Among the communication tools available to law firms and other regulated professions, podcasts are a medium in a class of their own. Pedagogical and accessible, it can be a highly effective way of building brand awareness. Provided you know how to use it…
Are podcasts still in vogue ?
Podcasts are a long-term medium, and the new economic climate of the last 6 months has forced us all to be rather short-termist… Which is why we may be talking about them a little less. But today it’s a very popular tool, on the way to finding its rightful place: a complementary medium with its own strengths and limitations.
In your opinion, what are the advantages today for lawyers, notaries or chartered accountants of choosing podcasts to express themselves ?
Regulated professions require a very high level of expertise, and the conditions under which they operate are sometimes complex to understand. The podcast format offers the greatest scope for deciphering, explaining and sharing expertise. It’s a practical and accessible format (also in terms of costs).
As such, it can be particularly effective in reinforcing the legitimacy of a law firm on specialized issues. Fromont Briens’ “Code RH, ça vous concerne” podcast, launched in 2020, has enabled this leading employment law firm to assert its position by sharing the expertise of its lawyers with the general public.
On the other hand, choosing podcasts as part of their communications strategy enables these professions to build a long-term heritage enriched with brand assets that will outlast the ephemerality of other traditional tools.
Last but not least, podcasting is the medium of intimacy, attention and trust conveyed by the voice… all assets that, if properly mastered, can benefit any professional entity.
Can you shed some light on the expectations, and perhaps the risks, of this exercise ?
What we can expect from a regulated profession that takes the floor using podcasts is, first and foremost, that it plays the game to the full by adopting the codes of this universe: being able to make sometimes technical speeches accessible, demonstrating simplicity, naturalness and proximity, transforming its issues into stories to engage and interest its listeners… Finding the right embodiment or embodiments is then key. It’s no easy task! You need to be sufficiently prepared, but not too prepared either: there’s nothing worse than reading your files! You have to be able to summarize and sometimes use metaphor…always remain authentic.
It’s also essential to ask yourself the right questions beforehand. Why choose to communicate via a podcast rather than in writing, for example? It’s not a question of simply saying to yourself that you’re going to “do your podcast too”, but of asking yourself in what territory you’re legitimate in expressing yourself, and whether what you have to say requires or justifies expressing it orally. To sum up: think about your objectives, identify your target and then find your concept.
What are the advantages of podcasts for brand communication, and how can you boost their visibility ?
We’ve talked about the longevity of content, and we can add that podcast formats help optimize your brand’s SEO referencing around your keywords (google now favors content that includes audio). Audio also enables you to get closer to your audience and enter into an intimate conversation with them.
To get your podcast discovered, you need to dedicate a budget to a media plan at the same time as financing the production of the content. There are so many podcasts on offer that it’s essential to create as many paths as possible to the content. Audio content also needs to be adapted to other formats (photos, videos, sound bites, etc.), so that the podcast can shine on the various social networks.
Finally, when targeting, you need to start with your “fan base”, capitalizing on your own media…and then think about backing yourself up with powerful affinity media (Harvard business review, Capital, for example).
Sabri Meddouri is Director of Audio & Video Consulting at Prisma Media.
