Make your brand heard: A qualitative study on the use of corporate podcasts as a branding tool

As an increasingly popular on-demand medium, podcasts have become more professional and commercialized in recent times. This is also evident from a look at corporate communications, where many companies add podcasts into their communication mix. To align these corporate podcasts with other communication channels, the concept of corporate branding can be helpful. This approach has not been considered by empirical studies so far. Our qualitative interview study wants to investigate the role of corporate podcasts in corporate branding and examines their integration into the communication strategy of nationally and internationally operating companies. 13 experts from large companies responsible for the respective podcast have been interviewed. The research results show that podcasts are mostly integrated into the company’s overarching communications strategy and incorporate company-specific branding aspects to varying degrees. Corporate podcasts are primarily used to highlight innovative and modern aspects of the brands, especially through the tone of voice. The intended impact of corporate podcasts is often a personal and emotional connection, interaction, and resonance with listeners. Increasing reputation, visibility, and conveying authenticity is also targeted. As a branding tool, podcasts are evaluated rather implicitly. The general evaluation is perceived as challenging and tends to focus on qualitative performance measurement. This study underscores the high need for research on corporate podcasts as a branding tool as well as for key performance indicators (KPIs) of podcasts.