As you've probably heard by now, branded podcasts have solidified their spot as powerful marketing channels for forward-thinking companies.

Here are a few reasons why brands are turning to this new rich medium:

• 50% of listeners feel positive about a brand’s involvement in a podcast as opposed to only 2% who feel negatively about it
• 86% of brands reported increased brand affinity as a result of their podcast
• 46% of brands see podcasts as a more effective tool for establishing thought leadership compared to other mediums
• 72% of brands report lead generation as a main benefit of their podcast
• 90% of brands are satisfied with the results of their podcasts
• 41% of podcast listeners say they would listen to a podcast about a favorite brand. This is only 5% behind how likely listeners are to tune into a celebrity show

With all that said, what are branded podcasts anyway? Why are they so effective at establishing thought leadership, deepening customer loyalty, and boosting lead gen efforts? And how do brands go about creating their own series?To help you answer all of the above, we break down 11 different elements your team needs to consider when it comes to bringing your company's podcast to life. 

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‍What are branded podcasts?

‍Branded podcasts are podcast series owned or brought to listeners by a company with the purpose of benefiting the brand.

‍In particular, these series are great for connecting brands with their target audiences in a more engaging and authentic way. Rather than traditional ads, branded podcasts focus on storytelling, thought leadership, and valuable content that aligns with the brand's values and mission. For this reason, this marketing channel has been on the rise since 2016, attracting attention from Fortune 500 brands and startups alike.

In fact, in a study by BBC they uncovered that through branded podcasts, the brand actually stands out from the content. Podcasts that mention the brand deliver on average 16% higher engagement and 12% higher memory compared to surrounding content. 

In the same BBC study, they found that branded podcasts increased: 

1. Brand awareness by 89%
2. Brand favorability by 24%
3. Brand consideration by 57%
4. Purchase intent by 14% 

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What branded podcasts are not

‍It's important to note from the start that a branded podcast is not a 30-minute infomercial explaining how great your brand is. If your strategy centers solely on promoting your product or service, you’re missing the mark. Listeners come to podcasts to learn, be inspired, or be entertained — not to hear a drawn-out sales pitch.

No one likes to be sold to. Studies show that 22% of listeners believe there are already "way too many" ads on podcasts, and 74% tune in to be educated. Overloading your episodes with overt sales messages will likely lead listeners to tune out and search for content that provides real value.

Instead of focusing on what you sell, consider highlighting:

• Stories that align with your brand’s mission or values
• Interviews with industry experts or influencers that align with your niche
• Solutions to challenges your target listeners face
• Help your audience level up their skills, mindset, or career

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Four ways your company can leverage branded podcasts

‍As a brand, the number one thing to consider when starting a podcast is the goal you’re trying to accomplish. 

There’s no use in creating a podcast for the sake of creating a podcast. You want to ensure that your content is geared towards achieving your goals and KPIs whatever those may be. 

Over the years and after producing countless branded podcasts for leading companies, we’ve identified four primary ways brands are leveraging podcasts to achieve their goals:

‍1. Brand awareness 

‍The most popular goal for branded podcasts is awareness: the elevation of brand values in the eyes of consumers.

Podcasts give you the opportunity to build a relationship with potential customers by showcasing your values and providing industry credibility in your respective space. These types of podcasts can be used for both the B2B and B2C space with examples like Pick Me Up, a series created by Lyft in partnership with Gimlet, or Rise and Grind presented by Zip Recruiter. 

Building brand awareness through a podcast requires consistent effort and long-term commitment. Regularly releasing new episodes, engaging with listeners through feedback and Q&A sessions, and actively promoting the podcast across various channels are essential for sustaining interest and growing audiences.

By consistently delivering valuable content, brands can establish themselves as reliable sources of information and maintain a strong presence in the minds of target audiences.

‍2. Sales

‍Contrary to popular belief, podcasts can also be a gift for your sales team, not just your marketing team. 

By leveraging the popularity and intimacy of this medium, sales teams can enhance their sales strategies and drive meaningful results. Here are three ways sales teams can use podcasts:

‍Lead Generation

‍If there’s a specific lead that you’ve had your eye on whether it be an individual or brand, invite them onto your podcast as a guest. This allows you to organically build a relationship with them. 

