As we prepare to launch another series of podcasts for our clients, I’ve been thinking about what makes a great one truly work?
I remember a friend years ago who needed a bit of persuasion to do a podcast. He wasn’t convinced in fact, he told me, “I don’t even like the other guy I’m meant to co-host with.” Thankfully, the audition for his first choice presenter didn’t pan out, and the second guy Rory Stewart stepped in.
The rest, as they say, is podcasting history.
Thanks to the Goalhanger team, I have witnessed first hand The Rest Is Politics becoming a runaway success, with Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart filling the Albert Hall, the London Palladium, and even the London Dockland’s O2 Arena where 20,000 people paid for tickets to hear two men on bar stools talk geopolitics. There are dates for Dublin and Belfast next year in the biggest venues that are available.
That pod journey has made me reflect on what draws people in and keeps them there.
Because podcasts don’t just fill time. They fill needs. I really think smart Podcasts are modern classrooms on the move. Many listeners use them to explore ideas, feed their curiosity, and deepen their understanding. Whether it’s politics, psychology, or culture, they’re a way of learning without effort knowledge that fits in your pocket and fills in time when you’re on the move.
For others, podcasts are theatre of the mind stories, laughter, and relief from the daily grind. A well told narrative can transport you somewhere else entirely with a friendly voice.
As a boy broadcaster and having great love for the wireless, there is something very powerful about a voice and how it is used.
It’s intimate and familiar.
Listeners often describe a host as friends people they’ve never met but feel close to. That bond builds trust, loyalty, and a rare kind of authenticity which all helps build that brand of confidence.
Podcasts fit seamlessly into modern life. They accompany us on commutes, workouts, walks, or jobs around the house. They turn idle time into meaningful time a steady rhythm of voices that frame our day.
If there’s one universal magnet, it’s curiosity.
The podcasts we follow often reflect who we are. They shape identity, build communities, and create tribes of shared values and interests. Listening becomes an act of belonging.
And that’s the lesson for anyone creating one.
Curiosity gets listeners to press play and have a connection to keep them coming back.
