And why some localities may want to avoid them altogether

If you’re anything like the 100 million Americans who listen to podcasts every month, you probably have a few of your favorites on rotation.

There’s quite literally a podcast for every interest and topic under the sun. It’s become an entirely new industry in a matter of a few years, and it’s not showing any signs of slowing down. 

In fact, as of April 2020, there were over 30 million podcast episodes out in the universe, and that number has surely ballooned over the past year. 

People are listening to get caught up on the daily news, to be entertained by celebrities, to find inspiration from thought leaders, to get spooked by true crime, or to learn from experts. 

Podcasts and other forms of media like video and voice are now being picked up by Google’s algorithm. It’s a great way to boost search ratings outside of using SEO keywords.

So the truth is out there. Podcasts are really popular, they’re economic powerhouses and definitely not going anywhere soon. 

So the question is... should local governments start podcasting?   

After a quick search on Spotify for “local government”, only seven results populated. Two of which are podcasts hosted by private entities and solely devoted to all things local government. (If you haven’t already, I highly recommend listening to GovLove.) 

Searching Google for “government podcasts” turned up a few more. So it looks like the playing field might be wide open for government-hosted podcasts, or that they aren’t showing up in search results.  

Regardless, it seems that local governments haven’t yet seized the opportunity of a wide-open market. 

But Megan Corey, a marketing and communications executive at the National League of Cities indicates that municipal podcasts have actually become extremely popular over the past year, with one launching every week. 

Corey states that she’s often asked whether starting a municipal podcast is effective and worth the cost. 

The answer is, it depends. 

Just like any marketing medium, it’s important to know who your audience is and to have a clear picture of your desired outcome before starting a local government podcast. 

Hosting a podcast can be extremely rewarding for a municipality and its community if it’s produced thoughtfully. 

Here are 5 reasons why local governments may want to start a podcast: 

1. Creates a two-sided conversation.

Having a two-sided conversation with the public is the ultimate goal of most community engagement strategies, but it’s increasingly difficult to find this level of participation. 

Hosting a podcast can be an excellent solution to achieve this level of community engagement. 

Participating in, and not just listening to, a podcast is a new and exciting form of media for most people. 

But this is also where planning and commitment come to play. Municipalities must be committed to inviting diverse communities and perspectives to participate. 

In order for a government podcast to be successful, topics cannot always stay safe and comfortable. A municipality must be willing to have open and honest conversations about controversial topics in a respectful way.

Podcasts often dissolve when they become one-sided, especially for governments or public institutions. 

This particular platform should not be used for announcements or lectures, rather it should be used to dig deeper into challenging topics facing the communities so that everyone can learn from different perspectives. 

2. Engages with a younger generation

Podcasts are particularly popular among younger generations. In fact, over 60% of young adults between 18 and 24 listen to podcasts on a monthly basis. 

One of the top priorities of local governments is the recruitment and retention of younger generations into public service. 

There is an urgency for public institutions to change and become more relatable to their future workforce. 

Hosting a podcast can be a first step for municipalities to loosen up and begin shedding the stiff bureaucratic facade that many young people perceive of governments. 

Inviting young people to participate and speak on topics they care deeply about is a way for them to feel heard by their government. This builds trust among a young generation that has seen nothing but distrust and turmoil in politics in their short lives. 

Local governments must begin to engage and relate with GenZ so that there is a trusting community and a willing workforce in a few years’ time. 

3. Educates the public on complex topics

Many issues, topics, and policy decisions are layered and complicated in local government. 

There is history and context that inform decisions that are not easily communicated to a larger public. Simply put, there’s usually a story behind every decision. 

Telling the story or the process behind decision-making is transparency, and it’s what the public wants and needs to feel trusting of their government. 

A podcast is a perfect platform to tell stories, describe context, interview decision-makers, and unravel complexity so the public understands and can trust the government process. 

4. Introduces the community to city employees

City employees are the most important part of a functioning local government. They are highly trained in many different fields and devotedly serve the public - sometimes for their entire careers. 

City employment is both rewarding and challenging, and it’s also misunderstood by many people. 

City employees as a whole are often unfairly perceived as lazy, inefficient, or inept. Likely because the public does not understand the processes and functions of their local government.  

Interviewing city employees can begin to highlight the incredible skill and intelligence these people bring to the job. 

Telling their stories humanizes public servants and builds public trust that there is competency and ethics within city hall. 

It’s an important and critical aspect of hosting a podcast that should not be left out. 

5. Tell stories - even the hard ones

This was touched on earlier, but it’s worth repeating. Governments should not shy away from discussing uncomfortable or challenging topics on a podcast platform. 

Once a challenging topic is watered down or minimized by an authority, it’s immediately perceived as inauthentic.

So if governments are unwilling or do not have the right staff to mediate tough conversations with the public, then best not to have a podcast. 

Leaving out the hard topics isn’t a good option either. If a government-hosted podcast only discusses the wins and feel-good stories, the public may also perceive this omission as inauthentic. 

Citizens know better because they read headlines and watch the local news. Local governments simply can’t get away with avoiding difficult topics.

Here’s where a talented communicator is critical to make sure difficult subjects are discussed in respectful ways, and that the discussion results in a meaningful outcome. 

There are many benefits for local governments to begin hosting a podcast. 

• Podcasting can increase transparency by allowing governments to explain complex topics and hard decisions to the public, which will help the government appear authentic to the public. 

• Podcasting can create an opportunity for two-sided conversation with the public, which allows diverse perspectives to be heard and not left out. 

• Hosting a podcast can invite a younger generation to participate and have their voice heard, which will build trust and help them have faith in their government. 

• A podcast is a great platform to introduce the public to city employees, which will help the public better relate to their government. 

Hosting a government podcast can be an extremely rewarding experience for both the host and the public, but careful planning and a clear vision are critical for long-lasting success.

Here are a few acclaimed local government podcasts worth checking out:

• Los Alamos National Laboratory - National Security Science

• Normal, IL - What’s Normal 

• Mississippi Municipal League - Small Town Podcast 

• Gilbert, AZ - Government Gone Digital 

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If you’re looking to start a podcast, but need some direction or a few scripts to get started, you’ve come to the right place!  Follow me.