Make sure the conversations are not overly sales-y and transactional. You want to be creating valuable content that informs your audience, yet speaks to their interest. The priority should be creating a natural conversation so that the sales magic happens off the mic.

‍Relationship Building

‍Branded podcasts offer an exceptional platform for sales teams to strengthen their existing relationships with clients, partners, and leads. 

Again, by featuring key stakeholders as guests on your podcast series, you not only deepen your connection with them but also provide them with additional exposure and marketing opportunities. 

The podcast format allows for a more personal and in-depth conversation, enabling you to connect on a deeper level. As you share valuable insights, industry trends, and thought-provoking discussions, you position yourself as a trusted advisor and resource.

‍Case Studies

‍It’s crucial to strike a balance between showcasing your brand and offering broader industry insights. If your podcast solely focuses on self-promotion, it will come across as inauthentic and purely sales-driven. 

Instead, aim to curate a diverse range of use cases and success stories from your industry. By presenting a variety of perspectives, experiences, and solutions, you provide valuable content that educates and inspires your listeners. Through this approach, you establish your brand as an authority and demonstrate your expertise in solving real-world challenges.

‍3. Omnichannel marketing with podcasts

‍Omnichannel marketing aims to establish a cohesive experience across all channels by delivering integrated and interconnected content through various touchpoints.

When incorporating an omnichannel approach to podcast marketing, your content becomes an integral part of a larger, connected customer experience. You can do this namely by repurposing your podcast content into other channels like social media, blogs, and audiograms, to cater to different audience consumption preferences and reach new audiences while maintaining a consistent and unified message across platforms.

The possibilities for repurposing your podcast content are extensive. Consider the following options:

‍Blogs 

‍Transcribe your podcast episodes and convert them into blog posts for your brand's website or podcast landing page, boosting traffic, enhancing SEO, and providing listeners with another way to consume your content. After all, not everyone has time to listen to a full episode — some prefer reading key points or searching for specific insights.

Once you've transcribed the episode, you'll want to distill the content into structured, meaningful content that stands on its own. Listeners shouldn't have to consume the full episode in order for your blog post to make sense or provide value. It should be independent, but complimentary.

Don't forget to embed the podcast player so readers can choose to listen if they want. Some good examples of branded podcast blogs include: Makers Mindset by Twine, Fissionary by NEI, and The Moment by Quill.

‍Video

‍If you record video during your podcast, segment it into clips to be shared across your marketing channels.

Short-form video clips, such as highlight reels or key soundbites, work particularly well for social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. These snippets can pique interest and drive traffic back to the full episode. Remember to add captions, as many viewers watch videos without sound. You'll also want to include optimized titles, descriptions, and thumbnails to maximize visibility.

Here's an example from our podcast, The Moment:

‍Audiograms

‍If your podcast is audio only, you can create an audiogram: a clip that combines a snippet of audio from your episode with dynamic visual elements like waveforms, captions, and graphics.

Audiograms are particularly effective because they provide a visual anchor for audio content, making it more digestible for social media feeds.

They're easy to create using tools like Headliner or Descript. By turning your episode's stand-out moments into shareable visuals, audiograms help you increase podcast discovery, engage your audience, and drive traffic back to your full episodes.

Here's another example from The Moment. 

‍Social media posts

‍Unsurprisingly, the most popular promotion channel for branded podcasts is social media with 92% of brands relying on social media as their primary channel for engaging with podcast listeners.

On top of promoting the full episode using Tracking Links to attribute your download sources, you can reshare snippets from your blog posts, Q&A articles, expert roundups, audiograms, or quotes from episodes to create engaging social content. If you have podcast guests, you'll also want to provide them with a media kit with all their episode's assets so they can share with their network. This expands the reach of your show, boosts your credibility, and strengthens your relationship with your guests.

For inspiration, check out A Better Way to Money Podcast on LinkedIn.

‍Events 

‍Since COVID-19, virtual events have become increasingly popular for podcasters as they offer a unique opportunity to engage with their audience in real-time, regardless of geographical limitations. These events can take the form of live Q&A sessions, panel discussions, or even virtual conferences.

