In today’s bustling corporate landscape, the exchange of knowledge is no longer confined to boardrooms or email threads. Instead, brands are turning to corporate podcasting.

Moving beyond the boardroom, companies are realizing the necessity of podcasts in robust marketing strategies for thought leadership, meaningful engagement, and awareness.

However, it can feel daunting to launch a show when you may not have the technical skills or time to support such an undertaking. 

But the good news is that starting a podcast can be simple (with the right help). 

In this blog, we outline our audio-expert-approved corporate podcast production tips and the benefits of podcast agencies for showcasing your brand’s story. 

Keep in mind that the majority, if not all of these steps will most likely be done in partnership with your production agency. 

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What is corporate podcast production?

Corporate podcast production refers to the process of piecing together a show and bringing it to life on behalf of a brand. 

There are three main steps involved: 

• Pre-production
• Production
• Post-production

Corporate podcast production involves tasks like content planning, scriptwriting, recording, editing, and publishing. It also requires selecting the appropriate podcasting equipment, choosing hosting platforms, and promoting the podcast to the target audience. 

The goal is to create high-quality audio content that aligns with the company's goals and resonates with the intended audience, whether they are employees, customers, or industry peers.

Quill Tip: Before you grab your recording equipment, take some time to learn about the podcasting process and research which podcast agencies suit your needs most. 

We have compiled an extensive list of leading podcast agencies along with their unique offerings and client clouds.

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1. Plan in pre-production 

Pre-production in podcasting is the initial phase of creating a corporate podcast, where all the planning and preparation take place before the actual recording begins. It's a crucial stage that lays the foundation for a successful podcast. 

Pre-production involves looking at your branded podcast from a holistic lens. 

In this stage you want to: 

Set your objective  

Why are you creating your podcast? What is the ultimate goal? You need to know why this content should exist. 

Companies can have several different goals, including:

• Awareness
• Brand Reach
• Relationship Building
• Lead Generation
• Thought Leadership
• Engagement 

Decide on your target audience 

A target audience is quite simply the people you want your podcast to reach. You can segment it to include age, profession, income, gender, and anything else that makes sense for your brand.

For example, take a health and wellness brand that produces clean dietary supplements. They decide their target audience is young people between the ages of 25-35, who are active and healthy with disposable income.

In the case of your corporate podcast, develop listener personas by breaking down the characteristics of your ideal listeners – and there may be a few.  

From our earlier example, your corporate podcast for your health and wellness brand may also include:

• Middle-aged people looking for natural ways to help mitigate aging
• People who are looking for easy, quick ways to help lead a healthier lifestyle
• Vegans and vegetarians looking for natural plant protein sources

and the list goes on!

If you need help coming up with your ideal listener profiles, we suggest answering these questions:

• Who do you want to listen to your podcast? 
• Why are they going to choose your show? 
• What incremental value is your podcast going to add to their lives?

If you can answer these questions, you can tailor your content to reach a specific audience demographic and ultimately, convert listeners to customers (if that’s one of your business goals!).

Quill tip: You may be wondering – what’s the point of creating a listener persona if I can’t validate that my corporate podcast is reaching my desired audience? Luckily, now you can with CoHost’s Audience Advanced Demographics. This tool provides you will robust listener demographic information like age, gender, pets, income, social media habits, lifestyle preferences, and much more.

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Determine budgets

Before you take any first steps, be sure to decide on a firm budget with your leadership team and keep a log of costs from the start. A predetermined budget will allow you to properly resource and work within set parameters. 

Your budget is subject to change throughout the lifecycle of your show but when you’re just getting started, it’s helpful to have a number in mind.

Choose a host

A strong host is critical to the success of your podcast. It’s important to choose someone who will capture the right tone, voice, and be able to connect with an audience.

You can choose someone from within your organization who is knowledgeable about the subject matter such as the CEO or founder, or you could also outsource the role to a professional TV host, actor, or someone notable within your niche who can help draw in listeners. You must keep in mind diversity (for representation), charisma, and subject matter expertise.  

Pick a podcast title and cover art 

With over 5 million podcasts out there, a unique and catchy name and cover art are essential to make your show stand out in the crowd. 

Ensure that the title and cover art are unique, and memorable and speak to the overall theme of your podcast. Often your title or cover art is what attracts new listeners and keeps them coming back.  

For example, Expedia’s Powering Travel is a clear, cohesive design using complementary brand colors. This helps keep the cover looking sharp, while also revealing what the podcast is about through its graphics. 

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Decide on the length 

The length of your podcast will depend on what type of content you’re producing. Typically, most podcasts range anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. A good rule of thumb is to keep it under 45 minutes if you want people to listen all the way through.

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As shown in CoHost’s State of Branded Podcasts report, the most popular length for branded podcasts is 21-30 minutes, followed by 41-50 minutes.

But even with this knowledge, the length of your show should be dictated by elements like: 

• The format of your show
• The type of content you’re looking to produce
• The goal of your podcast 
• Who your target audience is
• What resources you have access to  

If you’re aiming for a deep dive into a particular topic, you’ll need to create longer episodes. And if you’re looking to provide listeners with some quick tips or updates, shorter episodes work fine. 

