A podcaster from the USA - whose podcast on whisky regularly attracts some 10,000 listeners per week - has been secured as a speaker at a dinner taking place in Scotland.

Mark Gillespie, who hosts Whiskycast, has been lined up by the organiser of the Scottish Social Media Dinners, Craig McGill - to speak in Glasgow on Wednesday.

Says McGill: “Podcasts can add value to any business - either as customer engagement and awareness or internal comms - and are so easy to do, so it’s something that can be done in-house or as a bolt-on service from a PR or marketing agency.

"If you're talking about your industry, it shows you to be an industry leader and commentator

"It's a way to engage with customers or even staff internally - so many people still don't see the uses of social media for inhouse comms.

"It's easy and inexpensive. It can be great fun. You can use it to drive sales.

"To that end, it’s fantastic to have Mark Gillespie speaking while he’s here from America. His whisky podcast Whiskycast pulls in up to 10,000 listeners a week. Now that’s great outreach for a specialist topic, especially when you consider most of those people are in the target group known as influencers.

“The last time we had a podcast expert as a speaker the event was a sell-out so we’re hopeful of the same again. And, in true Steve Jobs style, we’re going to announce something special on the night that will be of interest to anyone in Scotland who has ever considered podcasting.”

Tickets, £25 for a three-course meal, can be booked here.