What is the true value of podcasts?

How many genuine, true friends do you have? 

You know, the ones who drop everything when you need them… who you call to share exciting news… who you can trust to keep a secret?

What if I ranked you against your colleagues based on the number of friends you have, and turned this data into a chart or graph; then used it to decide who gets a bonus, or who doesn’t… who gets promoted or who gets fired? 

Ridiculous, right? 

Obviously quality; not quantity matters when it comes to our friendships. 

We value our friends by the impact they have on us… and we have on them.

We instinctively understand this. We know what our friends mean to us because we know.

Value is earned

The ‘value’ of our friendships is based on how our friends make us feel, think, act and understand the world around us; understand ourselves… 

It’s a relationship. 

We trust our friends. We learn from them; they make us laugh… make us think.

As we explored in our recent post; this is what we’re tapping-in to with earned media; developing genuine relationships with audiences.

Podcasts deliver this, more than any other earned media; leveraging that most human form of communication: complex, in-depth conversation. 

X/(wh)Y?

So how do we measure the ‘value’ of campaigns which seek to leverage all that’s great about ‘friendships’ and conversation? 

All too often we turn to data: the most downloaded episodes; the ‘biggest’ shows; charts here… graphs there… 

We convince ourselves – and our clients – this is what ‘value’ looks like; though our instincts tell us something is missing.

Sound familiar?

I’m not saying data is irrelevant – it is useful, as a guide – but too often ‘metrics’ are the ‘be-all’ and ‘end-all’.

This idea of ‘value’ has always seemed shortsighted, one-dimensional and unreliable to me.  

I’ve worked in the audio/conversation business for 20+ years. This is what I know, from first-hand experience: 

True value is multidimensional, complex, human – especially when we’re using relationship-building conversation as a tool, as we are with podcasts. 

We can see and understand the evidence of this if we trust our instincts… it’s in the thoughts, feelings, behaviour and reactions our podcast work inspires and enables in people… a kaleidoscope of positive, tangible impact… 

We know these responses matter – remember we’re leveraging ‘friendship’ – but it’s too easy to discount or overlook them.

That’s what this post is about: a challenge to teams working on podcast projects to think more deeply about what the irrefutable evidence of ‘value’ really is… and how we can achieve it, together. 

It’s good to talk…

As creatives, our business is people. We’re fascinated by the human condition.

Not everyone thinks like we do – and that’s a good thing…

Our work is designed to impact on individuals: how people think, feel, act, understand… what they care about.

When we’re collaborating with end clients to produce earned media content like – especially like – podcasts, our job is to share some of this ‘people skills magic’.

Talking – telling stories – may be innate, but talking ‘on mic’ most definitely is not; no more than reciting a story makes you a storyteller.  

I’m talking about becoming a conversationalist. This is a learned skill which requires patience, time, confidence and coaching to develop. 

Like all journeys, having a knowledgeable guide helps.  

Coaching is key…

To me, the best podcasts are great conversations which happen to be recorded. The ones where you just know the contributor(s) have forgotten they’re ‘on mic’. They’re just… talking. 

But achieving this is much harder than it sounds. 

I’ve come to realise the most important part of my work is helping people to develop skills they don’t know they have. 

Why would anyone know how to use a mic, or to host a podcast? 

They don’t.   

When contributors (i.e. hosts or guests) overcome the ‘on mic’ confidence/tech challenge – perhaps setting up their own mic remotely (with my help) – there’s a real sense of achievement, and rightly so.

This isn’t a technical exercise – it’s about building trust; in me as their producer… in themselves. 

When I create the mix and they hear how great they sound, they know it’s partly down to them.  

Trust = confidence. And this is the key to everything. 

Confident, well-supported contributors feel part of the production team – which they are. The more involved they become in the production process, the less daunting it seems. 

Ultimately this leads to contributors feeling relaxed – acting like ‘themselves’ – during all ‘live mic’ situations; great for podcast recordings, but also far-reaching…

Think how useful this would be if someone you’re advising was invited on The Today Programme. 

Great performance and reliable, consistent audio quality = getting re-booked as a regular pundit or expert by producers on flagship radio shows. I know – I used to be one.

Quality matters; what is said – and how it sounds.

Yes, podcast production is about ‘making stuff’… but it is much more than that: it’s about investing in people; not just content.

What I’m talking about is making a tangible, irrefutable positive impact on people: leaving a lasting skills and wellbeing legacy, via the production process. 

As a seasoned producer, this mindset has become my purpose and values, rolled into one. 

I call it ‘metrics that count’. 

And it isn’t about helping people because it’s the right thing to do – which it is.

It’s strategic. 

Because focusing on helping people first enables great conversations to happen, down the line. 

And this is where real thought leadership stems from. 

Lifelong learning…

The better the conversation, the more engaging the podcast is as earned content… but good conversations don’t just happen – they require careful, considered preparation. 

The most impressive podcast hosts I’ve worked with are also the best conversationalists; because they’ve put this work in up front… 

Reading books, articles, blog posts; listening to podcasts… anything to prepare for the deep conversations they’re about to have.

And these are skills for life; not just for podcasts.

Why? The more prepared a host is, the more able they are to listen.

The more we listen, the more we hear. 

The more we hear,  the more we understand. The more we understand, the more we think; the more we think, the more insightful and illuminating our questions become.

This is what a skilled conversationalist is. 

Think about the positive impact a conversationalist could have on a company; perhaps one of your clients – or maybe where you work:

– A conversationalist line manager will hear their colleagues’ worries or concerns. Well-supported staff are more likely to thrive and benefit the business. 

• A conversationalist hiring manager will be open to new ideas; inspiring talented candidates to create extraordinary things.
• A conversationalist will be less likely to leave to work for your direct competitor because they’ve been invested in.
• A conversationalist is more likely to listen to – and calm – fears (and markets) during crises; this should be part of your resilience comms planning – seriously. 
• A conversationalist has a learning mindset; waiting to gather knowledge, then asking the right questions at the right time.

This last one is the most important. And don’t just take my word for it. 

What is a thought leader anyway? 

Podcasts are too often seen as opportunities for ‘thought-leaders’ to broadcast their ideas as content. But I think this misses the point. The true value is the other way around:

Podcasts are an opportunity to become a thought leader. 

But what is a thought leader? Let’s start by looking at what ‘leadership’ is.

Sally Walker is a former Director at GCHQ – an organisation which exists to interpret, analyse and decipher data. Sally was a guest on a recent podcast I produced. 

You might expect someone from an organisation like GCHQ to place a lot of weight on knowledge as an attribute of leadership (and to back this up with data) – but not so;   

“I think a lot of organisations are realising the power of leadership is the ability to ask great questions, not to know all the answers. And that’s the start of the journey.”

So, thought leadership is learned before it’s earned. It’s a mindset.

Being a leader is about humility; not hubris. 

Leaders recognise what they don’t know; rather than broadcasting what they do. They gather, analyse and decipher information, then share it – as a trusted source. 

Maybe this is what makes them a trusted source? Someone who people want to follow, collaborate with, do business with.

Podcasts enable this process, equipping companies with a platform for key staff to meet people; giving them time and space to develop the skill set to have deep conversations; offering them a chance to listen to different perspectives, to ask the right questions; to learn something new…

By enabling these opportunities, you’re achieving the most valuable outcome of all: you’re empowering them to truly become a ‘thought leader’.

It’s time to think deeply about what the true ‘value’ of podcasts really is; and how we can collaborate to help you use the podcast production process to achieve it, together.

You never know, we might even make some new friends along the way.