Choose your structure and format

What will the format of your podcast be? 

There are several options including:

• Interview Style
• Solo Discussion
• Narrative
• Multi-Story
• Conversational

Many brands and creators end up merging various formats. 

Some elements will be repeated throughout every episode that you produce, and others will be a one-time task when you launch your series such as your host, objective, title, and cover art.

Here’s a glance at the most popular podcast formats in 2022:

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Different formats bring different experiences for the listeners. Some let you connect more with the host while others focus more on the guest. Some require a heavy amount of research while others might happen more organically during the recording.

So before you decide on the format, identify what your overall goal is for the series and what you want it to achieve. This will help to point you in the direction of what format is right for you. 

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2. Invest in quality equipment  

The next critical step in podcast production is equipment. While there are suitable options for all budgets, investing in good podcast equipment is a non-negotiable since it will play a big part in the success of your corporate podcast.

Microphone

When deciding to get a microphone, consider the space that you're going to record in. Some microphones do a better job blocking out background noise than others, making your voice sound a lot cleaner.

With dynamic microphones such as the RODE procaster, the noise pick-up pattern focuses on the front of the microphone and less on the back which means it's mostly only capturing your voice.

USB or XLR?

For most podcasters with a simple set-up, a USB microphone is far easier since you simply plug the microphone into your computer, open up a recording software, and you're off to the races!

XLR microphones are the most durable but costly. They are a different type of microphone that tends to produce a better sound since they send a more balanced signal that isolates the noise. But you can’t simply plug these mics into your computer. 

You’ll need to invest more into your setup since you’ll need XLR cables and possibly another recording device. If you want to be more technical and see podcasting as a long-term journey, then we recommend eventually investing in an XLR microphone.

Typically, we recommend clients purchase a USB microphone for their recordings. 

Headphones

The next piece of equipment that you’ll want to invest in is a solid pair of headphones. Noise-canceling over-the-ear headphones are the best. You can get away with Bluetooth headphones similar to AirPods or just regular Apple headphones, but they tend to allow in more noise – unless they’re noise canceling. 

Get together all of your microphones, headphones, cables, adapters, and anything necessary to complete your podcast setup. Make sure they’re all charged up or working correctly. Test each piece of equipment before using it on your actual podcast recording day. You want to know how it sounds with your voice and how easy it is to operate. 

Quill tip: Investing in the right podcast equipment is a crucial step in your corporate podcasting journey. If you’re looking for a complete guide to expert-approved podcast equipment for all budgets, check out our full list. 

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3. Picking the right recording software

The best place to record a podcast is in a professional recording studio. However, these studios can be costly, so most podcasters record in their own homes or other places that they can control. Because of this, you’ll need to pick a recording software to use.

One option that offers recording, editing, and hosting in a single platform is Podcastle.ai. They record audio and video locally to avoid issues caused by unstable internet connections, as well as offering a suite of AI features for faster editing, text-to-speech, and voice duplication. 

Ultimately, there are plenty of options out there but pay attention to how they price their packages as well as whether or not they offer video recording. When the packages are based on hours it’s easy to run out faster than you’d think.

Lastly, when it comes to recording your podcast – although it might seem obvious – make sure to find a quiet place. It is essential to make sure you can control noise levels such as echoes, traffic noise, and background sounds like the air conditioning or heater. 

Quill tip: We’ve found that our clients much prefer having some sort of video option during the recording so that they can see their guest or co-host to make it feel like a more natural discussion. Check out 14 remote recording software to test out. 

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4. Don’t skimp on sound quality  

Quality matters, especially for corporate podcast production. With millions of podcasts on Apple and Spotify, there are a lot of shows for listeners to choose from. If your show stands out for having poor audio quality, potential listeners will move on to alternative shows. 

Sound quality doesn’t come from just your equipment (although it’s a huge factor), it also comes from how you record. When recording, the microphone should be placed approximately 1-2 feet away from your mouth (to avoid muffles) with no echoes behind you. 

You also need to know how to speak into your microphone. We know it sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised at the number of people who do it incorrectly. Make sure you educate yourself about the microphone that you purchase. 

For example, with the Blue Yeti microphone, some people think that you're supposed to have the tip point at your mouth. However, the Blue Yeti picks up your voice on the sides of the microphone, not the top. 

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5. Editing is king  

Audio editing is one of those skills that tend to be self-taught, like blogging. Many podcasters say they had no idea what they were doing in terms of audio engineering until after they’d produced their first few episodes. 

You can learn some basic editing skills from free tutorials online – just Google audio editing tutorials – and most software programs have built-in help systems. 

Once you have a recording you can use, go through it section by section – typically one segment at a time – using Audacity or whatever program you prefer. Most audio editing software, even the free ones (Audacity and GarageBand), come with a noise reduction effect to help reduce constant background sounds. 

Be sure to take notes along the way so that when it comes time to mix, you can look back at your edits and make any necessary changes or additions before proceeding with the production of the episode.

