For producers creating audio-first content, the challenge is cutting through a saturated market, building a recognisable identity and creating an IP that audiences choose to return to.
Whether you’re the creator of a long-running sports podcast, growing a slate of scripted audio dramas, or spin off audio formats with known (or unknown) talent, a strategic positioning strategy can be the missing ingredient. It increases audience awareness of your IP, while also demonstrating its commercial value to platforms, brands, commissioners, and international partners.
If you're:
• Producing original podcasts or audio-first IP
• Looking to attract platform, brand or commercial partners
• Looking to grow your podcast audience internationally
• Looking to attract talent or content creators to collaborate with on audio IP
Here’s how you can support the development, visibility and commercial value of your productions to ensure you’re connecting with the right audiences and creating opportunities beyond an episode launch.
Start PR before the mic is switched on
PR shouldn’t start when your podcast launches on Spotify. The development of an audio IP can itself provide opportunities to introduce the concept, creative team and ambition behind a project to the industry and open up commercial opportunities – just like announcing film and TV developments.
Attaching a recognisable host, securing an interesting contributor, partnering with a publisher or brand, or developing an original format can all provide reasons to start conversations with both trade and consumer press.
This early visibility puts you in front of platforms, brands and commercial partners and helps start conversations early in the process, before you reach audiences.
Make the talent part of the IP
In an increasingly saturated market, content creators, YouTubers, celebrities, influencers and established media personalities are turning to podcasts as a way to extend their existing audiences, build new revenue streams and create owned IP. Companies such as Plosive have demonstrated how established talent can become the foundation for scalable audio IP, with podcasts such as Off Menu extending beyond the audio release itself into live experiences, brand partnerships, merch releases and wider entertainment opportunities.
The relationship the audience has with the person behind the microphone is central to the value of the content. Hosts, presenters, guests, journalists and specialist contributors can become recognisable voices with their own authority and following. PR can build that profile independently for individual episodes.
New guests, topics and takeaways offer press moments and opportunities for each episode through radio, newspapers, magazines, online publications and other podcasts.
The profile developed around one IP can support the launch of other content on the slate, attract high-profile contributors, strengthen relationships with brands and help demonstrate the calibre of talent attached to projects.
PR for proof of concept
For producers developing concepts with potential to move into television, film, live entertainment, publishing, international formats or other platforms, an audio format could be a vital proof of concept.
Audience growth, engagement, notable guests, platform performance, awards or international reach can be transformed into a business case that demonstrates the IP already has traction. An example of this kind of audio to screen adaption is the Hulu series The Dropout, which was developed from a podcast and had an established story and audience before it was moved into a scripted series.
With a paper trail of news announcements, interviews, op eds and other press activations you can communicate to international partners, sponsors, brands and talent that your audio-first IP has an audience in its local territory. It also boosts your profile as a business operating in audio with experience of building and travelling formats and territories, and becomes tangible evidence of audience demand and creative credibility that can boost wider commercial opportunities.
Get in touch with us if you're looking to maximise the lifecycle of your audio-first content!