Our speaker for the evening was Pete Morgan, founder of MonkeyPants Productions, who brought a wealth of practical experience helping organisations create engaging audio content. Pete delivered an honest, insightful and often thought-provoking session that left the room with plenty to consider - and a few assumptions challenged along the way.
The trust hierarchy
Pete opened by inviting the room to think about trust - specifically, where different sources of influence sit in the minds of consumers. Friends and family sit at the top. Celebrities and influencers follow. Google reviews come next. But where does a podcast host fit in that ranking?
The answer, Pete argued, is higher than most marketers assume. The reason is intimacy. Podcasting is one of the only media formats where the listener has actively chosen to give their full, focused attention to a single voice. That quality of attention - uninterrupted, willing and sustained - creates a level of trust that is genuinely difficult to replicate through other channels.
The changing media landscape
Pete drew a compelling parallel with the decline of local radio. Where once regional stations occupied significant premises and broadcast around the clock with local voices and local stories, national brands now operate from a fraction of the space, broadcasting from London. The connection that local radio created has largely disappeared - and podcasting has stepped into that gap, offering the intimacy and community that audiences are still seeking.
The growth of podcasting and the reality
The scale of podcasting's growth is significant. In April 2020, approximately 150 new podcasts were being published every day. By the time of Pete's research, that figure had risen to over 3,000 per day. Yet only 15% of podcasts ever created remain active.
The reason, Pete suggested, is expectation. Many podcasters enter the medium hoping to achieve the kind of reach associated with the highest-profile shows. When that doesn't materialise quickly, they stop. The podcasts that endure are those serving clearly defined, underserved niches with consistent quality and a genuine commitment to their audience.
Content longevity
One of the most practically useful points of the evening concerned the lifespan of podcast content. Pete challenged the room to consider how quickly their content might become outdated. A podcast built around fast-moving topics - specific technology trends, for example - may have a very short shelf life. Content built around universal ideas - human behaviour, leadership, creativity, strategy - can retain its value for years. This distinction has meaningful implications for how organisations approach podcast content as part of a longer-term marketing investment.
Attention, Return, Conversion
Pete closed with a framework that grounds podcasting firmly in marketing outcomes: Attention, Return, Conversion. Podcasting is uniquely effective at generating the kind of focused, willing attention that most digital channels struggle to achieve. That attention, sustained over repeated listens, builds the relationship and trust that creates the conditions for conversion. For marketers thinking about where podcasting sits in the wider strategy, this framework offers a clear and practical starting point.
Thank you to Pete Morgan for a genuinely excellent evening, and to everyone who attended and contributed to what was a lively and thoughtful conversation. Details of upcoming CIM Midlands Social events can be found on the CIM website.
About the Author - Reena Patel
Reena is the Founder of You and Your Story, a marketing consultancy focused on helping businesses build strong brands.
With over 20 years of experience across multiple industries she has developed a strong understanding of different audiences, commercial environments and the importance of aligning marketing with wider business objectives. She is also the host of the Marketing Ninja Unleashed podcast designed to make marketing more accessible and effective for business owners and marketers alike.
Reena is Vice Chair, Communications for CIM Midlands