Think of the podcast thusly: the medium became nearly synonymous with lockdown. A podcast could provide the chatter, hustle, bonhomie, reportage, gripping storylines — anything really — that formed a simulacrum of the outside world we were denied for nearly 18 months. The format allows artist freedom, yet its consumption was anodyne and gentle as listening to talk radio — but without the distressing interruption of deeply troubling news headlines on the hour.

Although I have hosted my own podcasts for years, it wasn’t until 2020 that my public relations firm truly incorporated podcast production into its practice. At first, it seemed to me the ideal placeholder, a way to have conversations and network from home. However, as the pandemic worsened, and now has begun to relent (we hope), I believe that the place podcasts have in our culture is a firm and deserving one.

Simply put, podcasts have become a vital part of the cultural and political conversation. Storied news organs from The New York Times to the BBC host all sorts of programming so that their readership and listenership might have a deeper dive with a slightly different tenor from how stories are presented in the headlines.

Aside from podcasts from established news organizations, the medium provides an outlet for those in the establishment to offer their unfiltered take, as we’ve seen with Pod Save America. The traction gained by outsiders like the team behind Chapo Trap House also demonstrates how the platform provides a powerful forum to catapult outsiders to the mainstream conversation.

With recording equipment relatively affordable and easily purchased online, podcasting is an accessible way for pretty much anyone to enter into that conversation. Of course, simply uploading a conversation to the iTunes store, Spotify or SoundCloud will not draw a listenership of 300,000. However, I would encourage anyone looking to grow their internet presence to give it a shot.

The reason why is the main ingredient of a good podcast: an interview subject. Yes, plenty of podcasts live and die on research and storytelling alone, but unless you are Ira Glass or a serious journalist, it’s best to think of podcasting as a networking tool — something to help you get out in the world.

When my team books guests for our clients’ podcasts, we look for people who will make not only stimulating conversation partners but also important inroads for our clients’ brands and goals. What’s amazing about a podcast is that these benefits are reciprocal: The guest becomes a sort of brand ambassador for the host; the host becomes one for the guest.

This is especially vital for a business leader emerging from COVID. As many businesses have slightly — or even radically — changed their goods and services to adapt to a new economy, podcasts are a great way to telegraph that shift, while having an intelligent and engaging discussion about it.

Additionally, booking guests for such a discussion is a phenomenal opportunity for networking and might even serve as a fine education for the host. Podcasts also offer a chance to converse with equals in your field who might also be navigating this same terrain.

To make the most of this opportunity, it is essential to engage social media as you release each episode. Make quote graphics, tweet at all guests and also link to relevant journalists and their articles on any relevant matters. Who knows — such connections can turn into guests or even coverage down the road.

The reciprocal benefits of podcasting play out on social media — which is another compelling reason to break into this medium. Generating content in this way allows for more online engagement, all of it as substantive as you’d like it to be. There is no filter from a journalist or news organization, and followers can also work on your behalf. The process of sharing is organic and a productive way to advertise without actually advertising, as it were.

In short, as long as you enjoy holding a conversation, podcasting presents a wonderful — and COVID-safe — way to emerge from lockdown. And, even if you don’t have any podcasting ambitions yourself, chances are there are dozens of programs out there made expressly for your listening pleasure.