The Value of Podcasts as a Communications Tool
Podcasts are a highly effective way to communicate with employees, colleagues, clients and other stakeholders. When well produced and containing useful and/or interesting information, they attract a high level of engagement and close focus. Audio-only podcasts are much more more likely to finish an entire episode than when listening with video, with some reports showing up to 93% completion for audio-only episodes of 30 minutes. By contrast, 30-minute videos often see only a 14% completion rate. Podcasts seem to find a perfect niche in the busy lives of multi-taskers, keeping them company in the interludes between being on and off duty.
In a YouGov survey:
- 49% of respondents said they listen to podcasts while doing chores (43% male vs 55% female)
- 42% said they listen to podcasts on their work commute
- 29% said they listen to podcasts while working out.
Listening to a podcast fosters a strong, intimate, and personal connection with hosts. In the absence of visuals, listeners co-create mental images. Their deep attention on the speaker’s voice and storytelling builds and trust, benefiting the listener and the podcaster.
Moreover, listening through headphones is twice as effective for message reception according to research by the University of California, and 93% of podcasts are listened to on headphones.
“We find that headphones produce a phenomenon called in-head localization, which makes the speaker sound as if they’re inside your head,” said the co-author of one of the studies, On Amir, who is professor of marketing at the University of California San Diego Rady School of Management.
“Consequently, listeners perceive the communicators as closer — both physically and socially. As a result, listeners perceive the communicator as warmer, they feel and behave more empathically toward them and they are more easily persuaded by them.”
These strong engagement effects make audio podcasts a highly useful tool in leadership communications, crisis management situations, customer relations and marketing. They can humanise brands and nourish reputations.
Contact us for more information about how you can use podcasts in your corporate communications or marketing. Media Wise can help you conceptualise and produce them.
You can listen to some of the podcasts we have created here. https://www.mediawise.eu/whd