Becoming a Thought Leader is no easy task, and in the current technological climate, the options to make your voice heard may seem endless. However, one means has been growing at an immense speed and has proven to be a key tool for establishing thought leadership: podcasts. Here’s how podcasts can help you elevate your platform.

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The Stats

According to a study by DemandSage, the popularity of podcasts has been increasing by around 40 million listeners per year. The number of podcast listeners globally is projected to reach half a billion by 2024. About one third of US citizens listens to them regularly.

While the amount of podcasts being released has also grown, this still means there is an active audience ready to find the best content to listen to. This form of media has a potentially immense public you can get your message across to. Part of being a Thought Leader is being heard, and what better way to do so than audible content?

Relatability and Democracy

In his study on thought leadership, Mitch McCrimmon posts that the central aspect of it is that anyone can be a leader. No matter if you’re a CEO or an end-of-the-chart employee, being a Thought Leader stems from a factual, provable idea that convinces others. You don’t need to be an established figure, all you need to have is the better alternative.

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The podcasting world has become so accessible that now anyone can be a host, anyone can show the world their ideas. In an age where authority is constantly questioned and being relatable is deemed highly, what matters most is what you have to say, not where you come from. If your message is good enough, the format can enable you to reach the people that need to hear it to steer their world in your direction.

A Host That Hosts

You must know what you’re good at, but must also know what others are better at than you. Podcasts are, often though not always, known for their conversational format, in which two or more people interact in a way that is both entertaining and enriching to the conversation. Two heads think better than one.

Inviting specialists and other thought leaders might help you boost your show, for it will not only touch on more aspects than you could on your own, but it will also have the best of the best touching on them. Establishing yourself as someone who looks for the most innovative ideas speaks well of your strive for excellence, AND of your show’s value and worth. Listeners will value having different points of view from experts.

The Content Machine

A huge part of being a Thought Leader is managing to spread your ideas through as many channels and to as many people as possible. The podcast market by itself is huge, yes, but the format also opens new possibilities for stackable content.

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Stackable content minces the source material into multiple pieces you can spread through diverse channels. Once the long-form content –the hour-long podcast, for example– has been created it becomes easier to create smaller-form pieces to share on social media or other platforms. 

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An edited, one-minute version of your Video Podcast can go viral on TikTok, an article on the five tips your guest gave can make rounds through a Reddit community, or an infographic can gain you thousands of impressions on Instagram. Now the same message can reach a much larger audience.

Forging Your Way

It might feel hard to shine in the crowded environment of podcasts, but finding a niche and being consistent in the quality of your message can help your platform grow, so you can become the Thought Leader you aspire to be. Trust your ideas, be relatable, capitalize on the growing, democratic internet community, collaborate, exploit your own content to the max, and have fun with it. You might just be the leader this world needs.

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‍Ever thought about creating your own thought leadership content? At TOP Thought Leader, we amplify new and established voices so they can become pioneers of their generation. Get in touch with us and embark on your journey!