A podcast editor plays a crucial role in ensuring the success of these virtual events by managing audio quality, editing the recorded sessions for post-event distribution, and enhancing the overall listening experience by adding intros, outros, music, or sound effects.

You can also do live events where you record an episode in front of an in-person audience or just host a meetup with some of your avid listeners. This presents a great opportunity for networking and makes your listeners feel closer to you. Plus, if you opt to record a live episode this is a great way to diversify your content.

‍Reports and downloadables

‍Transforming your podcast episodes into downloadable reports or guides is a valuable way to provide in-depth insights on the topics discussed. Start by compiling the key takeaways, research, and expert opinions from your episodes into a cohesive report. These can be formatted as whitepapers, case studies, or industry insights, offering your audience more detailed content they can refer to later.

A great example is the CAAT Pension Plan's Lessons from the Leaders: a downloadable e-book that covers lessons and insights from podcast interviews to keep listeners hooked outside the airwaves. ‍

Webinars 

‍Last but not least, blend all the aforementioned content elements to create a compelling webinar, complete with slides, text, images, and videos, to reinforce the concepts discussed in your podcast episodes.

Webinars offer a powerful way to engage your audience in real time while reinforcing the insights from your branded podcast. Unlike static content, webinars provide an interactive platform where your audience can ask questions, share feedback, and connect directly with your brand.

Record the webinar for future use—whether as gated content for lead generation or as smaller clips for social media.

For more content repurposing ideas, download CoHost's Content Repurposing Checklist that's filled with 80 ways to make the most of your podcast content.

‍4. Internal communications 

‍Internal communications play a crucial role in keeping employees engaged and informed within an organization. However, many companies struggle to find effective channels to reach their diverse audiences.

‍In a report done by Poppulo on internal communications professionals, it was found that:

• 30% of internal communications professionals still struggle with what channel to use to reach specific audiences
• More than 50% of internal comms professionals agreed that they do not have the right tools to do their jobs
• 50% of employees are unsure of what their managers expect from them

Fortunately, branded podcasts have emerged as a powerful tool for internal communications, serving a variety of purposes including:

• Educating your company’s employee base on certain topics
• Boosting employee engagement and morale
• Encouraging employees to learn, grow, and develop their skills
• Spreading company-wide news and updates in a way that’s fun and accessible
• Showcasing your company’s work and big wins to inspire employees and fuel their passion

Some examples of brands that have created their own podcast dedicated to internal comms include Lululemon, Trader Joe's, and Deloitte.

Here are three ways that brands can leverage branded podcasts for internal communications: 

‍Updates 

‍74% of employees feel as if they’re missing out on company news. Branded podcasts can bridge this information gap by delivering company-wide updates or department-specific news. By regularly sharing updates through podcasts, organizations can ensure that employees are always in the know, fostering a sense of inclusion and engagement.

‍Employee Features

By providing a platform for employees to share their experiences, expertise, and insights, branded podcasts help build trust, connection, and engagement among the workforce. This approach also breaks down hierarchical barriers, as employees from all roles and titles can contribute and learn from one another.

In fact, 69% of managers said that they are not even comfortable communicating with employees in general. Branded podcasts offer an avenue for managers and employees to connect on a more personal level, fostering a stronger sense of unity and collaboration.

‍Industry News 

‍Staying up to date with industry news is crucial for organizations seeking to remain competitive. Branded podcasts can play a vital role in disseminating industry updates to all employees. 

By keeping the workforce informed about the latest trends, advancements, and challenges within the industry, organizations can empower employees to think critically, contribute innovative ideas, and align their initiatives with the current state of the brand. This shared awareness fosters a culture of continuous learning and enables employees to become brand ambassadors who actively contribute to the company's growth and success.

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‍Defining your corporate podcast's ideal listener profile 

‍Similar to developing a customer persona, an ideal listener profile identifies the demographic and psychographic behaviors of your potential audience.

This exercise is important because it forces you to get specific about who you want to listen to your branded podcast.

By understanding your ideal audience's needs desires, preferences, and pain points, you will be able to effectively develop a relationship with them and create content that is genuinely valuable to them.

