Why Most Branded Podcasts Fail (And How To Avoid It)
Quick Summary: 69% of podcasts aren't interview shows, yet most brands default to interviews when launching podcasts. This creates commodity positioning where brands compete against celebrity hosts with fraction of the resources. The solution: strategic format design that creates unreplicable competitive advantage through distinctive audience experience.
In a sea of interviews, a gameshow stands out.
After speaking to 67 founders and their marketing teams last year about their branded podcast strategy two patterns emerged that I believe are tightly related.
Firstly, there was always the concerned “It’s very saturated, how could we cut through the noise?”
Second, it didn’t talk long for someone to ask “Who would our guests be?”
An assumption had been made: Podcasts = interviews. To many, that’s just what a podcast is. But I believe this is a pricey mistake.
Cutting through the noise is the easy part. It just has to be something worth talking about. So the real question is “Why do most branded podcasts fail to create word-of-mouth?”
Why Interview Podcasts Don't Work for Brands Without Celebrity Hosts
Interview podcasts are technically very simple, don’t require big teams, easy to distribute & as it turns out audience psychology favours the conversational intimacy. But what doesn’t add up is that narrative style shows performed much better in terms of audience engagement. Listeners are 11% more likely to recommend a narrative show vs an interview show (Signal Hill Insights).
This suggests interview dominance reflects production economics rather than listener preference.
If a big name celebrity hosts a simple interview show with other big name celebrities then the already built in audiences mean the show can be a hit from day one with very little effort. The show is popular because the people involved are popular.
And there’s very little social risk in recommending something that’s popular (at least in mainstream circles).
But for brands without built in audiences, interviews are a commodity where they’ll be competing against the likes of Joe Rogan and Mel Robbins with a fraction of the resources. And don’t forget they have to fight off the “they’re trying to sell me something” resistance that meets anything with a logo on it.
This gets to the heart of why many of them fail: people won’t recommend them to others.
They won’t recommend them because status games are in play. There is very little status gain to be made from recommending your companies’ sustainability podcast where the Head of Marketing interviews people in the industry.
People will not risk their reputation for taste just to benefit your show.
How Podcast Format Creates Competitive Advantage
A strategically designed podcast format is what allows us to get status to work in our favour. By creating true podcast differentiation (something that listeners cannot get anywhere else because it cannot easily be copied), you create something worthy of a strong recommendation. Originality gives new listeners the upper-hand whereby they know something others in their network do not. And by sharing it, they get their status lift.
“Oh my god, have you heard this yet? No? Where have you been!?”
What Your Podcast Format Says About Your Brand Strategy
Media theorist Marshall McLuhan brilliantly stated “The medium is the message”. When thinking about your branded podcast strategy the format you choose tells your audience what you believe and who you're for before a single word is spoken.
What Does Your Podcast Format Signal to Listeners?
A weekly interview with industry leaders signals: "We believe in access to expertise." A narrative investigation signals: "We believe in uncovering hidden truths." A debate format signals: "We believe multiple perspectives sharpen thinking." A gameshow signals: "We believe learning should be playful."
Most brands never ask what their format choice signals. They default to interviews because interviews feel safe. But today, playing it safe is the riskiest thing you can do. Maybe you have strong credibility. But credibility without also being distinctive is just... sort of expected these days.
So before you think about guests, it pays to ask some more insightful questions:
What do we want listeners to believe about the world that they don't already believe?
What shift in worldview makes everything else we do make sense?
What format makes that belief system inescapable?
What can we commit to that others can't or won't?
Anyone can book guests. Not everyone can design a format that becomes synonymous with a way of seeing.
Your format is not a merely a production choice. It's positioning.
Choose accordingly.
