Podcasts are not new by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, they date back to the 80s when they were previously known as ‘audioblogs’. With the rise of consistent and reliable broadband internet access and audio playback devices, podcasts began to really gain popularity, and today there are more than 115,00 English speaking podcasts alone. They offer a convenient, effective, and portable way to deliver thought leadership.

Why podcasts? Well, they have several advantages that other forms of communication do not have. Verbal communication saves time both for the speaker and the listener. For time poor subject matter experts this can be a saving grace, as it saves the time involved in writing, and for the listener, the message transfer is more effective. Podcasts are easy to consume and allow your audience to listen at their convenience. They can listen whilst doing other things, whether they are on the treadmill at the gym or on their morning commute.

Additionally, they offer greater degree of flexibility and accuracy in what is communicated. Verbal pitch, tone, and intonation can be used to clarify and reinforce what is spoken through the words. This aids with the goal of communicating more efficiently.

Many organisations have been harnessing the power of podcasts to develop and establish themselves as industry experts. Slack, the office messaging platform has experienced tremendous growth in the last five years. They are considered to be among the gold standard when it comes to professional podcasts. In short 20-to-40-minute episodes they cover topics such as work, life, and major industry events. Their listenership grew with every episode according to their CMO. There are also many other industry giants now using the medium including General Electric, IBM, and Amazon.