For example, if your goal is brand elevation, and your target demographic is women 25 to 34, developing a persona will tell you what your demographic cares about so you can conceptualize your podcast series around a subject that hyper-targets their interests. 

The goal here is relatability. You want to paint a clear picture of who your listeners are in their everyday lives so you can relate to them on a personal level. That way, they will have a positive association with your brand and will be more likely to become engaged listeners.

‍Key components of an ideal podcast listener profile 

1. Age 
2. Gender 
3. Location 
4. Industry and Occupation 
5. Socioeconomic status
6. Education
7. Interests 
8. Hobbies 
9. Lifestyle 
10. Social Causes 
11. Pain Points
12. Fears 
13. Budget 
14. Total Market (How many potential listeners there are that fit your profile. This metric will help you estimate your potential audience size)

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Creating a competitive analysis for your branded podcast

‍Before diving into brainstorming and structuring your branded podcast, it’s crucial to understand the competitive landscape. This means taking a deep look at what other podcasts in your category are already doing and identifying both opportunities and gaps. By conducting a competitive analysis, you can fine-tune your strategy and create a podcast that stands out in a crowded market.

Start by listening to a broad selection of podcasts within your industry. Aim to listen to 5-10 episodes from different podcasts to gather a diverse range of insights. While listening, pay attention to key elements such as:

• Content quality: Is the content well-researched and informative? Are the guests credible and relevant? The quality of the content will directly impact how your audience perceives your brand and podcast.
• Podcast length: How long are the episodes? Are they too long, too short, or just right? Consider what your target audience’s attention span is like, and how long they’re willing to commit to listening.
• Format: Is the podcast interview-based, narrative-driven, or a mix of both? Do they use audio storytelling elements, case studies, or data to support their points? Analyzing the format will help you decide what style works best for your own audience.
• Guest selection and host Style: Are the hosts engaging and credible? Do the guests add value to the conversation? Understanding this dynamic will help you determine how to position your own hosts and choose guests who resonate with your audience.

As you listen and take notes, reflect on both what you like and what you don’t like about each podcast. This will give you a clearer picture of how to refine your own podcast’s approach. Consider elements like pacing, style, and tone that worked well, as well as things that could be improved or avoided.

After conducting this analysis, it’s time to define your UVP (Unique Value Proposition). What can you offer that other podcasts in your space aren’t doing? This is where your creativity and strategic thinking come into play. Your UVP could stem from:

• Format: Perhaps your podcast stands out by combining different formats like interviews, storytelling, and panel discussions, offering a more dynamic listening experience. For example, Hot Ones and Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee added unique elements on top of the classic interview format to make them stand out in the space.
• Guests: You could differentiate by featuring more niche or hard-to-reach industry leaders or even influencers who align closely with your brand’s mission.
• Host: Your host could be a recognized figure in the industry, bringing extra credibility to your show.

By clearly understanding what’s already out there, you can refine your approach and identify the unique aspects that will set your podcast apart, ensuring that it provides value that no other series does.

“Dig in, think about what stuff you can put out there that would be very valuable to the group of people you're trying to reach. Be exceptionally generous – make it from you and not about you. Be unexpectedly awesome over and over and over again.”

‍-Steve Pratt, author of Earn It: Unconventional Strategies for Brave Marketers and the Co-Founder of Department of Differentiation‍

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‍Building your branded podcast concepts

‍Once you've defined your podcast goals, ideal listener profile, and conducted a competitive analysis, it's time to develop the core concept of your podcast. This is where you bring your creativity into play, tailoring your content to appeal to your audience while aligning with your brand’s message.

Defining the subject matter‍

Use your audience's insights to choose a subject that resonates with them and is aligned with your brand’s mission. For example, if your listeners are passionate about sustainability, create a podcast around green-tech innovations or eco-friendly business practices. Your subject matter should be niche to attract the right audience, but make sure it has the capacity to extend multiple episodes.

Tailor to your audience's needs‍

Your podcast should reflect what your audience cares about. For instance, if your listeners are women in tech, you could create content that addresses their career challenges or highlights successful women leaders in the industry. Consider creating specialized mini-seasons to keep content fresh and focused on particular themes or issues your audience faces.

