05 Dec How Podcasts Help CEOs Build Influence and Visibility

Did you know that in 2023, almost 70 million people in the U.S. listened to podcasts? This number is projected to increase to over 110 million listeners in 2029. Podcasts have been around for decades but this medium became increasingly popular during the COVID and post-COVID periods.

Today, there are quite literally millions of different podcasts to tune in to, hosted on sites like YouTube and Spotify. From true crime to art to those focusing on world news and entertainment, podcasts cover an extensive range of topics and personalities. There’s even one about breakfast cereal.

There are also podcasts with a more business-oriented focus, featuring CEOs and business founders who appear as guest speakers to share their unique insights. Examples include Meet the CEOs, TOP CEO, Scaling Up, and Not Another CEO Podcast.

In past articles, we’ve discussed the importance of strategically positioning a company CEO or executive on social media to help boost their thought leadership. Below, we share our insights into why podcasting is another powerful digital marketing tool that can support your social media program.

Executives Can Share Their Expertise on Podcasts

Business-oriented podcasts are an effective platform for executives to discuss trends happening in their specific industries, innovations their company is involved with, and other insightful topics. This not only showcases their knowledge but also positions them as a thought leader in their field. This helps to enhance both their personal and company reputation, establishing them as an authoritative voice in the industry.

Tips to maximize podcasting opportunities:

Come prepared. In most cases, the podcast host will send over a list of questions they’ll ask during the conversation. It helps to outline some key industry trends or insights that you want to highlight. Another tip here is to stay on topic and speak about things you’re passionate about. If your audience can hear your excitement, they’ll be more invested in what you have to say.

Use data and stories. Depending on the podcast, it may be audio-only, which means executives will need to be excellent storytellers to keep their audience engaged. Using stats and real stories helps keep conversations authentic and relatable.

Executives Can Build Their Credibility on Podcasts

A core component of why CEOs and executives should have a strategic executive social media program is because it builds credibility for them as business leaders. When executives share their stories, expertise, and unique perspectives on podcasts, they create an authentic connection with listeners. This authenticity builds trust among key stakeholders, whether it’s potential customers, investors, employees, or partners. Every podcast episode becomes an opportunity to reinforce company values while also elevating the speaker’s leadership profile.

Tips to maximize podcasting opportunities:

Be authentic. Being transparent and sharing both successes and failures helps create a more authentic narrative. For some, talking about failure can be challenging since it represents a part of their career that they’d often like to forget! However, being vulnerable and honest is one of the most effective ways to be authentic. Listeners aren’t interested in hearing from the “perfect” CEO, but rather one they can relate to and learn from.

Leverage the host’s credibility. This requires extensive research and vetting, but we always recommend that business leaders associate themselves with trusted, established podcast hosts. While the risk of appearing on a podcast is minimal, understanding the podcast host’s values can help executives decide whether they want to be connected to that brand.

Executives Can Use Podcasts To Expand Their Audience

An executive social media program helps promote visibility on key platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram, but what about potential stakeholders outside of these social media channels? This is where podcasts can help fill in the gap by increasing visibility to a new audience. Podcast listeners are often engaged and loyal, tuning in to each episode. This makes them an ideal audience for executives looking to reach beyond their usual networks. Appearing on a podcast also drives new social media followers, which further amplifies reach and influence.

Tips to maximize podcasting opportunities:

Choose the right podcast. This tip may sound obvious, but it’s worth mentioning. Choosing podcasts strategically and ensuring alignment with business goals helps maximize the impact an executive has on listeners. Marketers looking for podcasting opportunities for their executives will need to put in the time to research the many podcasts out there — or, they can partner with an executive social media marketing agency who can do the heavy lifting for them.

Engage listeners directly. In many cases, podcast hosts will allow time at the end of the conversation for guest speakers to promote themselves. Executives can share the social media channels they have a presence on.

Executives Can Leverage Podcast Appearances To Create Social Media Content

Podcasts are highly sharable, making them a valuable content asset for social media. Executives can encourage engagement from their social media followers, such as clicking the link in the post in order to tune in to the full episode, or even promoting the podcast host by tagging them. This type of reciprocal promotion could even boost the chances of an executive being reinvited back to the podcast in a future episode.

Tips to maximize podcasting opportunities:

Create a variety of content. Examples of content include short audio snippets from the podcast, videos with captions, and static custom graphics with compelling quotes. Depending on how long the podcast interview was, one episode could have a long runway, resulting in a number of different content pieces. Our tip? Videos and carousels are typically higher performing on social media, compared to other content.

Consider the platform and adjust accordingly. This means paying attention to content specs, like the size of a video on LinkedIn versus a Reel on Instagram. Also, keep social media best practices in mind. For example, if the podcast host is on the social media platform you’re sharing content on, check to see if you can tag them and their podcast.

How To Find Podcasting Opportunities for Your Executive

In today’s crowded social media space, executives are constantly looking for effective ways to elevate their company and personal brand. Guest speaking on a podcast was once an overlooked strategy, but it’s increasingly becoming understood as a viable way for executives to share their expertise, build credibility, and expand their influence in meaningful ways.

However, it can be challenging to find the right podcast. For marketers who want to leverage podcasts strategically as part of their executive social media strategy but don’t know where to start or don’t have the time, this is where the Influential Executive team comes in!

We have worked with executives and their teams to source and vet strategic podcast shows to appear on, coordinated scheduling, and provided support on prepping for the discussion. If you’re interested in learning more about podcasting opportunities for CEOs and executives, or executive social media in general, click the button below!

Speak with an executive social media expert!