Since we last wrote a podcast related article, the podcast industry has grown. In 2021, there were 34 million episodes, now there are 48 million. Last year, 75% of Americans were aware of podcasting, now 79% are. In fact, these days, more Americans listen to podcasts than have Netflix accounts!
In our previous article, we talked about how the savvy PR pro can take advantage of podcasts without having to produce one. This time we’re going to switch gears slightly and talk about why the savvy PR pro needs to add podcasts to their media monitoring.
You may think that because you’re too small, too niche, or because you haven’t been actively pitching podcast hosts that you don’t need to add podcasts to your monitoring. Not so.
When you monitor podcasts, you’ll be able to:
Keep an eye on your industry and your competitors
We recommend to our clients that they go beyond monitoring just their brand, products, and spokespeople. While monitoring for mentions of your organization is an excellent way of measuring your earned media, awareness, and reputation, if you’re not also monitoring your industry and competitors, you’ll lack the necessary context to see where you fit in the bigger picture.
There are a lot of podcasts out there (2 million according to Podcast Insights) and at least one of them is dedicated to your industry. Knowing what people are thinking and saying about your industry, and what topics are worthy of an episode can help you build campaigns or plug into a hot topic while it’s still timely.
You’ll also want to know if your competitors are taking advantage of podcasts, whether through advertising or guest appearances. Or what if your competitors are mentioned during industry discussions but you’re not? That’s something you’ll want to know so you can tackle increasing brand awareness.
Get to know your audience better
This builds off “keep an eye on your industry.” Knowing where your audience is going to seek information about the industry is important. You’ll learn what type of messaging they respond to, what piques their interest, and who they trust for authoritative, credible content.
Which bridges into…
Find the right podcast for your spokesperson
Knowing where your audience goes for information means you can target the right podcasts for earned media opportunities.
As with any earned media, successful pitching requires doing your homework first. Knowing the type of content the show produces, the style of questions the interviewer asks, the range of topics they focus on, and even how in-depth, probing, and personal they can get are all essential in determining whether the show is the right fit, and if so, how you will pitch them. As an added bonus, a guest appearance on a podcast can also be a great backlink strategy as links are often included in the show notes.
There are other reasons to monitor podcasts, but these should hopefully compel you to start thinking about adding podcasts to your process. Reach out to your Account Manager if you want to talk more about podcast monitoring or visit our website to get in touch.
