Do you struggle to tell the story of your charity’s mission because it’s not easy to share?
Maybe it’s a health condition that rarely has a happy ending, involves parts of the body that people don’t normally talk about in “polite society” or is simply a challenging and triggering experience for many people.
This is where podcasts really step up as your secret weapon for your campaigns and fundraising.
Listening to podcasts is a primarily individual experience
All the statistics from various research across the world show that the vast majority of people are listening to podcasts on their own.
This means there is no concern about other people and what they might think about the content they are consuming. And allows them to choose topics they might shy away from in front of other people.
Headphones create an intimate listening experience
Carrying on from the theme of listening on your own, most podcast listeners are also listening via headphones.
This cocoon of sound direct to their ears without other distractions makes the whole experience far more intimate and it also feels safer too. There’s no chance somebody might accidentally hear what you’re listening to if you are interrupted by somebody.
The intimacy also allows the listener to open up and be more receptive to the podcast message.
Audio is faceless
The fact that audio is just voices and sounds without any pictures is absolutely key for telling difficult stories or discussing private topics.
First off, a lack of a camera being pointed in the face of your contributors makes for a far more relaxed environment. A relaxed environment makes for relaxed guests and more free flowing conversations.
There is also a level of privacy for people appearing on your podcast. This privacy of only sharing your voice means it’s easier to share intimate information, have difficult conversations and discuss more traditionally private topics.
Quick side note I’m not talking about total anonymity here when I talk about privacy. Total anonymity is hard to provide and impossible to guarantee. As a minimum if you’re aiming to keep a contributor anonymous you need to use voice actors to read the words of your guests and not don’t share details such as names, ages, locations. (But as Baby Reindeer shows, if the internet wants to find out, it will find out).
But often people are happy to share more when they’re not being filmed.
There’s also a benefit for the listener too. It can be hard to watch people talking about things that are hard to share, or are or a more intimate nature. With an audio only podcast there’s less of that feeling awkward because the audience is listening, rather than watching. This makes it easier to consume the message you’re delivering. And by making it easier you are also making it more enjoyable too.
Podcasts listening is discreet.
It’s hard for people to accidentally find out what you are listening to when you’re playing a podcast. Thanks to podcasts being consumed through phones and headphones they are a private and anonymous experience.
Video needs to be seen and if you’ve ever been on public transport or any shared space, you’ll know how easy it is to watch something on somebody else’s tablet or mobile. Even if they don’t have the sound on full blast.
With a podcast, you press play on your podcast app and pop your phone back in your pocket or bag and carry on. Nobody will know what you are listening to (unless you want to tell them). This discretion allows the listener confidence and a safe space to consume the podcast without worrying about being caught or what other people think about them for listening to that podcast.
Think about it like this, there’s been a large increase in the number of women reading erotic novels ever since Kindles and other e-readers came along. They can download those books (from the privacy of their own account) and read them in public with more confidence about a lack of judgement from others around them or the person selling the books.
Podcasts are similar, they’re accessed via your podcast app which is normally a private account and listened to via a device that gives few clues to the outside world about what you are listening to.
If all this sounds like the answer to your prayers when it comes to raising awareness around traditionally private topics then get in touch with Charlotte Foster Podcasts and we’ll help you get started with your podcast.