Choose your format and structure‍

Consider whether you want an episodic or serialized series. An episodic format allows each episode to stand alone, making it easy for new listeners to jump in at any point. This format works well for brands that want to focus on a range of topics or industry insights. In contrast, a serialized series weaves a larger narrative across multiple episodes, opening up more storytelling opportunities.

‍Interview/Discussion is the most popular branded podcast format. They allow you to tap into the expertise and authority of your guests while providing valuable insights for your audience. However, to stand out in the increasingly competitive branded podcast landscape, many brands are turning to more unique formats like non-fiction narratives, monologues, and investigative series.

Align your podcast with your brand‍

Your podcast should reflect your brand's values. Whether your brand is innovative, sustainability-driven, or customer-centric, ensure these qualities shine through in your podcast’s content and tone. This makes the podcast an authentic extension of your brand without being too sales-oriented or promotional.

For many brands, coming up with a unique and engaging concept that speaks to your target audience and aligns with your business goals can be challenging. We suggest reaching out to a branded podcast agency if your budget allows to help you handle the heavy lifting.

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‍Creating your corporate podcast distribution strategy 

‍Once your podcast is ready to go, it’s time to look at distribution. At this stage, you have multiple decisions to make moving forward: 

‍Select your episode frequency

‍A recent analysis conducted by Podchaser examined data from a span of six months in order to identify the optimal day for releasing new podcast episodes. The findings indicated that weekdays are more favored for publishing episodes compared to weekends, with no specific weekday proving to be superior to others.

Here are some options:

• Bulk Drop; Drop all episodes at one time to determine what episode subjects your listeners are most interested in.
• Weekly 
• Bi-Weekly 
• Monthly

Also, some podcast hosting platforms, like CoHost, provide the peak engagement dates and times for your audience. Once you have enough episodes launched, use this data to refine your release strategy.

‍Choose a podcast hosting platform

‍A podcast hosting platform is where your podcast audio files are stored, managed, and distributed to podcast directories like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music.

When selecting a branded podcast hosting platform, consider factors like:

• Storage and bandwidth: Ensure the platform offers sufficient storage space for your episodes, as well as reliable bandwidth for smooth streaming, especially as your audience grows.
• Analytics: Select a hosting platform that provides detailed metrics on listener behavior, episode performance, Advanced Audience Demographics, B2B Analytics, and engagement. These insights are crucial for adjusting your content strategy, enhancing sponsorships, and verifying you're reaching your target listeners.
• Ease of use: A user-friendly interface will make uploading, editing, and managing episodes simpler, saving you time and effort.
• Distribution and growth features: Look for a platform that can easily distribute your podcast to major directories including YouTube and offers integration with third-party tools like social media and marketing platforms to help you grow your audience.
• Monetization options: If you're planning to monetize your podcast, choose a hosting platform that offers features like ads, premium subscriptions, or listener donations.

Some of the major podcast hosting platforms are:‍

1. CoHost
2. Simplecast
3. Libsyn
4. Buzzsprout
5. Omny Studio

For a full list of podcast hosting platforms including their benefits, drawbacks, and costs, check out our complete roundup.

‍Launching with multiple episodes

‍Commonly, podcasts will launch with 3-5 episodes. The reasoning for this is that it not only gives your listeners more content to get addicted to until the next episode release, but it also avoids the risk of releasing one episode that doesn’t resonate well with your listeners. 

Launching with multiple episodes will also look more attractive to potential listeners since it shows audiences that you are more committed to producing the series.

‍“Podfade” is a term used where after the 7th episode, podcasters tend to lose motivation and slow down production on their series. 

You don’t need to launch with 7 episodes but if you launch with 3-5, it shows more dedication and motivation for the series which listeners will catch onto.

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‍How to grow your podcast audience

‍When it comes to audience growth, you need to evaluate which channels you have access to and where your target audience lives online.

Especially with the rise of AI, a lot of brands can feel the pressure to be everywhere all at once. However, that will only lead to burnout.

