PRs Can’t Afford to Overlook Podcasts, And Here’s Why
Are you missing opportunities to make podcast placement and production part of your PR mix? As revealed in our recent event, podcasts have evolved from a side-of-the-desk project to core business for broadcasters like Global. And it’s no surprise.
Daily podcast listening has doubled in the past eight years, and 98% of journalists now believe that podcasts are on track to rival live broadcast in terms of influence and reach.
Yet despite this, more than two-thirds of PR professionals report that they do not have a podcast strategy.
This is a missed opportunity. Podcasts aren’t just a “nice-to-have”, supplementary channel for promotion: they’re trusted, multi-platform and highly targeted, and they can make a BIG difference in your campaigns.
“At the end of the day, it comes down to human connection.”
Kaz McBride, Guest Production Manager at FlightStory Studio (home of Diary of a CEO), explained that while data and optimisation are key to podcast success, at the heart of podcasting is building deeply invested, dedicated communities of fans. Listeners spend hours each week with their favourite podcasters, and as a result:
- 80% of podcast listeners say they trust their hosts.
- One in three admits a podcast has changed their opinion.
This means that PRs not only have the opportunity to reach huge audiences – they can reach highly engaged audiences. What’s more, the intimate, conversational style of podcasts means that PRs can peel back the layers of a campaign. Unlike short broadcast interviews, podcasts allow guests to open up, explore complex ideas, and connect more authentically.
“Data gives us a really rounded picture of – that old radio cliche – the avatar of a listener”
Al Riddell, Head of Factual Podcasts at Global, discussed just how much insight podcast producers have into their audiences, and this is a key benefit for PRs. A podcast strategy can see you combine mass reach with niche targeting – as some podcast shows reach millions every month, while others speak directly to specific audiences. Niches include everything from midlife health and ADHD to hyper-defined hobbies and fandoms.
For PR professionals, that duality is gold. It means you can reach huge audiences when relevant, but also tap into focused communities that align perfectly with campaign objectives. In the words of Kaz McBride, “Every show has its own audience. We know exactly who they are, what they need to hear… If you partner with us, we know exactly who this message is going to. We know them almost by name, we are so heavily engaged with our audiences.”
“We think of podcasts as an ecosystem. A multimedia ecosystem.”
Podcasts today are more than just audio files. They’re multimedia ecosystems, landing pages for video, audio, newsletters, Discord communities, and social clips. Many shows now film every recording, creating video content that has the potential to travel far beyond the episode itself.
This multiplies exposure for guests and brands. Video snippets become viral clips on TikTok or Instagram. Episodes spark discussion in online forums. Shows cross-promote and cross-pollinate with broadcast radio, live events, and even TV shows – just look at BBC Sounds. As Al put it, “We’d be silly not to pull the levers we can”. For PRs, this means that a single podcast appearance (or clips from your own produced podcast) can concertina across multiple channels, amplifying reach and creating more touchpoints with your audiences.
“I can’t even list off everything that’s tested because it truly is every single element of the show, every single episode.”
Podcast success is engineered, not accidental. Podcast producers focus on audience-first content decisions using live data, not assumptions, and there are hundreds of opportunities to action micro-optimisations that improve listener clickthrough, retention and experience. But even with this data-driven mindset, podcasts still require creative leaps. Flight Story, for example, have a dedicated experimentation team whose job is to “try new things and fail.”
The result of all this attention to detail is a product that not only achieves short-term listenership, but an evergreen asset that people can retroactively visit and engage with. The evergreen nature of podcast provides a long-term return on investment for clients, ensuring that a well-placed podcast appearance, or a carefully produced podcast, continues to deliver exposure long after the release date.
How we can help
It’s clear that the logical next step for any PR planning their integrated broadcast PR campaign is to include podcast placement into the media mix. They may even see huge benefits from launching their own podcast.
At Broadcast Revolution, we can help you unlock the power of podcast. We identify and place your spokespeople on the podcasts that matter most – based on audience relevance, format fit, and strategic goals. And with podcasts building connections like few other mediums, we can help you create your own.Interested? Speak to our team today.
