Podcasts (digital media files distributed over the Internet for playback on portable MP3 players and computers) have become a staple part of many people’s media diets. Recent findings suggest that 4.3m people in the UK have downloaded a podcast and 1.87m listen to a podcast each week (NMA 19.05.08).

So how can podcasts best be tapped into by employer brands looking to attract the best graduates? The first option is to advertise on or sponsor a podcast subscribed to by the graduate market. There are a growing number of such podcasts aimed at helping grads prepare for finding a job, often featuring advice from business experts. A good example would be the graduate podcast series launched by the Best Companies Guide website.

Alternatively, you can ‘pull’ grads to your site by hosting your own podcasts there. For example, law firm Addleshaw Goddard feature regularly updated podcasts on the graduate section of their site. To listen to these examples click here.

These types of podcasts provide an opportunity to bring an employer brand to life, allowing graduates to hear the experiences of recent recruits first hand. Useful topics that could be covered range from why they chose the company, day-to-day roles and responsibilities, training and mentoring opportunities and top tips for graduate assessment days.

Ali Recommends: One of the main benefits of advertising via this medium is its ability to reach an engaged, well targeted audience as users have subscribed, downloaded and chosen to experience the content your message will be heard in. Alternatively, creating your own series of graduate podcasts can develop brand relationships and give potential applicants a deeper insight into the organisation at the start of the application process.