Podcasting for PR: Strategy, Setup, and Success Metrics
For PR professionals, standing out in today’s crowded media landscape is harder than ever. Traditional media placements are valuable, but audiences are increasingly turning to on-demand content – especially podcasts. If you’re not integrating podcasting into your PR strategy, you may be missing out on one of the most engaging and effective communication channels available.
Having spent more than 20 years in business podcasting – as a podcast founder, producer, host and co-host – I’ve seen first-hand how podcasts have evolved into an essential tool for modern PR professionals. As audiences continue shifting towards on-demand audio (and video) and long-form content, the opportunity for brands to engage in meaningful conversations has never been greater.
This simple view is borne out in a recent guide from Cision that's an excellent starting point for budding business podcasters.
In The PR Guide to Podcasts, Cision explains how podcasting has evolved into a powerful PR channel, rivalling traditional media platforms like radio and TV. With millions of active listeners worldwide, podcasts provide brands with a way to build credibility, establish thought leadership, and reach niche audiences. Depending on your goals, podcasts can also be powerful tools for lead generation and other sales- and marketing-related activity.
According to Cision’s guide, PR teams can benefit from podcasts in several ways:
- Expanding brand reach – Podcasts offer an opportunity to secure earned media through guest appearances and industry collaborations.
- Building credibility – Unlike short-form media interviews, podcasts allow for deeper, unscripted discussions that position speakers as experts.
- Leveraging audience loyalty – Listeners often form strong connections with podcast hosts, making guest appearances more impactful.
- Repurposing content – A single podcast interview can be transformed into blog posts, social media content, and marketing collateral.
The guide also emphasises the importance of research and personalisation when pitching your CEO or other leader for podcast appearances, as well as the strategic benefits of launching your own branded podcast.
It includes reference to 12 podcasts Cision recommends for PR pros to listen to (I was delighted to see For Immediate Release, the long-running show I co-host with Shel Holtz, included in this listing).
Taking a Structured Approach
Cision’s PR Guide to Podcasts provides an excellent foundation for PR professionals who want to integrate podcasting into their communication strategies. It covers the essential principles – from securing guest appearances to launching and measuring a podcast’s success – and provides a structured roadmap for getting started.
In this post, I’m building on that foundation, expanding on key areas that often don’t receive enough attention but are critical to long-term success. These include defining a strong podcast strategy, deciding between audio and video formats, and effectively measuring impact. These elements require careful planning before launch to ensure podcasting becomes an effective and sustainable part of your communication efforts.
This is especially true if you have to present a compelling business case to get approval for your podcasting idea. The case should show crystal-clear and measurable objectives.
Let’s take a look at each of these areas.
1: Defining a Podcast Strategy
In my experience, businesses launch podcasts too often without a clear purpose. This leads to inconsistent content, disengaged audiences, and a lack of measurable impact. Then, inevitably, internal support starts to decline. Addressing these strategic questions upfront ensures your podcast serves a real PR function rather than becoming an afterthought.
Key Questions to Consider:
- What is the purpose of the podcast? Are you aiming to increase brand awareness, generate leads, or position executives as thought leaders?
- Who is your audience? Understanding listener demographics helps tailor content that appeals to those listeners' interests and needs.
- What’s your unique angle? With thousands of podcasts available, defining a clear value proposition is essential. What insights can your brand offer that others can’t?
- Who will be involved? Assign clear roles, from hosts and guests to production and promotion teams.
- How will you measure success? Setting key performance indicators (KPIs) from the outset ensures that you can track progress effectively.
A strategic foundation not only improves content planning but also ensures long-term sustainability. Without a clear vision, even the most well-produced podcasts can struggle to find and retain an audience.
With a clear strategy in place, the next step is execution. But launching a podcast requires more than just a microphone and a great idea.
2: Starting Your Own Podcast
Launching a podcast requires careful planning and technical considerations, especially for PR professionals managing brand reputation. Here are the core steps:
1. Choose a Format
Decide whether your podcast will feature expert interviews, panel discussions, solo episodes, or a mix of formats. The structure should align with your audience’s preferences and brand voice.
