The ever-changing media landscape has marketing and public relations professionals looking for the next big thing – and how can we get our clients involved. Over the past decade, podcasts have become a game changer in the industry, are increasingly more popular and provide great media relations opportunities for all types of people and businesses.
There are currently more than 700,000 active podcasts and more than 29 million podcast episodes in more than 100 languages – and the numbers are constantly growing! (If you have been living under a rock, a podcast is a digital audio file, typically available as a series, that can entertain, educate and inspire you about almost any topic.)
Let’s dive a little deeper into this boom in podcast consumption and how it can impact your business.
WHO
Nowadays, anyone can be a podcaster – comedians and celebrities like Dax Shephard and Amy Schumer, business and financial services professionals like Gary Vaynerchuk and Alexis Ohanian, health and wellness buffs like Dan Harris and Jillian Michaels, political and social justice influencers like Anderson Cooper and The New York Times reporters, and more. Your next door neighbor might be developing a podcast, too. There are podcasts for almost every industry and the technology available makes it easy for just about anyone to start their own.
HOW
There are three facets to focus on – who is creating the podcasts, who are the guests and who is listening to them. Now, where does your business fit in? You can get in on the action by finding specific shows that align with your brand’s message and participate as a guest.
For example, open the podcast app on your smartphone and search for a specific program or browse different categories for the top programs in industries from news and politics to arts and culture to science and medicine. All shows display a description as well as a recap of individual episodes.
WHAT
Consumption is key when it comes to utilizing a new form of media to promote your business and gain awareness. It’s important to actively listen to podcasts in your own industry, but also explore others that might seem a little out-of-the-box. Maybe your organization has a message that a podcast hasn’t shared or maybe their listeners reach a new target audience for you.
Podcasting is specific. Unlike typical radio broadcast programs, podcasters hone in on particular topics and produce specialized content that is targeted directly at its audience.
Familiarize yourself with the podcasts that you could see your business on by listening to multiple episodes, understanding their audience and demographic, and following the show and host on social media (if they have them).
WHERE
With podcasts readily available on any smartphone device, you can listen to them just about anywhere, on-demand. Think about how many people are walking down the street each day with headphones on. Not everyone is listening to music anymore. They’re actively learning on the go.
One of the major differentiating factors is the ability to have your message delivered to mass amounts of people through multiple distribution points. While most smartphones already have a podcast app built in, you can find them within other apps such as Spotify, Stitcher and RadioPublic. And don’t forget about satellite radio podcasts. If you subscribe to outlets such as SiriusXM, you can get your daily fix there, too. They even have podcasts exclusive to their listeners.
We’ve had various clients on podcasts, including Papa Gino’s CMO Deena McKinley on Bloomberg Baystate Business discussing the company’s new rebranding and marketing campaigns, Newton-Wellesley Hospital President Dr. Michael R. Jaff on Sirius XM Mastering Innovation sharing the community hospital’s innovative solutions to strengthening patient experience, and Brain Aneurysm Foundation Medical Advisor Dr. Christopher Ogilvy on YOU The Owner’s Manual explaining what a brain aneurysm is, what to look for and why they’re often misdiagnosed.
Podcasts are also posted online which makes it easier to listen anytime on a computer, too, and even easier to share the links on social media for your entire following to hear. And don’t forget to tag the show or host to give them credit and reach their followers. You never know who’s listening – a new customer, potential partner, prospective investor.
WHEN
Turn on a podcast on your commute – whether in the car or on public transportation – at the gym, while you’re cooking dinner, or really anywhere. The possibilities are endless when they are available right at your fingertips.
Listeners can easily subscribe to podcasts so when a new episode is released, they’re automatically notified – what’s easier than that! The nice thing about podcasts is you can listen to episodes in a row as part of a series or hop around and listen to just one at a time.
WHY
Now the biggest question – why? Millions of people are listening to podcasts. They’re becoming one of the largest content platforms around the world, accessible anytime, anywhere. Traditional media (television, print, billboards) is what many people are used to but new media (podcasts, blogs, vlogs) is what we need to learn to adapt to, accept and understand. This is an untapped market for many businesses that is full of potential and practically limitless!
Now it’s time to do your own research. Get to know podcasts, not only the shows but the creators. Figure out where you fit in and position yourself or your business as a thought leader in your industry.
