The popularity of podcasts has increased dramatically in recent years. As newspaper circulations and TV figures decline, audio and video podcasts have become the fastest growing medium. This blog is your go-to podcast PR guide.
Ofcom says 11.7 million people in the UK now listen to podcasts each week – that’s around 1 in five people. Favourites include news and current affairs, comedy and discussion shows.
From a PR perspective, they are impactful yet cost-effective, an excellent way of communicating key messages to both mass and targeted audiences.
By using podcasts for PR and booking your clients on podcasts, you make it easier for audiences. By using podcasts for PR and booking your clients on podcasts, you make it easier for audiences to hear their message and familiarise themselves with who they are and what they’re about.
The way we consume audio is constantly changing and podcasts are riding the crest of a wave with more than 71 million podcast episodes currently available world-wide.
Convenient, easy to consume and whatever your interest you’ll find something to suit your tastes.
Podcasts are a brilliant way of keeping yourself informed and updated across a multitude of topics and are often presented by knowledgeable and entertaining hosts.
Listeners love them as they have the intimacy and familiarity of radio; we love audio because we feel that the presenter or contributor is reaching out to us directly.
Cost effective?
Compared to other PR options, the costs of producing a podcast for a PR campaign are relatively low, making it accessible to businesses of all sizes. In addition to being cost-effective, podcast PR offers a unique opportunity to engage with potential customers in a way that other marketing channels can’t.
Options
Technically, producing a podcast can be free when you do everything yourself, but it is worth investing in a professional podcast production agency if you are looking to produce a quality podcast. Most, including Shout! Communications, charge by time — for studio hire, a technician to facilitate remote recording, and a producer to ensure the smooth running of the session.
Post covid, presenters and guests often record from home. This can significantly reduce recording costs as high-quality interviews can be recorded thanks to studio quality podcast recording software including Riverside.
For a basic podcast ie a presenter and a couple of guests budget from around £850 for a 20-minute episode up to several thousand pounds for a more polished episode – more if you’re interested in a video podcast, but more about that later!
The Benefits of using Podcasts for PR
Reach a new audience
Engaging a target audience, and seeing them subscribe to your RSS feed, is the ultimate sign of a successful podcast in a PR campaign, along with good content. But make sure your topics are interesting and relevant to your target audience. Much as sometimes brands would love them to be an advert a podcast can’t be over branded or rammed with key messages, and they can’t be communicated in anything but a subtle manner.
You might not have Ofcom or BBC producer guidelines to restrict you, but you don’t want to put your subscribers off. In fact, we’d argue that the brand may just play a bit part in your podcast as you try to engage with your listeners. The longer conversational form of a podcast is beneficial as it can allow the guest’s personality to really shine and allows for time to go more in depth – weaving in brand messages in an unobtrusive way.
PR Podcasts provide more time to connect with the audience
PR podcasts, unlike more truncated broadcast interviews, can run for up to an hour and typically 20-30 minutes. A radio interview on a national station like LBC or BBC Radio 5Live you’d be lucky to achieve 5-10 minutes maximum. This digital platform gives a unique opportunity for guests to have longer and more engaging conversations than a normal interview. Podcasts allow guests to share their insights, talk about themselves, establish thoughts as an industry leader, and capture the audience’s attention.
Podcasts are always pre-recorded, radio interviews are typically live which allows for more thoughtful planning and brand messaging. Enabling guests to stop and start and if necessary, take control of the interview if you feel it is steering away from where you’re comfortable.
For a podcast with PR as its main objective, it is easier to see ROI as you can prove how many listeners there are though the number of streams but for absolute proof radio interviews must be subscribed to RAJAR (the official body in charge of measuring radio audiences in the UK)
Ofcom’s latest insight on podcast demographics (2024) shows that slightly more men (29%) listen regularly to podcasts than women (22%), but it is the younger audience which has really grown in the last year or so. In 2023 it was 25-34 which were the biggest podcast fans but now this has been overtaken by 18-24s. Nearly half say they regularly listen to them.
This audience is typically harder to reach with traditional radio stations – other than Radio1 or Capital so worth bearing in mind if your campaign is looking at targeting them.
But don’t forget the + 65’s one in ten listen each week.
PR podcasts provide amplified online visibility
Podcasting is a great outlet to support online marketing. Podcasts can complement a PR campaign as there are multiple hosting platforms that podcasts are posted to. For example, an episode can be posted on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcast, and many more.
In addition to audio format, podcasts are now recorded with video and brands post their podcasts on video streaming platforms like YouTube.
Podcast video clips are also a popular way to promote podcasts on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, creating a further chance for your content to go viral.
Niche or broad for successful podcast PR?
