how, Media First supplied the presenters and spokesperson training and Sagentia Innovation provided the subject experts.
Finished podcasts were released on the company website and subsequently made available through iTunes, Spotify and other platforms. You can listen to them here – and there are more in the pipeline.
So, should you follow the lead of Sagentia Innovation and many other brands and include podcasts in your comms strategy?
Here are seven reasons why we believe you should:
Time
One of the great strengths of podcasts is they give you an incredible opportunity to talk to your audience without the traditional time constraints.
The average podcast length is currently around 43 minutes. To give you a comparison, let’s say you secured a radio interview. The average interview on that format is just two and a half minutes.
And the podcast format fits perfectly into our busy lives.
They can be consumed when people want to listen to them. And, because the format is so mobile-friendly, they can do it while they are doing something else – perhaps on the work commute, on the morning run, on holiday, or while making dinner.
Think again about those examples. What other comms tactics could reach people in those sorts of situations?
Humanise
Another great advantage is that it is an intimate, personal format, with most podcasts being listened to through headphones.
It gives brands an excellent opportunity to show the human side of the business and for your customers to feel they have something in common with those who work there. Done well, it can build connection and loyalty.
There is a saying that the best radio is people talking to people about people.
And the same applies to podcasts. Use your podcast to highlight the people who work for your company and enable them to tell deeper, more detailed stories.
Interest
One of the concerns people sometimes have about podcasts is whether there will be enough interest.
But there are plenty of examples out there showing there is an audience for pretty much every subject.
For example, would you believe there is a successful podcast about toothpaste? Well, there is. 2 minutes of Zen offers Zendium customers quick and simple health and wellness advice while they brush their teeth. Recent topics have ranged from squat workouts to how you can keep the bacteria in your mouth healthy.
We spend over 85 days of our lives brushing our teeth. So our brand #Zendium has created 2 Minutes of Zen – a podcast that gives you quick & simple wellness hacks for a healthy mind, body & mouth, so you can turn the time into little moments of #selfcare: https://t.co/amB5WtxQ4J pic.twitter.com/A7fi7srPao
— Unilever #StaySafe (@Unilever) July 16, 2019
Another example is The Pen Addict, a podcast about stationery, which now has almost 500 episodes.
No subject is too niche for a podcast. And, similar to a trade press publication, the more niche subjects often have the most engaged audience.
Internal comms
Podcasts don’t just have to be part of an external strategy. They can also play a valuable role in internal comms.
They can allow leaders to connect with teams more authentically and share their thoughts, perspectives and visions.
They can also improve understanding of what different parts of a business do day-to-day.
And they can include the voices of different employees, enabling listeners to understand the people behind different roles.
The increased use of video in internal communication also helps with this. But there will be some who are more confident and relaxed away from the cameras.
And, as with the external audience, your teams can listen to the podcasts when they want and while they are doing something else.
Content creation
One of the things I like about podcasts is they can easily form a basis for other content.
For example, some of the discussed subjects can be explored in more detail in blog posts and articles afterwards. This is something Sagentia Innovation has done with its podcasts.
Another approach is to simply transcribe each podcast.
You could also record your podcast on video cameras and create a series of short clips you could use on your social media channels.
Life span
Podcasts can have a long shelf-life. It is not unusual for people to discover podcasts months or even years after recording.
Of course, some will have a degree of time sensitivity.
But many more are based on conversations and stories that stay relevant and interesting and continue to offer value no matter how long ago they were recorded.
Moonlight
Maybe a branded podcast feels like too much of a leap just now, or perhaps you are not convinced it would work for you. If that’s the case, you can still try to get involved in podcasts and benefit from them.
Look for podcasts about your sector and industry and see if there could be opportunities for your experts to appear on an episode.
This can be an excellent way to start using the format.
And if you are successful and want a little help in preparing your spokespeople to make the most of the opportunity, you know where to find us.
Find out more about how Thirty Seven can help you create a podcast for your brand.
Media First are media and communications training specialists with over 35 years of experience. We have a team of trainers, each with decades of experience working as journalists, presenters, communications coaches and media trainers.
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