Instead, we suggest looking into the channels your ideal listeners already live on, like:

• Social media channels (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and TikTok)
• Blogs
• Websites
• Apps 
• Newsletters 
• Slack channels 
• Communities/online forums 
• Other podcasts

A brand that successfully leveraged the channels that they have access to is Tinder. When Tinder created the series “DTR” in partnership with Gimlet, they added a promotion for the podcast on their app where the series would come up as if it were a match. If people liked it, they would be taken to a page where they could listen to the series.

If you're not sure where your listeners live online, podcast analytics tools like CoHost detail your listeners' social media consumption habits and provide a list of your top download sources via Tracking Links. This information helps you understand which channels to nurture and which to leave on the back burner.

If you’re looking for a full list of podcast marketing tactics to grow your audience, check out our podcast marketing guide. 

‍Start building your audience before you launch with a podcast trailer

‍Lastly, start building your audience as early as possible before you launch. One way to do this is to tell your audience about the podcast through a series trailer.

A podcast trailer is a short, introductory episode that gives listeners a preview of what to expect from your show. Typically lasting 30 seconds to 2 minutes, a podcast trailer highlights your podcast’s theme, format, and the value it offers to the audience. It’s an essential marketing tool to boost discoverability, set the tone for your podcast, and build anticipation before your podcast even launches.

Here are some practical tips we have for making a branded podcast trailer that performs:

1. Keep it Short and Impactful: Aim for 30 seconds to 2 minutes, providing a quick glimpse into your podcast’s key themes and tone without revealing too much.
2. Focus on Listener Value: Highlight what listeners will gain — entertainment, education, or self-improvement — rather than just listing features.
3. Build Momentum: Start with a hook, maintain energy throughout, and end with a clear call to action (CTA), encouraging listeners to subscribe.
4. Include Show Samples: Use impactful soundbites to give listeners a taste of your show’s content and personality.
5. Clear CTA: Direct listeners to subscribe, ensuring a smooth transition into future episodes.
6. Timely Release: Launch your trailer ahead of the first episode, giving you time to build anticipation and promote.

In addition to a trailer, you can share teasers and snippets of your series to hook potential listeners through the different communication channels that you have identified. This will help grow your audience and build more awareness around your official series launch.

‍Increasing discoverability 

‍There are three main elements to discoverability. 

‍Visibility: Whether or not listeners can find your content

‍Visibility increases the chances of your podcast being discovered by potential listeners. When your podcast appears prominently in search results, podcast directories, or recommended lists, it becomes more accessible to individuals actively seeking new content. 

By optimizing your branded podcast's visibility, you increase the likelihood of attracting curious listeners who may be interested in your topic or genre.

One way to increase your visibility is to use show notes strategically. Quill Inc. broke down why you need podcast show notes, tips for writing them, as well as some resources podcasters can use.

‍Episode names and descriptions

‍How compelling your branded podcast name and descriptions are will convince listeners whether or not to listen. As some general rules of thumb:

• Don’t exceed 60 characters 
• Be clear and to the point
• Episode titles and descriptions should conform to acceptable SEO practices to maximize discoverability

Some SEO tools we use at Quill include:

a) Google Keyword Planner helps you to find the most effective keywords for your series. 

b) Wordstream also offers a free keyword tool that allows you to specify the industry and location you are focusing on. 

c) Ubersuggest allows you to see what’s trending for others in your respective space.

‍Transcribe your episodes: Increase the accessibility of your content and boost SEO

‍Transcribing your podcast episodes makes them more accessible and boosts SEO, making it easier for search engines to index your content and for listeners to find it. Once transcribed, you can turn them into blog posts, social media posts, and more which not only provide additional content but also keep your show discoverable long after the episodes have aired.

In other words, even if your podcast is seasonal, you can continue promoting it through transcriptions and blog posts to attract new listeners between seasons.

And finally, experiment with different audience growth tactics to see what works best. Tactics that have worked for other podcasts may not fit with yours and your audience so don’t be afraid to try new growth strategies out and let them go if they are not producing your desired results.

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‍Ask for feedback and adjust accordingly

‍Regardless of how you decide to distribute your podcast, it is vital to capture audience information. Key areas to focus on are listener demographics, behavior, and interest level. 

