The Value of Podcasts in Your PR Strategy

Chances are if you don’t live in a cave, you’ve heard of podcasts. According to the latest research, almost 70 million people in the US listen to podcasts at least weekly. That is 25% of the US population, and the US is only 5th in the world for podcast popularity. Podcasting, which is really only in its infancy, has become a major force in global news and culture, and this force is projected to grow at a healthy pace in the next five years. If you are a business owner or entrepreneur, podcasting needs to be on your radar when it comes to developing your public relations strategy.

Podcasts connect you with potential clients

In many ways, podcasting is quite different from traditional media outreach channels. One of the primary differentiating factors is that podcasts tend to be more long-form and in-depth conversations around a given theme but with the openness and time to discuss any number of topics. Audience members consume the podcast medium differently than other media channels. TV and film, for example, are typically reserved for chill-out times where audiences give their full attention to the program, whereas podcasts are consumed at work, during travel and commuting (back when people used to commute), and when people are working out. Podcast listeners are also more intentional about what they listen to: a listener will usually actively subscribe to and download each podcast episode they want to hear. This equates to podcast audiences being much more loyal to the podcasts they enjoy and much more likely to identify with its themes.

What this all means is that, even with the large number of existing podcasts (over 500,000 active shows) and projected growth, a podcast itself is constitutionally a niche channel. If there is something that you are passionate about, chances are good that there is a podcast for exactly that passion. Almost all of these podcasts are offered to their listeners for free, and the ones that are financially self-sustaining are either publicly funded or survive from ad revenues. 

As a business owner or entrepreneur, one could of course target some paid media toward these passionate audiences, or start a new podcast, which can be a significant investment. From a PR perspective however, the best opportunity to leverage this $10 Billion industry is to be a guest on a podcast that targets exactly the people that your product or service is meant to serve. 

Be prepared for your podcast interview

Getting yourself a guest spot on a highly rated podcast is no easy task. We are no longer in the Wild West of 2010 podcasting. These days, popular podcasts receive up to hundreds of guest request pitches per month. If your pitch to be a guest on a podcast is not highly personalized and directly on point, it will quickly be tossed to the bin. For a business owner, this means doing your homework: figure out what podcasts people are listening to in your sector, learn about the hosts, listen to several episodes, and generally get involved with those scenes to give yourself an accurate idea of where you might be an effective contributor. It’s not as easy as searching for “Web Development Podcasts,” although there certainly are several podcasts specifically for that. Rather, you want to scan the landscape to try to place yourself in the biggest pond possible. This might mean a more general interest podcast, say ‘Tech News’ for example. The idea here isn’t about promoting your business. Rather, you are placing yourself as somebody relevant in the field, somebody who is -- literally, in this case -- part of the conversation. If you don’t have the time to truly learn the space and build relationships with podcasters, it may be time to hire a top tech PR firm. 

After you’ve managed to secure a guest spot on the podcast of your choice, you need to make sure you’re ready to face the unique challenges of the format. On the one hand, podcasts are typically more casual conversations compared to your average, one-minute news spot where your message has to remain hyper-focused. On the other hand, you need to be careful to keep yourself (casually) on message during these (sometimes) hour-long conversations. Again, being effective here will be based on doing your homework and hearing what kind of conversations sound well-composed versus which conversations tend to trail off into tangents or potentially damaging topics. Make lists of effective speaking mannerism and practice with coworkers or partners to make sure you are ready. The good news is, if you’ve landed yourself on a podcast that is in your sector, then you will be hopefully speaking on themes that are aligned with your passions. But a modicum of media training is definitely recommended! 

Podcasting is part of a larger trend

Media and culture have seen two major, new tracks emerge in the last few years: the one direction moves toward a place of immense weirdness and new humor (think memes, Twitter fast food wars, Gritty); the other track is moving toward a place of heightened authenticity. This second track has been poignantly accelerated by the global pandemic. People are at home, disconnected from all but their closest contacts, and thinking about what is truly important in their lives. Podcasts definitely fit into this second track. People are listening to podcasts because they are hungry for genuine human communication and interaction. People are hungry to improve themselves, learn about things they care about, and connect with other humans. The simple act of listening to people truly talk to one another is providing an effective salve. 

For business owners and entrepreneurs, questions about how to approach podcasting cannot be limited to figuring out how to get a spot and analyzing the ROI. It’s also an important chance to ask yourself who your people are, how you connect with them, and how your business is bringing something meaningful to the world. Businesses everywhere are engaging exactly this kind of inquiry in a renewed search for purpose. Podcasts can be a fantastic tool to position your business in 2021 and beyond. If you can define your relevance and purpose, then you will find your audience and the ROI will be manifestly obvious.