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The podcast industry is booming. Not only are there more podcasts than ever, but there’s also more advice than ever— everything from playing the algorithm game to having a studio setup and video, to repurposing content in multiple formats. While these can boost your numbers, they’re not a magic fix.
Roger Nairn, Co-Founder and CEO of JAR Podcast Solutions, has extensive experience in branded content. He started in advertising, working with clients like Four Seasons and Lamborghini, later founding JAR Podcast Solutions. His company helps CMOs and Heads of Brand create branded content that truly works—podcasts that build trust, grow audiences, and show clear ROI.
Roger and his team work with clients such as Amazon, Deloitte, BBC Storyworks, and others. We’re very grateful he shared his insights with us as his views on current trends and fads show the unique experience that comes from deep, hands-on knowledge of branded content.
Snackable thinking does more harm than good.
Roger’s years in advertising and branded podcasts have taught him one thing: good content lasts, even when trends come and go.
If you look for tips to improve or start a branded podcast, you’ll often hear advice like optimising for different platforms, adding video, and boosting social views. These ideas are popular because the data shows they increase metrics like views and likes. The impact is measurable, and the numbers go up.
But Roger says this isn’t enough. It misses the bigger point: earning the audience’s trust.
This ongoing focus on optimising across different platforms is a kind of snackable thinking. It can boost metrics, but it’s not the magic solution people often claim, because a successful branded podcast is about more than just numbers.
A successful branded podcast is one that gains the audience’s trust. This is what keeps them listening, interacting, and improves brand image. While that’s not as immediately visible in metrics, it’s the slow-and-tested method for success.
Trust is a valuable commodity.
Right now, trust is dropping. Whether it’s because of the state of the world, creator-driven media, or the rise of AI, trust is falling quickly.
But that’s not the case everywhere. Recent research from the Edelman Trust Barometer shows trust is growing in some areas, especially with companies and audio. Long-form audio is special because it builds trust by creating a connection, something short-form content can’t do.
A common mistake in podcast advice is thinking trust can be skimmed instead of earned. Tips that encourage more posts, more separation, and snackable content miss this important point.
To build and keep trust, branded podcasts should focus on long-form content. That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t try other formats, platforms, and algorithms, but those are less likely to build trust and could cause brands to miss out on other benefits.
Podcasts are audio and video intelligence systems.
Podcasts are more than just shows—they’re audio intelligence systems. The data they provide helps brands learn about their audience’s preferences, habits, and more. This kind of insight is hard to get from other content types.
For example, JAR Podcast Solutions produces Disruptors with RBC, which could easily be about the economy (in a general sense). However, the results showed that listeners were more interested in how technology is being harnessed to address Canada's most urgent challenges. Using this, they adjusted the podcasts to better align with audience interests and applied this knowledge to other content.
Similarly, Amazon created This is Small Business to raise awareness of its business package and strengthen its relationship with small business owners. However, it was soon clear that listeners were much more interested in real stories from entrepreneurs about the real problems they were navigating.
These insights aren’t possible from metrics based on social clips or videos. Branded podcasts that focus only on snackable clips and their numbers will struggle to truly understand their audience and miss out on the medium’s real benefits.
How then should brands approach podcasts for success?
The best advice from JAR is:
- Create one main long-form show to build audience trust. You can repurpose its content, but don’t let repurposing overshadow the podcast itself or ignore the valuable audience insights it provides.
- Use your host to build credibility. This helps earn trust and makes audiences feel connected and familiar with your podcast.
- Repurpose content thoughtfully. Use what you know to choose where and how to share it, instead of posting everywhere and hoping it works.
Don’t shy away from tough conversations! Authenticity matters now more than ever, and people want to hear it and respond to it. Avoiding it might feel easier, but it can hurt your results.
About JAR Podcast Solutions
JAR Podcast Solutions helps brands create video and audio podcasts that audiences actually want to spend time with. We combine storytelling, production, and measurement to help organizations build trust, deepen relationships, and drive real marketing outcomes.
Session Preview
The Audience Comes First: Data-Driven Best Practices for Branded Podcasts
Brands often start with what they want to say. Successful podcasts start with what audiences want to hear. In this session, JAR Podcast Solutions, Open Studio, and Signal Hill Insights share research from the You'll Hear It podcast to show how audience-first storytelling impacts engagement, brand perception, and ROI.