Going niche: the power of the pod in B2B

March 2025: Today in the UK, podcasts are listened to by 11.7 million adults every week, according to Ofcom. That’s a large captive audience who will inform decisions and opinions based on what they hear.

Podcasts are of course not a new phenomenon. If we take a trip back to February 2004, Ben Hammersley for the Guardian first coined the phrase – combining iPod and broadcasting – when he wrote:

“With the benefit of hindsight, it all seems quite obvious. MP3 players, like Apple’s iPod, in many pockets, audio production software cheap or free, and weblogging an established part of the internet; all the ingredients are there for a new boom in amateur radio. But what to call it? Audioblogging? Podcasting? GuerillaMedia?”

And a year later ‘podcast’ was  the Word of the Year by the New Oxford American Dictionary, as Steve Jobs announced podcasts would be supported on iTunes.

Influence in 2025

Fast forward 20 years, and the influence of the pod has only continued to grow, and it has become big business, where everything from products to presidential campaigns are launched .

1 in 3 Americans would change their opinion on a topic or brand discussed in podcast, according to the 2024 Podcast Marketing Trust Index.  Meanwhile, according to our Audience ID research, podcasts are the second most popular type of media consumed by the C-suite. And top for CMOs.

Ultimately, we’re seeing a shift to in attention from mainstream to niche media particularly in B2B, where a one-size-fits-all approach is increasingly ill-suited for the needs of brands. In an era where businesses are more focused than ever on impact and ROI, niche media outlets provide the targeted content that appeals directly to specific industries, roles, or business needs.

From mainstream to niche

To quote Hammersley, despite the benefits of the podcast “all seem quite obvious”, there can still be a hesitancy in PR to go beyond traditional channels. But times have changed, and pods shouldn’t be an afterthought or bolt-on to a comms strategy, if you want to make sure you get in front of your audience.

In fact, no medium quite does niche like a podcast…

1. In-depth conversations: Their very format lends itself to depth and specificity, creating an environment where niche topics can get a deep dive. Unlike the soundbite-driven world of broadcast or newspaper, podcasts allow for extensive exploration of complex issues, enabling a deep dive on specialised topics.
2. New trends + category creation: Introducing new trends and category creation is not unusual in B2B technology. Though, explaining them and why people should care is not always straightforward particularly via earned media. Podcasts however can provide the perfect channel to give the necessary context, outlining the problem or gap present in the market, and how the introduction of a new category or trend can help solve it.
3. Connection with niche communities: In B2B technology, we’re often working with highly specific, niche audiences – whether it’s CIOs, CTOs or CISOs decision-makers within certain verticals. With many podcasts catering to very specific industries, job roles, or topics, it means organisations can be strategic on choosing podcasts that align with your target audience.

And if you’re wondering what podcasts your audience is enjoying, then drop us a line. Our Audience ID research can provide you insights on this very topic.

So, whether you’re powering the day-to-day newsroom, launching a new campaign or growing the presence of your executives, don’t sleepwalk into the usual mediums. Be intentional with the use of podcasts to reach your audience with impact.

By Will Cook, Founder, 393