Turn Your Podcast Into a Swiss Army Knife for Engagement
A podcast can be much more than a series of audio files. It’s a versatile tool for connection, storytelling, and visibility. I like to think of it as a Swiss Army knife for engagement: a tool that opens up opportunities to reach audiences far beyond the episodes themselves.
Connection and community
At its most basic level, a podcast offers a space to share thought leadership and strengthen relationships. As I’ve written about previously, audio fosters a deep sense of connection in your audience, where listeners can be moved by strong storytelling, feel a sense of intimacy with the hosts and guests, and develop a sense of trust. This can influence how people think about your organization and your mission.
One conversation leads to many
While each episode is usually a conversation in and of itself, it can also be a starting point for countless other conversations – outside of the podcast feed. Every release day is a reason to post on multiple platforms and reach people with your message, even if they don’t listen to the show. One of my clients, the Environmental Defense Fund, leverages video clips to promote new episodes of Degrees: Real talk about planet-saving careers AND engage listeners with fun behind the scenes content. (Tools like Riverside.fm make this easy.) This can attract new listeners, spark dialogue, and inspire people to share your message with their own networks. Each episode also provides an opportunity for that week’s guest to promote the show - and your organization - to their audience.
Podcasts also provide great material for blog posts. For example, my client the World Peace Foundation wrote “Lessons from Disrupting Peace” to share key takeaways from their first season.
Beyond basic engagement
A podcast also offers pathways to engage with your listenership on a deeper level. Listeners can leave voice messages with questions and stories, they can fill out polls about what they want to hear, and they can leave feedback in ratings, comments, and emails.
You can even take this a step further by hosting events. For example, the Environmental Defense Fund hosted a live virtual event every week that episodes from Season 7 of Degrees came out. This strengthened their community of listeners – and boosted their mission – by bringing people together, offering resources, and sharing expertise live.
Exponential reach
A well-produced podcast isn’t just audio content, it’s a catalyst for conversation and connection on multiple platforms. It opens up possibilities to reach new audiences wherever they are, amplify your mission, and foster deep relationships. These engagement opportunities can be tailored to your organization’s goals and bandwidth – I’d love to talk with you about what approach might be the right fit!
By Emily Shaw and Anna Van Dine