Essentially, who are they, how long were they engaged, and are you retaining them? 

Compare your results to your Ideal Listener Profile to ensure you’re hitting the correct customer base. 

Some resources to gather audience data are:

• Audience survey: Directly ask your audience to fill out a survey that covers their demographics, behaviors, and interests. 
• Online Analytics: Focus on measuring audience engagement outside of listening apps including social media insights on your podcast's accounts, website insights on your podcast's landing page, and click-throughs on newsletter content about your podcast.
• Podcast Platform Analytics: These are great to see how your show is performing on specific platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.
• Podcast analytics platforms: These platforms have advanced podcast data and audience insights that are crucial for brands looking to measure their podcast ROI. We suggest CoHost, as they offer B2B Analytics and Advanced Audience Demographics on Prefix, meaning you can access them regardless of your podcast hosting setup.
• Reviews and ratings: Listener reviews and feedback provide qualitative data that can be just as valuable as quantitative metrics. Positive reviews indicate strong engagement, while constructive criticism helps you improve your show.

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What analytics can I use to measure my branded podcast audience engagement? 

‍To gauge the effectiveness of your branded podcast, tracking audience engagement is essential. Here are key analytics that can help measure how well your content is resonating with your audience:

1. Downloads: The most basic metric, downloads provide insight into the overall reach of your podcast. Higher download numbers often correlate with better audience engagement, but often result in an inflated view of your show's reach. This is because downloads represent the total count of plays lasting at least 60 seconds regardless of whether it's a first-time experience or a repeat play. 
2. Unique listeners: Conversely, unique listeners offer a distinct count of individual audience members tuning in to your show. If a listener revisits your podcast multiple times, it registers as a single unique listener. This makes unique listeners a more true representation of your podcast's actual reach.
3. Consumption rate: These metrics tell you how long listeners are sticking with your episodes and if they’re listening all the way through. Measured as a percentage, the closer to 100% you get, the better. If listeners consistently drop off early, it may indicate that your content isn’t capturing attention and needs some refining.
4. Drop-off points: Take note of where listeners are dropping off. If you notice a lot of listeners are tuning out at the same time, it can indicate that a segment isn't meeting the mark, an ad ran too long, or the conversation strayed too far off-topic.
5. Engagement on social media: Tracking likes, shares, comments, and mentions of your podcast across platforms (such as Instagram, LinkedIn, or Twitter) helps measure how well your audience is interacting with your podcast and its promotion. It also gives you an idea of which episodes are sparking conversation. You can verify which social platforms are driving the most downloads with Tracking Links.
6. Advanced Audience Demographics: Understanding who your audience is, including their location, age, lifestyle, and interests, helps tailor your content to meet their needs and preferences, driving further engagement. Plus, this information helps you verify you're reaching your ideal listeners and enhance sponsorships.
7. Website traffic: If you’ve set up a website or landing page for your branded podcast, tracking how much traffic it receives, especially from podcast-related keywords, can offer insights into how people are discovering your show and whether they’re engaging with your additional content. We also suggest looking at metrics like time on page, pages per session, and conversions.
8. B2B Analytics: CoHost's B2B Analytics provides brands with a detailed breakdown of the companies listening on a show and episode level, including information on company size, industry, revenue, job title, and seniority level. Plus, this feature enables lead generation by exporting a list of companies tuning into the podcast, helping brands identify valuable prospects.

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The importance of producing a quality podcast

‍In 2025 there will be over 5 million podcasts with ~70 million episodes between them and the numbers are only growing. As podcasting becomes more saturated, the key to growing an audience is carving out a niche, providing valuable and unique content to your target audience, and reaching your audience where they already live online.

We know - it's a mouthful and it's easier said than done. That's why we always suggest auditing your content every 3-6 months. Due to the repetitive nature of podcasting (especially when not released in seasons), it can be easy to get lost in the motions, rather than ensuring that you’re creating top-notch content for your audience. 

