Corporate Social Responsibility while jogging. In the interview with Rafael S. Schimanski M.A.
Nowadays, anyone can set up their own podcast. Your own profile and ideas are enough to get started. But the promise isn’t as easy to keep as it sounds. Publishing a podcast involves several hurdles to overcome. Technical knowledge of audio recording, editing, and publishing is required. While suitable equipment, such as a microphone, headphones, a sound card, and recording software, can still be easily obtained, filling the content with interesting, engaging, and above all regular episodes is likely to be more challenging. After completion, you also need to keep an eye on distribution channels and, not to mention marketing, bring knowledge in this area as well.
For some time now, DIGITAL FUTUREmag has also been associated with Rafael S. Schimanski in relation to its own podcast. He describes himself as a specialist, a “Digital Victim” from media production and information design. He is a digital and communications consultant with expertise in the latest trends in German, English, and Polish, and has been self-employed for over 18 years in strategic marketing, moderation, information design, and influencer relations. His offering: practical marketing tools for audio-visual communication.
We definitely wanted to interview him about his experiences and goals. No one knows the industry better, has helped develop podcast marketing, and is one of the key players in this scene.
DIGITAL FUTUREmag: Rafael, how did you originally come to podcasts, and what do you find so incredibly exciting about this medium?
Rafael: Like every successful speaker for a medium, I too had role models who positively influenced me and helped me blossom into a podcast professional. The Austrian Holger Schmidt started his podcast macmaniacs in 2005, which I regularly listened to – in the US, I followed Adam Christianson with MacCast. Both podcast shows are cult for me and demonstrate the lifelong endurance required for the medium of podcasting. Added to this was the fact that after my studies, I wanted to work as a TV presenter, but many obstacles were put in my way. For example, there were countless auditions and educational requirements. A public broadcaster once told me directly after my high school diploma that I would first have to study, to which I simply replied, “OK, then you’ll see me again in six years.” Podcasting was so exciting for me because I could immediately launch my own show. With my technical knowledge and my own extroverted style, I was able to build my own communities in no time, set up listener phones so that listeners could participate in the shows, and create my own interactive and entertaining space. You never know how people out there will react to you and your creative environment. It was exciting whether it would be praised or torn apart in the air for what I said. To this day, the greatest thrill in podcasting is the feedback from the audience, and beforehand, the sound design as well as the conceptual development of the strategic direction of a podcast show.
DIGITAL FUTUREmag: In recent years, the market surrounding podcast production has grown exponentially. Nowadays, there really isn’t a topic for which there isn’t a podcast. How do you assess this?
Rafael: Simply put: Most people producing a podcast have understood the necessity of a successful marketing mix. Anyone who wants to appear modern, trendy, and future-oriented presents their podcast. For consumers, it has the charming advantage that every field of interest is covered.
DIGITAL FUTUREmag: The podcast is one of many marketing tools companies can use to position their message in the market. What makes a podcast special in corporate communications?
Rafael: Here, I can identify four key points that communications managers in companies should consider and absolutely should not miss the chance to meaningfully inform recipients. First is the authenticity of a company to build a personal relationship with listeners. My second point describes the flexibility in production. A podcast can be produced in various ways, from simple audio recordings to elaborate episodes with music, sound effects, and guests. This allows you to optimally determine your own needs and goals.
Since many people listen to podcasts in their free time, such as while jogging, a company podcast can also be a way to reach potential customers. That’s why reachability is my third insight regarding a podcast in corporate communication. The final point is expertise. A podcast can be a platform where the company shares its knowledge and expertise on a specific topic. By establishing the company’s voice as an authority in a particular field, it can gain the trust and loyalty of its audience. Overall, a podcast in corporate communication offers another way to connect with (potential) customers, build trust, and demonstrate expertise. Corporate Social Responsibility can also be an important criterion here. I’ve also written a technical article on this for digital-hessen.de and invite anyone interested to read the online article “What’s special about a podcast in corporate communication?” Link: https://digital-hessen.de/das-besondere-am-podcast-in-unternehmenskommunikation
DIGITAL FUTUREmag: What are your top tips for companies thinking about starting their own podcast?
Rafael: I don’t want to deliver a full consulting session here, but by following certain tips from me as a digital expert, companies can ensure their podcast is successful and contributes to improving their communication and marketing goals. Key considerations should include: defining the target audience, setting topics, choosing a format (e.g., reading out newsletters, interview format, or hybrid format), planning production, marketing the podcast, and ensuring continuity. The question then becomes: How much input can I provide for this channel to ensure consistency? These tips should also align with the aspect of recognition value. A consistent “sound carpet” and recurring intro are also part of these considerations.
DIGITAL FUTUREmag: On the other hand, what are the biggest mistakes one can make when starting a podcast?
Rafael: Back then, I said, “Just do it and start talking.” Today, given societal changes, I’m a bit more cautious with that statement, as “digital outrage” and subsequent “mobbing” can poison this interactivity. Essentially, the biggest mistakes are not following the tips from my previous answer: no clear target audience, too broad a range of topics, poor audio quality, irregular releases, lack of promotion and marketing by a digital expert or podcast professional, and no interaction with listeners. These mistakes can be avoided.
DIGITAL FUTUREmag: When there’s practically a podcast for everything and everyone these days, how can you ensure your own message or podcast stands out and is actually noticed by your target audience?
Rafael: This is very difficult! Strong efforts are required to stand out from the crowd with your own podcast. Try specializing through unique expertise. Choose a unique approach to address the topic, such as your DIGITAL FUTUREpod, which strengthens its network and is fully digital with AI voices. Pay attention to high production quality and invest in reasonable audio equipment. I also find partnering important to appear on other podcast shows and, in return, act as a recommender. It doesn’t hurt, costs nothing, and has an extreme impact. Do good, and others will do good for your own podcast!
DIGITAL FUTUREmag: Where do you think the podcast market will be in five years? Will the development with artificial intelligence have an impact on this market?
Rafael: Radio will switch to DAB+ and serve as the live environment. Podcasts will become a fixed component of healthy marketing for SMEs and thus solidify the role of the on-demand environment. Tomorrow’s audio media library will include podcasts as a fixed element. Sure, I could have said this sentence ten years ago, but back then we didn’t have these up and down waves. The past has shown that the podcast is not a hype or a possible trend, but a fixed component of an on-demand medium.
DIGITAL FUTUREmag: We ourselves have launched our own podcast format, DIGITAL FUTUREpod, with AI voices. How do you see this development?
Rafael: This podcast has a meaningful name and title. We are addressing highly current topics in the field of digitalization and the associated transformation in SMEs. As long as it also accompanies the development of us humans and companies in the digital space, there will be a steady increase in listenership and interactions. I believe this will be an additional channel for an audio-affine community that wants to stay informed on current topics but won’t always be able to attend the DIGITAL FUTUREcongress. The management and the expert team behind it, as well as the entire DIGITAL FUTUREcommunity, will be part of the successful and positive development of this AI-based voice podcast. I am convinced of that.
DIGITAL FUTUREmag: Thank you very much for this interview and your time.