IBM starts investor-focused podcasts

Reuters: IBM is the latest major company to embrace podcasting. […] The world’s largest computer company said on Friday it plans to introduce a series of occasional podcasts on its investor relations site as part of a broader effort to communicate directly to its investors and the wider public about hot topics.

This is a significant move in business podcasting. Until now, every company who has embraced this medium has used it as part of broad marketing, communication and customer relationship activities. This is the first example I’m aware of where a company – a publicly-held one at that – has jumped into a business area that many people consider to be a risky one for such open, informal and transparent communication channels ("What about regulations and the SEC?"). Clearly not so if you do it right.

I do like the strap line on the podcast home page:

You’ve read our point of view. Now hear what we think.

Interestingly, in the explanations on that page on how to get the podcast and the various podcatchers you can use, it includes iTunes. What better way at the moment to reach the mass podcast-listener market?

The first investor relations-produced podcast – IBM and the Future of Driving, an 18-minute recording – is available now. Nicely produced (definitely not an indy-type podcast).

IBM’s announcement yesterday is not their first move into podcasting – the IBM Systems and Technology Group, for instance, already podcasts as this podcast on 26 July indicates.

Yet more examples of the growing uptake of an effective and complementary communication medium by large corporations. Not especially in the IT industry, either, as this embryonic list indicates.

IBM continues to delight with their innovative communication ideas. And you can be absolutely sure other companies have similar plans in the works.

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• IBM publishes guidelines for employee bloggers
• IBM creating an army of evangelists