With earnings season upon us, companies and their IR teams will be hoping to bag high-profile media appearances for their executives. But have you considered putting your CEO forward for a podcast?
That’s an idea floating around the IR community this week after the Financial Times reported that more CEOs are turning to business-focused podcasts to tell their company’s story and engage with a wider range of stakeholders.
The podcast format appeals to corporate leaders as they can lay out their ideas at length – positioning them as thought leaders – while showcasing more of their personal side, explains the article. Podcasts may also have flexibility around editorial rules, handing guests more control over the output.
CEOs are taking part as both guests and hosts, notes the FT. Nicolai Tangen, head of Norway’s huge sovereign wealth fund, has a show called In Good Company, which has featured CEOs from Microsoft, Rolls-Royce, Shell and Trip.com.
Other examples include Acquired, which focuses on tech stories, and Masters of Scale, the show run by LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman.
I’m not surprised executives are getting out more on the podcast circuit or setting up their own gigs. The format seems ready-made for speakers who want to set out big ideas – without too much interruption – and build their personal brand.
Despite their often long run times, podcasts are also great for garnering attention on social media. The best sound bites can easily be clipped and shared as short reels on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, garnering much more exposure than the original content.
In addition, you can hit many stakeholders at once. The audience for a podcast is likely to feature employees, customers, clients and investors. LinkedIn has a similar appeal for executives; it’s a way to reach different groups with one shot.
Traditional media interviews retain their importance, of course, especially when there are tough questions that need to be answered. Here, a friendly chat with a business peer isn’t going to cut it.
CEOs might be hogging the headlines, but IR professionals are also getting in on the podcast craze and running their own shows.
A couple of examples include Siemens Healthineers’ IR quarterly wrap-up, presented by head of IR Marc Koebernick, and Aecon’s Road to Net Zero podcast, which is co-hosted by Adam Borgatti, the firm’s IR and corporate development lead.
A number of Spanish companies, meanwhile, use podcasts as a way to engage with retail shareholders, as my colleague Noemi Distefano reported earlier this year.
Are you using podcasts to communicate with investors? Get in touch and let us know at [email protected] or via LinkedIn.
