Today's New Media: Taking a Look at Modern PR in Podcasting

Are Podcasts Stealing the Stage in Modern PR?

By Brandy Whalen and Riley Coy

The days of print ads and viral blogs are fading and more effective routes to markets have emerged. In our current climate, modern PR efforts require a blend of hands-on tech and genuine connections with target audiences to garner a loyal following — podcasts checks all these boxes. Much like blogging fifteen years ago, podcast interviews can be a great tool for prospecting clients. The audio exists as a time capsule of your best pitch, which can be repurposed time and time again.

Podcast interviews have also become an integral part of any well-rounded PR campaign. By showing the audience who the speaker is, using their own words, podcasting cements brand recognition. Using readily available PR products, podcast marketing teams can quickly boost an existing ad campaign.

Think ‘the sexy side of technology,’ podcasting is rising to meet the challenge of creating compelling PR campaigns in an ever-changing media market. Podcast interviews provide a format for today’s in-demand entrepreneurs to not only talk about their offerings, but also about themselves, their motivation, and essentially, how they got where they are and where they hope to go next.

Hitting The Sweet Spot

Described as the ‘sweet spot between books and television,’ podcasting has the ability to create an intimate connection between those needing to tell a story and those wanting to listen to it. Often, these shared experiences are capable of reaching more folks than traditional forms of media.

By promoting a simpatico relationship between storyteller and listener, podcasting promotes a more collaborative environment for marketers and consumers alike. In a podcast interview, a client can talk about their specific products in a much more multi-faceted way.

“Unlike other forms of media, podcast interviews provide a unique opportunity for folks behind a brand to make an intimate connection with their audience.”

Like Apples and Oranges – Sort of

While advertising and PR dovetail into each other, they are far from the same thing. Understandably, few people want to listen to a thirty-minute advertisement. For a podcast to be successful, it must be more than a sales pitch – it has to tell a good story.

And speaking of telling a good story, consider the difference between marketing and selling using a traditional PR campaign versus what you now do to promote the same product or service. For example, in the past, you sold a tractor by running a glossy campaign with a farmer atop one riding through a sunlight hayfield. Today, people still need tractors. But, a good PR person must market that same tractor on media platforms like Tik Tok, Facebook, Instagram, and, of course, in podcast interviews. In today’s new media, you’re selling not only the tractor; you’re propelling the farming game to the next level by showing a ‘cool farmer’ on Instagram live using autonomous technology.

A Game Changer?

Podcast interviews also present a unique opportunity to secure the low-hanging fruit of marketing – quick placements. By pairing relevant content with readily available recording equipment and studios, startup founders have immediate access to an effective, on-demand marketing strategy. Podcasting delivers more diverse marketing opportunities at a high frequency. The take-away for today’s PR professionals? More sleep-filled nights and happier clients.

The Intersection Between Podcasting and Traditional Media

Rather than replacing it, podcasting complements traditional media. The podcasting marketing platform enables busy PR teams to do what they do best – focus on client management – while a crew works behind the scenes securing interview opportunities. The end result is a collaboration that enables clients to showcase expertise in their chosen niche.

In today’s demanding marketing environment, every well-rounded PR campaign should include podcast interviews. Even better, the campaign should give the target audience a taste of who the speaker is – essential for brand recognition. A skilled podcast marketing team can create an effective podcast from the information a PR agency has already collected – talking points, bios, headshots – and deliver it to the campaign manager’s front door. And, while it’s always nerve-wracking for any agency to bring in outside support, most see how podcasting supplements their marketing strategy almost immediately.

Monitoring a Podcast’s Success

Although podcast interviews have come a long way in a short time, it’s often hard to see objective analytics for podcasters. To ensure a podcasting campaign delivers the best possible information to its target audience, it’s essential to look for categorical relevance within one’s podcast catalog. One effective way to do this is by assessing what industries the marketer is playing in and determining where their podcast interviews rank. This is no easy task, as there are about 6 million active podcasts currently.

Get in Touch With Us

As podcasting’s popularity soars, we continue to develop a marketing niche. Our ongoing mission is to put the world’s top startup founders on the world’s top podcasts and let them share their stories with a wider audience.

If you want to learn more about incorporating podcasts into your business marketing, check us out at www.kitcaster.com or reach out to us at Riley (at) kitcaster.com or Brandy (at) kitcaster.com. We’d be more than happy to sit down with you and see how podcasting might work for your specific agency.

How do podcasts enhance modern PR efforts?

Podcasts serve as an effective tool in modern PR efforts by allowing brands to establish a personal connection with their audience. This format offers a direct way for speakers to articulate their brand identity, motivations, and future aspirations, significantly enhancing brand recognition.

What makes podcast interviews a crucial part of PR campaigns?

Podcast interviews have become essential to PR campaigns as they provide an intimate platform for storytelling, which traditional media cannot always offer. This intimate connection fosters a deeper understanding and engagement between the brand and its audience, making podcasts an invaluable tool for effective public relations.

How do advertising and PR differ in the context of podcasting?

While advertising often directly promotes products or services, PR focuses on building a positive reputation through storytelling and genuine connections. In podcasting, the emphasis is on creating engaging, relatable content rather than straightforward sales pitches, aligning more with PR’s objectives than traditional advertising.

What are the benefits of incorporating podcasts into a PR strategy?

Incorporating podcasts into a PR strategy allows brands to capture their audience’s attention through engaging stories and discussions that showcase the people behind the brand. This approach not only enhances brand visibility but also builds trust and loyalty among listeners.

How can PR professionals monitor the success of podcast campaigns?

To monitor the success of podcast campaigns, PR professionals should focus on the relevance and engagement metrics within their target audience’s industry. Assessing where the podcasts rank in terms of listener engagement and relevance to the industry can provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of the podcast as a PR tool.

What opportunities do podcasts offer for marketing startup founders?

Podcasts offer startup founders quick, effective marketing opportunities by providing a platform to discuss their innovations and industry insights. This accessibility to share their stories widely and establish thought leadership is particularly beneficial for enhancing their market presence and attracting potential investors or customers.