Creating the Museums n’That podcast

As digital and audience development professionals, Megan Jones and Sara Merritt were in an excellent position to create the Museums n'That podcast, which reflects the core ethos of all nine sites at Leeds Museums and Galleries.

They wanted to create a narrative that chimed with their ever-growing online community, particularly Twitter, which was easily achievable because Jones manages the organisation’s account.

“Quite a lot of museum podcasts are very formal, but we wanted to create an atmosphere where it feels like you’re just sitting in the pub with your mates and having a chat, where it’s okay to ask stupid of obvious questions,” Jones says. “It’s all about being approachable and capturing that sense of northern hospitality.”

Jones and Merritt use an informal interview style that focuses on one member of staff each episode, inquiring about the weirdest and most wonderful aspects of their job, and even their favourite takeaway food.

“Our specialists don’t necessarily get the recognition or exposure they deserve,” says Merritt. “So this is a great way to offer a more rounded view of our museums service, but also spotlight them as individuals.”

They are also careful to invite a cross-section of people from each site and to take into consideration a certain amount of confidence is needed when it comes to speaking on mic.

The pair prepare rigorously before recording an episode, but don’t ask their guests to do the same.

“That way it stays very natural,” Jones says. “And we don’t tell them when we’ve started recording – some of the best moments come from when people are less aware of themselves.”

The podcast is recorded, produced and edited by the pair entirely in-house, and they spend a considerable amount of time building a marketing buzz online.

“We built the podcast up on social media, doing polls and direct-fed teasers and hints, including our trailer,” Jones says. “It all went so well that we decided to release the first episode two weeks later and began releasing episodes every week, so as not to miss out on that momentum.”

For Merritt, the primary objective is clear, and in line with the organisation’s overarching strategy: “It’s an experiment in making our digital audience as important as our physical one.”