Podcasts and PR: The New Way of Controlling Your Message
Public relations serves as one of the most important factors for a brand to focus on when trying to maintain their brand image and identity. However, the realm of PR is rapidly changing and evolving, with the lines that separate PR from marketing and thought leadership becoming increasingly blurry and vague.
Podcasts can, (and in our opinion should!), serve as the new form of PR delivery for your brand. By creating a branded podcast, you’ll create a space for your followers to learn more about you as a brand as well as using the content you already have to generate press interest.
Here’s why podcasts need to become a part of your PR strategy.
Podcasts increase brand awareness
More and more brands are turning to podcasts to reach their target audiences in an innovative and creative way. The House of Commons’ Committee Corridor, Sephora’s #LipStories, Red Bull’s Basement Sessions, and Gatorade’s The Secret to Victory all fall into this category of popular organisations with equally popular podcasts. Each of these shows get directly into their audiences ears through storytelling that finds creative ways to engage with their consumers.
Podcasts allow you to cut out the PR middleman
Podcasts also give brands complete control of their messaging without the need for sending out mass press releases. With a podcast, you’re in control of the content and messaging of each episode. You can also release them on their own if you have the resources to do so (and if they need a little help, Message Heard is here to provide a helping hand!)
Podcasts are flexible
The podcast for your brand doesn’t need to always run for a specific number of episodes, and the running time can be as long or as short as you’d like. The Secret to Victory was a six-part series,while #LipStories ran for two seasons. There is a lot of flexibility in podcasting, making it one of the easier ways of accessing your current and new customers, while also keeping it interesting and engaging for the people working on it.
Podcasts go hand in hand with traditional PR methods
We’re all familiar with those viral clips of celebrities on shows such as ‘Diary of a CEO’ and there’s no reason why you can’t use your branded podcast to make a splash online. Taking key quotes from prominent guests and turning them into press releases is a sure fire way to make sure both your brand and your podcast make the news.
Podcasts maintain your brand’s image
The aforementioned branded podcasts are all viewed as podcasts that serve as reflections of the brand's image, which is an important need for brands who want to get into the podcasting space: your brand must correlate and align with the podcast in every way possible. This consistency is a critical part in customer acquisition and retention.
Uniformity isn’t always a good thing, but in this case, it definitely is worth paying attention to for the sake of your brand. Keeping things on-brand for your podcast will help maintain the brand image through the podcast.
Podcasts can humanise your brand
A voice associated with an organisation can become the brand’s public image through the use of podcasts as well. This can make an individual feel more connected to a brand, and will most likely inspire them to engage with the brand if they feel this form of connection and personal tie.
Ultimately, a podcast can humanise your brand and make your brand feel more personal and serves as an extension of your brand’s identity. Podcasts have the incredible power to elevate a brand’s status and position them as something other than just a company that's working to make a profit.
Are you convinced yet and want to get started on your own brand’s podcast with MessageHeard? Get in touch today. We are here to get your message heard and we can help with many aspects of your next great podcast project.