It feels like at least a dozen new podcasts are introduced each week.
The No. 1 question for anyone who coaches publicity is, who’s listening to the reported 2.4 million shows?
The quick answer is revealed in a variety of surveys, but each overwhelmingly identifies white males (54% per earthweb) as the dominant audience, with other demographics growing each month.
Popular podcast topics vary, but most surveys reveal that comedy and news get the most clicks. Sports rank fourth or fifth depending on what list you read.
Should you do your own pod?
Like everything in PR, whether you pitch a story or produce audio/video, the value depends on your industry and what your audience wants. Maybe you’re like Apple and you can create something people didn’t realize they needed until they hear it. A question for you: Do you credibly provide information that no one else can, or deliver it in a more captivating way?
Podcasts are great marketing tools.
With audiences’ satisfaction top of mind, a podcast could become your most valuable publicity vehicle.
Perfection is not required.
I listen mostly to sports media and small business podcasts and regardless of topic, production quality is varied. If you’ve read or worked with me, you know that crisp copy, audio, video or a combination are keys to keeping your audience’s attention. If your production is lousy, the host and guests are monotone or if you repeat the same line 25 times like a television customer service agent you’ll lose listeners faster than a teenager tuning out a parent.
Buzz isn’t always a good thing.
Neither are beeps that sound like a security system with a low battery. Your guest may call in from a beach during the winter and the sound of waves highlight his backdrop, but that won’t make someone hit MUTE. It will be an annoying buzz or beep that distracts listeners.
Practice
I suggest you start as someone else’s guest. Like with a radio pitch, be sure your topic matches the pod’s focus, and have informative and entertaining points to discuss. Do a few reps then listen to recordings. Be honest – would you listen to you? Ask the host what she thinks if you’re a newbie on an established show. Most will be honest with their feedback and if they don’t say so in words, you’ll find out whether or not you’re invited back when an occasion calls for your topic. In that case, keep practicing.
Podcast listeners don’t expect perfection, but time is valuable. Provide us something that we’ll learn from or laugh at – or both – and chances are you might have a good one. Good luck!
©Gail Sideman, gpublicity.com 2022
###