Should your business podcast be a solo show, built around guests—or a mix of both?

In this episode of The PR Podcast Edge, Mark Hunter and Lindsay Reid explore one of the most important decisions to make before you start recording: choosing a format you can sustain.

Solo episodes give you complete control over the message, make it easier to share your expertise and can be recorded efficiently around your own schedule. Guest episodes bring fresh perspectives, valuable connections and the chance to reach new audiences—but they also involve research, diary coordination and a steady pipeline of the right people.

Mark and Lindsay explain why the answer may be a hybrid format: using solo episodes to build authority and guest conversations to expand your network, add variety and create new opportunities. They also consider in-person versus remote recording, why production quality matters in either setting, and how to make the occasional exception for a dream guest.

What you’ll learn

• How to choose a format around the outcome you want for your audience
• Why solo episodes can be powerful for building credibility and authority
• The planning and scheduling demands that come with guest-led shows
• How guest interviews can help you connect with potential clients and partners
• Why a hybrid format can offer the best of both approaches
• When remote recording makes sense—and why quality still matters
• How to build consistency and longevity into your podcast from day one

The key takeaway: don’t choose a format based only on what feels exciting at launch. Choose one that still works for your audience, your business and your diary six months—or five years—from now.

Follow The PR Podcast Edge for practical conversations about podcast strategy, storytelling, influence and impact.

Hosts

Mark Hunter — Co-founder, Podcast Studio Glasgow

Lindsay Reid — Founder, Lindsay Reid PR

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome and Introductions

00:40 Solo vs Guest Formats

01:28 Time and Scheduling

02:14 Consistency and Longevity

04:27 Business Goals and Authority

05:47 Hybrid Model Strategy

06:43 Guest Booking Challenges

07:12 Remote vs In Person

08:09 Production Quality Tools

09:12 Exceptions for Dream Guests

10:18 Final Takeaways and Wrap Up

In episode four of PR Podcast Edge, hosts Mark Hunter (Podcast Studio Glasgow) and Lindsay Reid (Lindsay Reid PR) discuss an Acast report on podcast influence, based on polling of about 2,500–2,600 listeners across its platform, which powers about 140,000 podcasts.

They highlight that 56% of weekly podcast listeners trust podcast hosts most among influencer types, and that 62% trust recommendations and ads from favourite hosts, versus 15% for social media influencers. They explore why podcast trust is higher, citing longer-form listening time, repeated and personal ad reads, perceived creator commitment, and the development of parasocial relationships through authenticity and consistent value.

They argue that podcasts should be part of marketing, PR, and comms strategies and can save businesses money by building long-term trust and rich content.

00:00 Welcome and Introductions

00:10 Acast Trust Report

01:44 Why Podcasts Build Trust

03:20 Value First Sponsorships

05:01 Parasocial Relationships

05:39 Authenticity and Connection

06:49 Podcasting as Strategy

08:22 Commitment Perception Gap

09:03 Wrap Up and Next Steps

Mark Hunter and PR consultant Lindsay Reid discuss how podcasting helps with reputation management in the digital age by letting individuals and companies control the narrative, especially during crises.

Lindsay argues that long-form, unregulated podcast conversations allow leaders or public figures to explain facts, what’s being done, and rebuild trust after scandals, often after an initial quiet period, rather than relying only on media coverage or restrictive “no questions” interview rules. She notes podcasts can also be used internally to communicate with staff during company issues. They then shift to proactive reputation building: publishing timely episodes ahead of news cycles (e.g., financial uncertainty) to become a trusted go-to source, attract expert guests, and generate PR opportunities by pitching credible, evidence-based viewpoints to outlets like the BBC.

They also address “cancellation” risk, emphasising authenticity and attracting the right audience.

