A word in your ear

Have you heard? Audio is having a bit of a moment. There are now over 19 million podcast listeners in the UK, a figure that's doubled in the last five years; Ofcom's 2021 Podcast Survey found that 25% of adults were now regular podcast listeners, happily popping a podcast in their ears at least once a week.

From news and entertainment, to real crime, self-help, cookery and fitness, there's audio for everyone at the touch of a button. Plus, 88% of the British population still tune into their favourite radio stations every week, a figure that's remained pretty much the same for the last decade.

Audio is a unique medium - it's intimate, yet a collective experience. Audio moves, entertains and inspires us: there's a very special emotional connection between humans and audio in a way that visual mediums cannot match.

As a result, repeated studies have found radio is the most trusted medium which people turn to for news, entertainment and company - a fact brought into sharp focus during the darker days of the pandemic. Those dark days also meant that when the majority of us were stuck at home in lockdown, and desperate for further escapism, radio's younger relative the podcast started to explode in popularity.

Audio remains part of many people's daily rituals, despite the myriad other mediums available on demand today. It has always evolved to embrace new digital technology to keep up with audience demands and tastes, whether radio moving to FM and DAB, or with online formats such as streaming, as well as podcasts from both existing broadcasters and new producers. The appeal of podcasts is not hard to fathom, when they arguably offer listeners more personal and often instant choice to cater for their particular interests.

TRUSTED FRIEND
So should PR professionals be capitalising on the rise of audio for the benefit of their clients? Whether getting them on podcasts or as guests on radio shows? And is it worth it? The short answer is yes. Lucy Barrett, client director at Radiocentre, the industry body for UK commercial radio, explains: "It's almost a no-brainer for agencies and PR teams to get their clients onto radio. With an audience which equates to 88% of the population, combined commercial and BBC radio listening overall is up, with almost 50 million (49.7 million) now tuning in to their favourite radio stations each week. This combined audience is the biggest ever for all UK radio.

"Radio has always been a trusted friend in the corner of the room for millions of listeners across the UK and that friendship has been more important than ever during recent times. But perhaps more importantly for those looking to use the medium for their brand or business, Radiogauge data also shows that people exposed to radio advertising are 62% more likely to trust a brand. The question remains not why should I, but rather why wouldn't I?"

Radiocentre research has consistently demonstrated that radio is one of the most effective advertising media, because of our unique engagement with it. They've also found that out of TV, radio and online, radio generates the most happiness, putting people in a positive state of mind and more receptive to what's being said. It stands to reason then that audio is a great vehicle when it comes to positive PR brand building, and a powerful opportunity to reach consumers to raise client visibility as thought leaders and experts. But it has to be done in the right way - and it's not always the best idea for clients to make podcasts themselves.

BOOMING INDUSTRY
The pandemic created an unprecedented podcast boom in 2020, with many businesses and brands entering the audio space for the first time - with limited success. According to the latest figures, as of April 2022, Apple hosts 2,440,383 podcasts… but just 512,480 are active (i.e. an episode has been released in the last 90 days), with many having been canned altogether.

There's such a profusion of podcasts, there are almost too many to listen to and as a result, not many get significant listener figures. According to Buzzsprout, one of the world's biggest podcast hosts, based on the average number of downloads per episode within the first seven days of release, in the UK as of April 2022, only the top 1% of podcasts got more than 3,994 downloads. Just the top 5% got more than 795. And only the top 25% of podcasts got more than 93 listens - out of all podcasts in the UK, only the top 50% mustered more than 30. 

The moral being, it's a better idea to try and get clients onto an existing successful, suitable podcast - podcast charts are easy to Google and the number of social media followers is a good indication of how well-listened to they are. And pitching clients to be expert guests or talking heads on radio shows, particularly national stations - which can often be listened to again or streamed as a podcast - is a no-brainer. 

If you do want to go down the DIY route (or a client insists), then get a professional podcast producer onboard. They have all the necessary expertise to produce high-quality audio with relevant, engaging content (both essential), they know where to place it (not just on LinkedIn and the company's website) and have contacts with professional hosts to provide a valuable listening experience. Plus, they have the requisite arsenal at their fingertips for social listening, audience research and content strategy. 

Incidentally, the CIPR does run a successful Introduction to Podcasting course; a full-day workshop that teaches you everything you need to know about creating an influential podcast for on-line digital audio, using a smartphone or digital recorder - no prior experience or knowledge necessary!

MESSAGING AND STORYTELLING
Andrew Harrison, group editor of Podmasters, who make some of Britain's favourite listens with the likes of Oh God, What Now?, Doomsday Watch With Arthur Snell and The Bunker, which regularly make Apple's Top 10 UK podcast charts, explains: "Podcasts are a fantastic way for companies and individuals to build their brand, simply because the intimate nature of the listening experience means that engagement levels are very high. You can just concentrate on your message and be natural. 

"We've had great success with a company of financial advisors where we've managed to turn this unpromising subject area into something enjoyable and compelling, simply by letting the clients' personality and humour shine on their podcast. For larger organisations like the Royal College of Nursing or Institute for Government, we created podcast channels for them to show off expertise and insight that only they can provide, adding the dimension of character and wit that seldom shines on a web page."

"Audio is great for building brands, because clients can show their smarts in long form conversations, and let people see their human, insightful side"

Andrew stresses: "It's important to remember that a podcast needs to be as crafted as any piece of print or visual comms. I'm often asked ‘We want to make a podcast, what equipment do we need?' But it's not about the equipment. It's about the core idea, the storytelling, the tone, the scripting, the feel of the sound and the pacing. This is what you get from a professional producer. Any brand or client that's thinking of podcasting would be better advised talking to professionals than buying a set of microphones and soundproofing the broom cupboard."

PR Jane Austin, owner and founder of Persuasion Communications, which has been working with a host of high-end consumer, tech and creative brands for almost 15 years, agrees that audio is great for building brands, because clients can show their smarts in long form conversations - particularly on podcasts - and let people see their human, insightful side.

TURNING UP THE VOLUME
Jane believes the benefits often go beyond audio too, explaining: "They also allow for further amplification - a particularly interesting conversation can be written up into news pieces, used across social or extracted into a short YouTube video. Plus, strong audio can lead to TV appearances or press opportunities as sourcing teams will have the individual at front of mind."

However, Jane cautions: "Few B2B podcasts are good for PR. Most business editors can get hold of the people you would want to interview directly and ask their own, probably more provocative questions because they are journalists, and not using the medium as a PR or new business exercise.

"Plus, great talent, whether host or guest, is expensive and many businesses don't want to invest in the fee. But there's no point in creating a new podcast without top talent, a real appeal and an existing fan base to leverage when there are so many podcasts out there. Cut-through for businesses or clients launching their own podcasts is minimal."

Despite this, the popularity of podcasts continue to surge and brands and businesses remain keen to get on board.

Naturally, pitching clients to appear on relevant successful podcasts and radio shows should be the priority. But it seems sensible to warn them against launching their own unless they are crystal clear about what they hope to achieve, what stories they're hoping to tell (podcasts should never be an ad for their own company) and crucially, whether there will be an audience for it.

Vanity podcasts are to be avoided - just because a client can do a podcast doesn't mean they should - but audio is a trend that's only going to grow in volume when it comes to the world of PR. So stay tuned.