Podcasting is the future of corporate content, says Des Paul. Want Some Media is shortlisted at the 2020 Corporate Content Awards

As we begin an exciting new decade, there can be no dispute that the ubiquitous smartphone in our hand or pocket has become one of life’s absolute essentials. Whether it’s scrolling through other people’s pictures of their holidays, their dogs or their breakfast while on the 8:21 to Victoria, checking work emails long before and long after normal office hours, or using the maps to navigate our way to that next meeting, we would literally be lost without them. They’re a window on the world for every aspect of our lives and no other device can provide this level of engagement, which is why it’s absolutely vital that we ensure all content is mobile friendly, if we’re to communicate effectively with our target audience.

The past decade has seen the growth of video content in all forms as it’s became easier to produce, distribute and watch. For corporate communications, there’s no doubt it’s been an invaluable tool, but it’s difficult to get right. Filming that corporate message on an iPhone in the office may feel authentic and real, but will probably look and sound terrible. Film it in a studio, and it may look the part, but it will have cost a fortune and burnt through that precious budget to get it done properly. Finding that cost effective happy medium is therefore key, based on the challenge of where people will watch it, how long they will watch it for and ultimately whether it was more effective than sending an email? There’s no point in producing video for video’s sake if simpler and more cost-effective content is an option, and increasingly that option comes in the form of a podcast.

Podcasts have been in existence for years, but nobody really listened to them. However, as we begin life in the '20’s that’s all changing, and audiences are responding in big numbers. Anyone involved in corporate communications needs to have podcasts on their radar, and slowly but surely, they are.

The beauty of podcasts is that they’re generally purely audio, which frees up the audience to do other things while they listen, whether that’s driving to work, cooking dinner for the kids or going for a run. You might think that this would reduce the impact of the content, but it’s actually the opposite. We all lead busy lives with much to fit in, and therefore the ability to talk to an audience without disrupting their daily schedule is a very powerful tool indeed.

Podcasts are easy to consume because they’re simple, and at WSM we understand that simplicity is key when trying to fit effectively into a crowded marketplace of information. We come from a background of radio and TV broadcast where quality is everything and only the best will do. Any content produced that has the name of a company or organisation attached to it, needs to be of a quality that befits the brand, and you’d be amazed how much of it isn’t!

If your brand is premium then we believe your output must reflect that and be built upon the three pillars of purpose, creativity and audience. Once we understand these three objectives, we use this information to shape our content to ensure that it’s interesting, exciting and will ultimately engage the audience. So, if you’re thinking about a new and effective way to communicate internally or externally in 2020, then perhaps you should be talking to us about your new podcast.

Des Paul is the managing director of Want Some Media

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