2. Audio, Video, or Both?
One key decision when launching a podcast today is whether to stick with audio, go video-first, or adopt a hybrid approach. Traditional podcasting has been audio-focused, but video is increasingly becoming a dominant format, especially when YouTube is now the most popular platform for podcast consumption.
| Format | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Audio-Only | Lower production costs, easier to edit, ideal for on-the-go listening. | Limited visual engagement, harder to repurpose for social media. |
| Video Podcasting | Increases discoverability (especially on YouTube), enhances audience connection through facial expressions and body language. | Higher production demands, requires quality video setup, potential for added editing complexity. |
| Both (Hybrid) | Maximises reach, gives audiences choice, expands content repurposing opportunities. | Requires more resources, additional post-production work. |
If your goal is to build deep audience engagement and credibility, audio-only may be the best option, especially if targeting professionals who listen during commutes or work. However, if you want to boost discoverability and social media presence, video is a smart choice. Many successful podcasters now record in both formats, using video for promotional clips while prioritising audio for distribution.
The rise of AI-powered podcasting tools and interactive video podcasting trends is shaping the future of the industry. Riverside.fm’s article on nine major podcasting trends highlights how video podcasting and AI-driven production will become even more prominent in the coming years – an important consideration when planning your podcast strategy.
3. Create a Content Plan. A common mistake is launching a podcast without a sustainable content plan. Many shows start strong but fizzle out after a few episodes due to a lack of prepared topics or guests.
If you plan on creating a monthly podcast, map out three to six months of topics in advance, balancing evergreen content with timely discussions. This ensures a steady stream of episodes without scrambling for last-minute ideas.
4. Invest in Quality Production. Good audio quality is essential for credibility and the overall listener experience. While entry-level microphones and recording software can work, it's not recommended – investing in professional-grade equipment enhances the listener expectations.
- Good: USB microphone (budget-friendly, decent quality)
- Better: XLR mic setup with an audio interface (higher quality)
- Best: Professional studio recording setup (ideal for high production value)
Also consider the software you intend to use for audio editing and final production of your MP3 file. If you're just starting out,I recommend the free open-source tool Audacity with versions for Windows, Mac and Linux.
My favourite paid app is Adobe Audition for Windows, which I've used for well over a decade. For Macs, there's Logic Pro, the upgraded version of Garageband, and others.
Consider, too, paid tools like Riverside.fm and Descript, which offer a wide range of features for audio and video recording, editing, and production, which make the overall process relatively easy.
5. Develop a Distribution Strategy. Choose a podcast hosting platform that syndicates content to major platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Having a well-planned distribution strategy maximises reach.
6. Promote the Podcast. Promotion should start before the first episode launches. PR teams can leverage:
- Social media campaigns, paid and organic
- Guest appearances on other podcasts
- Email newsletters
- Industry partnerships
Podcasting is not a ‘build it and they will come’ medium. Discovery is one of the biggest challenges, so a proactive promotional strategy is essential.
A successful launch involves building anticipation and ensuring the right audience discovers the show.
3: Measuring Podcast Success
Tracking performance is crucial to understanding your podcast’s impact and refining its strategy. Cision highlights the following key metrics:
1. Listener Retention – How long are people listening to each episode? High drop-off rates may indicate content or production issues.
2. Download Numbers – Tracking total downloads per episode provides insights into reach and popularity trends. One thing to remember is that this metric always comes up in discussions in organisations: total audience numbers – listeners of your podcast – cannot be accurately worked out from downloads.
Download numbers often get the most attention, but they don’t tell the full story. A podcast with 10,000 downloads but low listener retention isn’t as effective as one with 1,000 highly engaged listeners who stay until the end and take action.
3. Subscriber Growth – Increasing subscriber numbers reflect audience engagement and loyalty and the long-term appeal of the podcast.
4. Audience Demographics – Analysing listener locations, age groups, and preferred platforms helps tailor content and marketing strategies.
5. Website Traffic & Conversions – Adding UTM codes to podcast links can track how episodes contribute to website visits and lead generation.
By consistently analysing these metrics, PR teams can refine content, improve engagement, and demonstrate ROI to stakeholders.
- Read Cision's guide for more detail, free download here: https://www.cision.com/resources/guides-and-reports/pr-guide-podcasting/
Are you currently using podcasting in your PR efforts? What's your setup? What challenges have you faced, and what has worked best for your brand? Share your experiences in the comments, below.