There is absolutely a place for podcasts to target very niche audiences but being a guest on a widely listened to podcast comes with its own set of advantages. Top rated business podcasts like The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett interviews entrepreneurs and personalities about their brand story. Others like the Business Leader podcast, a weekly podcast features in-depth interviews with some of the world’s most seasoned business experts, thought leaders and trailblazers. Podcasts with this format give a platform to reach new audiences.
However, if the goal of your podcast PR campaign is to target a specific audience, there is no shortage of niche podcasts. This one is for the manufacturing industry. Industry 4.0 Ready is hosted by Deloitte and looks at the digital transformation – as firms look to streamline their production process. Each episode provides valuable insight from leaders and academics as the industry responds, recovers and prepares to thrive in this new area of manufacturing. The format plays its own beneficial role in establishing brand awareness and stronger audience relationships.
As journalists we planned, produced and reported on TV stories ourselves, therefore we have extensive knowledge of what it takes to get a story on-air.
Our experience means we understand what makes an outstanding visual story. It’s also given us excellent contacts in all the UK’s national and regional television stations, as well as many abroad.
We generate stories we know will appeal to broadcasters and place them editorially on television. We can also offer a reactive approach, creating opportunities for your spokespeople by hi-jacking other stories in the news agenda.
We will tell you what ingredients you need to successfully place a story on TV. This includes which channels and programmes are most suited to your target audience along with suggestions for spokespeople, filming opportunities and locations.
Some words of caution though!
The opportunity has to justify your client’s time and energy, additionally you or your client has to be a good guest: responsive to the host, able give short snappy answers, talk in accessible terms, etc.
Our advice is not to appear on a show if it has an audience of less than 20,000 listeners- that is the sort of audience we wouldn’t include in a radio day schedule where the reach is a minimum of 50,000.
Finally, remember that unlike broadcast PR, podcast PR can have a long lead in time typically episodes run either weekly or sometimes monthly so instant coverage on a specific day isn’t always possible.
Podcast placement is best secured in conjunction with a broader campaign but shines a spotlight for a niche audience.
Podcast PR campaign examples
Just some of the podcasts that we have regularly place clients on featuring different genres include Food Chain on BBC World
We secured an interview with Tilda Rice’s MD for a special episode on rice discussing alternate wet/dry farming methods complimenting a report into combating CO2 emissions which was featured on BBC radio and TV.
And for US business client Onfido Saving with Steve.
Here is an example of an additional interview. It reaches a key U.S audience and talks about AI audio fraud.
We’d recommend some podcast coaching before agreeing to be a guest and definitely if you’re the main host.
Once you’ve found the right podcast matches for your client, then it’s time to think about outreach – don’t be hesitant, be direct!
Tell the podcast show how your client can benefit them and their audience.
Mention other podcasts your client has been on before and any relevant credentials, etc. Include relevant information such as YouTube video views but make sure you’ve listened to the show before you appear.
A guide to creating a podcast with PR in mind
A PR podcast can really be as broad as your imagination or budget, but there some formats which are tried and tested and work well for a business and consumer audience.
Host led interview podcasts – typically this would be one or two hosts who chat with one or more guests each episode. This is akin to a radio show.
Round table – up to a maximum of four works well with a topic or topics which are explored with experts.
On location – this is a podcast recorded out of the studio and can make the show more dynamic.
PR podcast guide - steps to follow
- Decide what your podcast is about
- Define who your target listener is
- Find the right podcast format for you
- Work out episode length and frequency
- Name your show
- Plan your episodes’ script and interview questions
- Set Up Your Podcast Production Space
- Record your podcast
- Edit and polish your podcast recording
- Launch, distribute and share your podcast
- Promote Your Podcast & Grow Your Audience
- Repurpose your podcast
Other elements to consider
Artwork: You’ll also need an image or a design for your podcast. This should be a square: 1400×1400 pixels. This thumbnail will accompany your podcast channel, so make sure it’s clear, eye catching, and most importantly includes the name of your podcast.
Upload to Your Host: Upload your file and to your podcasting host. A good host will generate and update your podcast feed automatically, while also providing you with a website where your podcasts can live.
Submit to Directories: Finally, submit your podcast to directories, such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts etc so your podcast can be found.
Partner with the right podcast PR agency
If you’re looking for a podcast PR agency to support you or your client with placing podcast guests or podcast production services, and want to hear more about the easiest way to record, edit, produce, and publish your podcast, then contact Shout! Communications. hello@shoutcommunications.co.uk 0207 240 7373
Our agency can help with:
- Specialist podcast recording equipment/expertise
- Promotional strategy and channels
Call our production team on 020 7240 7373 or email hello@shoutcommunications.co.uk
Author: Catherine Bayfield
Catherine is Co-Founder of Shout! Communications and has more than 20 years experience in Broadcast PR. She leads the Media Relations team and her expertise includes media training. She excels at creating campaigns that help clients make an impact. Catherine moved into PR after a successful career as a broadcast journalist, at GMB, London Tonight and Central TV.
