Podcasts: How can leaders navigate the reputational tightrope?

Packing for a holiday these days, picking the right podcasts to tune into on the flight or beside the pool is just as important as books or music. And no wonder – the explosion in podcast popularity in recent years has been spectacular.

Recent stats show that two in three UK adults listened to a podcast in the last year. And it’s on the rise.

But it’s not just true crime and comedy. One of the most exciting areas of growth is in the business and B2B space. The likes of Diary of A CEO have been leading the way for some time but we’ve seen a rapid rise in podcasts aimed at senior decision makers – alongside longer form audio and video content from trade media outlets.

So much so, it’s now estimated that 55% of businesses owners and founders are listening to podcasts daily, and 40% use podcasts for B2B content and professional insights.

Looking at this from the perspective of the participants, not the listeners, it’s clear there’s a huge opportunity here. Podcasts, YouTube interviews or long-form video chats offer space. Space to be thoughtful, to unpack complexity, to really get into the nitty gritty on key issues, and to sound like human beings.

Traditional media appearances often limit a CEO or senior leaders to 30-second soundbites or quote-lifted commentary. That brevity does not always do justice to big ideas or complex issues. In contrast, podcasts and video interviews offer time to get into the nuance. Leaders can tell stories, share behind-the-scenes insights, and connect with audiences on a more personal level.

It means that for spokespeople looking to elevate their profile and for brands looking to establish themselves as experts and thought leaders, both the format and the appetite for it means this is a channel which cannot be ignored as part of a well-rounded comms strategy.

But, with that opportunity comes risk.

Because while more airtime means more opportunity to inform, educate and excite, it also offers more chances to drift off-message, reveal more than you meant to, or get so relaxed in the conversation that an off-hand remark intended as humour comes back to bite you.

Podcasts and video interviews may well be lightly edited, but that doesn’t necessarily mean slips of the tongue or testy exchanges on trickier issues will be left out. Furthermore, podcast and video clips can easily be chopped and reshared on social media without the context of the wider discussion – increasing the chances of a slight misremark sounding even more off kilter.

So, how to walk this reputational high wire?

The good news is the training and preparation PR teams and advisers do with spokespeople ahead of any media opportunity hold for this sort of opportunity too.

That means:

• Know your outlet: thoroughly research and understand the slot you’re being offered. How does the podcast or video interview work? Who is the interviewer? How have previous guests fared? What topics are the most interested in?
• Message coaching: know your key brand and issue lines to take intimately.
• Scenario planning: Anticipate potentially tricky topics or questions, and work on responses beforehand.
• Practice sessions: put time in to do mock discussions, where you can get used to deploying key messages and prepared responses in a long-form interview format – and, critically, see how you respond when a curveball is thrown.

Long-form media opportunities are a double-edged sword. One misstep can become a reputational hazard. But preparation and practice can ensure strong exposure through a rapidly growing medium in front of an engaged business audience.