Re-energize Your Event or Conference with a Podcast Lounge
Kate Becker, Creative Economy Director at Office of King County at the Northwest Events Show Podcast Lounge with Tina Nole
By Joelle Nole, Larj Media Managing Director
I hesitate to say it out loud lest I jinx it, but we are as post-Covid as we’re probably ever going to be, and it’s time get back to gathering in public, networking, socializing and being humans. Conferences and big events are back!
You know what else is back? Podcasts! Based on the latest stats from Edison Research, podcast listening among people ages 35 – 54 jumped from 39% in 2021 to 51% in 2023. So much has changed over the course of the pandemic years!
Podcasting offers a way to extend event programming throughout the year and provides a new and fun experience for attendees. By “Podcast Lounge” we mean a space where a podcast production team or podcast agency can set up and record. It’s comfortable and inviting so attendees can come in and interact with a podcast being captured in real time.
Six ways a podcast lounge will offer a fresh and engaging experience to this year's attendees and grow your audience for future events
The podcast lounge offers multiple opportunities for both keynote speakers and contributors to extend their messaging and a great way for attendees to engage with them via a Q&A or to just listen up close while they answer questions for the podcast recording.
Attendees can’t catch EVERY speaker or panelist. By offering up the conversations they missed via podcast episodes, you’re extending the value of the ticket price.
Having a podcast team on-site adds a fun visual experience to your event. It also allows the team to capture the buzz and energy of attendees when they’re feeling most inspired.
After the event, the team will take all that rich sound and incorporate it into post-event podcast episodes that will inspire a new audience to attend next year. Depending on the number of speakers and interviews the team recorded in the lounge, you should end up with 8 – 10 episodes and possibly some bonus content as well.
Distribute the podcast you’ve created from the event to everyone who attended via your newsletter. This is a great way to build some excitement for next year’s event and encourage previous attendees to return. It’s also a great gift. Your podcast will be a welcome refresher of the ideas and inspiration that attendees may have taken away in the form of notes and slide photos but had otherwise forgotten.
Make the previous year’s podcast episodes available on your event website – it’s a generous way to add value to attendees who are planning to attend for the first time. Knowing that you’ll provide the keynotes via a podcast after the event is a huge bonus that will keep them returning year after year.
Bonus! I thought of another idea! Keynote speakers and presenters who have podcasts episodes made from their presentations are very likely to share their episodes across all their social media channels. This is a brilliant way to expand your audience and drive more attention in the direction of your upcoming event.
Larj’s Podcast Lounge at Seattle Interactive Conference with Sir Mix-A-Lot and Marcus Trufant
If you’re planning a large event or conference in the coming year, contact Larj Media about creating a customized podcast lounge that will engage this year’s attendees and keep them coming back every year!