00:00 Why Being Seen Matters

00:29 Podcasting for Crisis Control

01:51 Celebrity Comeback Playbook

04:16 Statements vs Long Form Truth

05:16 Proactive Reputation Strategy

06:59 Turning Podcasts Into PR Pitches

08:48 Avoiding Cancellation Risks

10:23 Authenticity and Audience Fit

11:17 Wrap Up and Call to Action

Want to get booked as a guest on high-quality podcasts? In episode 2 of The PR Podcast Edge, Mark Hunter (Podcast Studio Glasgow) and Lindsay Reid (Lindsay Reid PR) reveal exactly how to craft compelling pitches that actually get responses.

Lindsay shares her proven 3-part pitch framework, why most guest pitches fail, the real value of being a guest, and the technical and mindset shifts needed to stand out. Packed with practical advice for business owners and professionals who want to attract audiences, build authority, and generate quality leads through podcast guesting.

Timestamps

• 00:00 – Stop Making It About You
• 00:33 – Three Pitch Essentials
• 02:11 – Reach and Sharing Strategy
• 03:17 – Why Guest on Podcasts
• 04:48 – Authority and Video Clips
• 07:07 – Guesting Breakthrough Stories
• 09:40 – Pitch Pitfalls and Being Real
• 11:18 – Tech Setup for Remote Guests
• 12:52 – Intro Calls and Pro Production
• 14:38 – Niche Podcasts and Wrap Up

Key Takeaways

• The biggest mistake in podcast pitching is making it all about you — hosts care about the value you bring to their audience.
• Every strong pitch should cover three things: Value to the audience, your Authority, and your Reach (how you’ll help promote the episode).
• Being a guest gives you borrowed audience and borrowed credibility — often more powerful than your own channels.
• Raw, real stories perform better than polished ego trips. Audiences connect with authenticity and lessons learned.
• Poor audio or bad tech setup can kill your chances of being invited back — professional sound and lighting matter.
• Niche podcasts are gold for targeted business growth.

Hosts

Mark Hunter Co-founder, Podcast Studio Glasgow | Podcasting since 2005

Lindsay Reid Founder, Lindsay Reid PR | 20+ years helping clients land media and podcast appearances

Every business podcast starts with the same question: Why are you doing this? In the first episode of The PR Podcast Edge, Mark and Lindsay walk through the five foundational steps for launching a podcast with a clear business and PR purpose. No fluff, no overclaiming. Just an honest conversation about what it actually takes to get started and keep going.

00:00 Meet The Hosts

00:59 Podcast Goals First

04:03 Why And Audience

06:27 Topic Name Format

08:05 Audio Versus Video

10:47 PR Hooks And Visibility

12:58 Gear And Recording

14:48 Launch And Expectations

16:38 Consistency And Wrap Up

What's covered:

Step 1: Define your why and your audience. Before you record a single word, you need to know what you want the podcast to achieve and who it's for. Lindsay makes the point well: whatever you talk about most is what you'll become known for, so be deliberate. Your audience might be small, a few hundred decision-makers or people with a specific problem. That's not a failure. That's a focus.

Step 2: Choose your topic, name, and format. Pick a topic you know better than anything else in your professional life. Keep the name short, clear, and indicative of the content. Don't let naming become a reason to delay. On format: audio is the foundation, but video is increasingly how podcasts get discovered. Short clips on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok are now the primary way new listeners find shows.

Step 3: Bake PR visibility in from day one. A new podcast launch isn't news on its own. You need a hook: a milestone, a unique angle, a notable guest, or a message that fills a gap people aren't getting elsewhere. Lindsay explains how to think about what makes your podcast genuinely PR-worthy and how to use social media as the first and most accessible distribution layer.

Step 4: Gear and recording options. Buying equipment on Amazon and getting a great-sounding podcast are two very different things. Audio quality matters more than video quality: ears are less forgiving than eyes. Whether you record in-house or in a professional studio, the listener deserves good sound. That's the minimum standard.

Step 5: Get started and manage expectations. Consistency beats perfection. A podcast that keeps showing up builds an audience. One that chases big numbers early and burns out doesn't. Manage your own expectations and, if you're working inside a business, manage everyone else's too.