How Podcasts could be a great tool for PR outreach?

Authored by Silawath Irshad, Podcast Host – The Growth Mindset; Guest: PRPOI Live Session

The new buzz word in the media industry is Podcasting. Everybody is talking about starting a podcast or planning to promote themselves by appearing as a guest on a podcast channel. First, let us start with the basics. What is Podcasting?

 In simple words, Voice over the internet is called podcasting. You can compare it with radio in a sense but minus the internet and way lesser ads. Podcasting is a very powerful medium in the US with over 63 million active listeners today. India is not far behind though we would still consider the industry to be at a very nascent stages in the country. India is the third-largest consumer of podcasts right after China which is in the second place. Podcasts are currently being consumed by 40 million listeners in India out of the 500 million internet users and the numbers are growing every month. The segment has huge potential for growth and as these numbers grow it is attracting a lot of attention.

 Podcasting in India is still not very widely known because many people have not even heard of it. Podcasting like every other medium has multiple genres and based on what your interests are you can find multiple podcast channels that talk about various topics ranging from poetry, education, self-improvement, mental health, spirituality, interview-based, comedy, horror, sci-fi and more. You name anything and you will find a podcast channel covering that topic. The best part, no unwanted ads. Just you and your favorite podcast.

 Today there are over 8,50,000 podcast channels in the world and India is competing to add a big share to that number. Podcasting in India is growing at a rapid rate of 58% each year and the revenue alone from the podcasting industry last year across the world was close to $900 million and is expected to cross a billion this year. The consumption of podcasts has skyrocketed during COVID adding to the numbers. This has also attracted music streaming service providers who are now getting into the Podcast industry. There is a reason why Spotify has committed to investing over 500 million dollars into podcasting and has struck a deal with Joe Rogan's Podcast for $100 million. India with its population is an amazing market for podcasts and in the next 5 years and it will dominate the space. And if this is where the audience is can brands, advertising and PR be far behind?  

 So here are my top 3 Reasons why Podcasts and PR must leverage this together today:

Brand Building with a Niche Audience: One of the key roles PR plays for brands is building a strong reputation. For this you need to connect with the right audience and be heard or visible to them. Podcasts typically focus on one subject at a time and that attracts a certain kind of audience which is very keen or interested in that subject. Holding the attention of 100 odd listeners who are keen on the subject vs targeting everybody. What wins?

Start Early before it gets crowded: Be an Early adopter and get a competitive edge. Podcasts are growing at a massive rate of 58% each year, imagine how much it will grow in the next 5 or 10 years from now. All the big corporates are getting into podcast be it Apple, Google, Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Pocketcast, Stitcher and the list goes on. ‘Discover’ the platform now and build a relationship with the host right now before they hit the rapid growth stage.

 Finger on the pulse: Podcasts are gaining more and more audiences every week because they want to listen to a specific subject or gain expertise over one. And this is a more knowledgeable segment. Understand where the audience is headed and adapt your PR strategy accordingly. When you have your client on a podcast, you are addressing an entire audience who really wants to listen to you. When you have a finger on the pulse of your audience and their content consumption habits who will hold the attention of the room? 

 

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of Adgully.

Media
@adgully

News in the domain of Advertising, Marketing, Media and Business of Entertainment

More in Media