Again, the editing of your podcast will most likely fall into the hands of your podcast agency but there’s no harm in trying to better understand the process. 

Quill tip: If you’re interested in finding the right podcast editing tool for you, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite free platforms and what kind of podcaster they’re best suited for. 

6. Choose memorable music   

Considering how incredibly attuned to music our brains are, of course, your corporate podcast music selection is going to be crucial. 

If you’re after Gen Z audiences in particular, you’ll want to ensure your podcast has a strong audio brand considering the majority can recognize brands based solely on iconic memes.

All the resources on this list are free and safe to use for your podcast from a legal perspective.

• Pixabay
• YouTube Audio Library
• Incompetech
• Freebeats.io
• Purple Planet 

And here are some paid music platforms: 

• Epidemic Sound
• Artlist 
• Music Bed

For smaller, less critical elements like scene transitions or background music to enhance your audio landscape, the selection available in your subscription libraries typically suffices.

However, when it comes to something as crucial as the opening theme song for your branded podcast, you’ll want something that’s uniquely yours. 

Here are a couple of ways to achieve this: 

• Secure exclusive rights: If you stumble upon a song you adore in one of those libraries, don't hesitate to reach out directly to the artist. Inquire if you can purchase exclusive rights to that song. Your podcast agency can assist in this process. ‍
• Commission the same artist: If you already admire the style of a particular artist's music — why not commission them to create a unique song for your show? This way, you're guaranteed that the song has never been used before and won't be used outside of your intended purposes. The brand recognition will far outweigh the upfront cost of a unique song. 

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7. Publish your podcast strategically 

Timing is everything when it comes to corporate podcast production. Think about when your listeners are most likely to listen and time your episodes to release in advance of those times. Doing so will help you drive downloads and build a loyal following.

If you’re just starting, don’t worry too much about timing. For most acclaimed podcasters, uploading during the evening and very early in the morning when people are just starting their day is a great time to drive people to your show.

If you are keen on optimizing your publishing schedule, you can use listening app analytics and third-party platforms like CoHost. 

8. Consistency is key  

Be sure to post on a regular schedule so that people know what to expect from your podcast. 

Consistency when it comes to publishing your corporate podcast will:

• Set expectations. Many people listen to a variety of podcasts every week, so they need to know they can trust that their favorite shows will come out when they’re supposed to. This is particularly important when just starting.
• Set a baseline to grow from. It may take a few episodes for you to figure out what feels best in terms of how you ask questions, edit the show, etc. Being consistent helps you find and get into your groove.
• Improve the show. We’ve all heard the saying, “Practice makes perfect.” Consistently producing and putting out content will improve your work. 

Quill tip: Keeping consistent between podcast seasons is just as important as maintaining consistency during the production and distribution process. Here’s our ultimate guide to extending the lifespan of your podcast between seasons. 

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9. Create processes and procedures

Having a process and procedure in place that you can lean on makes life much more manageable. Below are two tips on how to streamline the process. 

• Make a list of potential guests and use a CRM-style system to track.‍
• You can use a combination of Airtable and Streak to track various guest interview statuses and correspondence.‍
• Templates are your best friend. ‍
• When creating a podcast, it is key to standardize as much as you can. You can have templates for outgoing emails, Q&A templates, podcast script templates, blog post templates, and podcast artwork templates.
• You can use standard Google Docs or even explore something like Notion. Notion allows you to easily add a long list of different elements to a page — text, tables, videos, toggle lists, to-do lists, worksheets, databases, and more can all be added. 

10. Outsource and collaborate with a corporate podcast production agency

Most people don’t realize the amount of time and work that goes into producing a corporate podcast.
As you grow, you might find you can’t do everything alone. Hiring an agency or freelancer is one way to get help. 

Here are a few primary benefits to working with a corporate podcast production agency:

• Expertise: Agencies know what it takes to create and launch a successful podcast – they’ve done it many times before. From strategizing and planning to distribution and production, you can relax knowing your podcast is in good hands. 
• Save time and money: Did you know that on average, agencies use 7 podcast tools during a client’s journey? These are industry-trusted, time-saving tools that allow you to enhance your recording experience, automate transcripts, provide accurate listener data, and much more. 
• Analytics: Whether you’re interested in what businesses are listening to your podcast, what your listeners’ social media habits are, or what kind of lifestyle your listeners live – your podcast agency knows what tech will show you.
• Credibility: Good agencies often have a wide network and pre-established relationships. This means they’ll be able to make strategic introductions, find credible hosts, book guests, and get you the best deals and rates on equipment, hosting platforms, ad spending, and more. 

If you want to learn more about how a corporate podcast production agency can help bring your podcast to life, get in touch with the Quill team!

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Are you ready to bring your brand’s story to life?

There you have it – our 10 most valuable corporate podcast production tips!

By carefully planning, scripting, selecting the right equipment, and considering the nuances of your target audience, you can create a podcast that not only informs but also inspires and connects with your stakeholders. 

Remember, a well-produced corporate podcast is not just about broadcasting a message; it's about building relationships, fostering thought leadership, and leaving a lasting impact.