To help stay on top of things, let's break down podcast quality into 4 main categories:

‍1. Content value 

‍The value your podcast offers to listeners is directly tied to its relevance, engagement, and uniqueness. Ask yourself questions like:

• Why should someone listen to my podcast?
• Would I listen to this if I didn't work here?
• What is my podcast providing that others in the niche are not?

You can even take this exercise a step further and pass your podcast to someone honest and unbiased who fits into your ideal listener profile. Ask them for their unfiltered opinion and consider adjusting based on their feedback.

Above all: every episode should provide listeners with tangible benefits, whether through insights, solutions, or entertainment.

To help accomplish this, having a clear narrative arc is crucial—don't let the content feel flat or monotonous. Your podcast should have a flow that keeps listeners engaged from start to finish. Try to create a story around your content with challenges and solutions or rising action and climaxes depending on the structure of your series.

‍2. Technical quality

‍Audio quality can make or break a podcast. If your listeners struggle to hear or understand the content due to muffled sounds or background noise, they’re likely to tune out.

Invest in good equipment and ensure clear audio, free of static or distortion. Use music beds to mark transitions or break up longer episodes, keeping listeners engaged. The strategic use of music can also help set the tone and mood of the episode, especially when dealing with more complex or nuanced topics.

There are a variety of platforms available to find Creative Commons music such as Artlist, Bensound, or Free Music Archive. 

‍3. Episode structure 

‍A well-structured episode keeps your content focused and accessible. Pick one overarching theme for each episode, ensuring it is easy for listeners to follow along.

Additionally, the format of your podcast —whether it’s an interview, discussion, or documentary— should support the narrative you’re telling.

Mixing up formats can keep things fresh, but make sure each episode follows a similar structure so your audience knows what to expect. Signposts, or reminders throughout the episode, are helpful for guiding listeners through the content. Recaps, questions, and teasers can serve as effective cues to keep your audience on track and excited for what's next.

‍4. Subject matter

 What makes your podcast stand out in a sea of similar content? A unique angle on a common topic can make a world of difference.

For instance, a tech podcast doesn’t need to cover the same breaking news or trends everyone else is talking about. Find a niche within the subject matter that appeals to a specific audience. Do you dive deeper into a lesser-discussed aspect of tech? Or perhaps you tell stories that connect tech developments to broader cultural trends?

Whatever it is, identifying what sets your podcast apart from others in your category will give listeners a reason to come back for more. Make sure to continually assess whether your content is still addressing your audience’s needs or whether it’s time to pivot to something more engaging.

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‍Examples of successful podcasts by brands

SickKids Foundation’s SickKids VS

‍SickKids VS takes you to the frontlines in the fight for child health. From wonder drugs that treat hypermutant tumors to machines that keep hearts beating outside the body, each episode tells the story of a different breakthrough, revealing all the hope and heartache on the tumultuous road to discovery.

Quill and Canadian Business' The Moment‍

The Moment explores the defining moments of Canada's most renowned entrepreneurs — the pivotal experiences that shaped their journey and their business. Hosted by Fatima Zaidi, Founder and CEO of Quill and CoHost, alongside Jason Maghanoy, Publisher of Canadian Business, this show takes a deep dive into the exhilarating, stressful, and often unexpected moments that mark entrepreneurial success. The Moment offers candid conversations that provide exclusive insights and practical wisdom, helping listeners gain the confidence to navigate their own defining moments.

Expedia Group's Powering Travel

‍Powering Travel brings together hospitality industry leaders to discuss the future of travel businesses. Hosted by Brandon Ehrhardt and Sally Smith from Expedia Group, the podcast delves into the latest trends, shares industry insights, and offers expert predictions on what’s next for the hospitality sector.

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‍Bringing your branded podcast to life

‍Creating a great podcast that listeners want to tune into takes planning, strategizing, and expertise. If your brand is planning on launching a podcast this guide is a perfect resource to get you started, but after you're done reading you'll actually need to take action and dedicate time to bringing your series to life. 

It's also important to remember that podcasting is a long-term plan. Don't expect to have your podcast produce the results you're hoping for immediately. Be patient with the content and continue to work towards finding the right content and marketing tactics that fit your audience. 

If you're considering launching a branded podcast, reach out to the podcast experts at Quill to help you bring your series to life.