Legacy media has lost the trust of the young, the old, the right, and the left, with folks leveraging this new reality to deliver messages, mobilize bases, fundraise and rise to widespread recognition overnight. Entrepreneurs have forged new businesses, run ads and created new platforms for news and social media. Consumers have responded by taking their trust and attention elsewhere. So where are they going?
“The Joe Rogan Experience” and “Call Her Daddy.”
When it comes to persuasive communications and public influence, a clear frontrunner is emerging from the media revolution: podcasts.
The Numbers
While traditional media is seeing record-low viewership, the podcast industry is exploding.
With more than 100 million Americans listening monthly, podcasts are now a $2 billion industry, ripe with opportunity for thought leadership, message amplification and stakeholder influence. What makes this especially compelling for advocacy professionals is that podcast audiences consistently demonstrate higher engagement rates and deeper trust relationships than traditional media consumers.
Podcast Listeners are More Likely to Take Action
In the oversaturated information environment every message is competing in, cutting through the noise is harder than ever, and these engagement differentials represent the margin between reputation and irrelevance. Look no further for evidence than Donald Trump’s three-hour conversation with Joe Rogan generating more than 40 million views across platforms (more reach than most Super Bowl commercials), and Kamala Harris’s appearance on “Call Her Daddy” reaching the niche demographic segment of 18-29 year-olds that ultimately delivered her 51% of their vote on Election Day 2024.
The Why
Advocacy strategists realize traditional media can no longer offer what podcasts can: unfiltered conversation space, humor, engagement, and audience intimacy that creates critical persuasion opportunities.
The Podcast Reward
Unlike traditional broadcast media that limits messaging to brief soundbites, podcasts provide space for meaningful dialogue that holds audience attention from start to finish. This creates valuable opportunities for policy experts and industry leaders to explain complex issues in-depth, share compelling narratives, and establish authentic credibility that traditional media’s time constraints prevent.
Targeting Your Audience
The podcast sphere is hyper-unique in precisely capturing an audience’s interests. Whether a guest is looking to reach suburban moms, tech gurus, history buffs, or 25-year-old women looking to achieve financial literacy and independence, there’s a podcast for that.
Borrowing Trust
When a guest joins a podcast, they’re tapping into a loyal fan base rarely found elsewhere across the media landscape. When the guest is endorsed by the host, this credibility is transferred to demographics in a way that stale traditional endorsements can’t match.
The Strategy
For politicians, thought leaders, industry executives, or brands just trying to gain some name-recognition, successfully navigating this new media reality requires more than landing the right booking, it demands a strategic approach.
Audience Mapping
Narrow down your target audience and identify which demographic will yield the highest engagement rate. Go beyond download numbers and analyze behavior patterns.
Relationship Development
Focus on relationship-building leading up to the recording. This facilitates a rapport and gains audience trust through authentic engagement with the host.
Content Prep
Come prepared with conversational talking points in mind rather than scripted lines. Any audience would tell you it’s obvious and awkward when guests are overly polished.
Cross-Platform Amplification
Engage across other digital platforms. Podcast appearances are great content for social media campaigns, website features, email outreach… and booking even more podcasts.
Metrics and Optimization
Track engagement and reach beyond download counts. Monitor social media comments, tags, website traffic spikes, key-word searches, trending hashtags, and fundraising correlations to podcast appearances.
The Takeaway
Success in today’s new media landscape takes more than traditional daytime TV bookings. Podcasts are driving a fundamental shift in how messages reach audiences and influence public opinion – the most impactful conversations don’t happen in smoke-filled rooms, but in recording studios, reaching millions of engaged listeners.
This is where strategic communications expertise is essential. Ready to identify the right podcasts for your message and secure those key appearances? Get in touch with our team.
Jordan Smith
Associate
Jordan Smith delivers integrated public relations and government relations solutions, helping clients advance their policy priorities through strategic communications and effective advocacy in Washington. She transforms complex policy initiatives into compelling narratives that resonate with policymakers and stakeholders, drawing on her experience from Congressman Mark Green’s office and as the digital content strategist for Ron DeSantis’s presidential campaign. Her proven approach combines sophisticated policy understanding with persuasive storytelling to help organizations navigate legislative challenges, build stakeholder support, and achieve lasting impact through targeted engagement strategies.