For our first installment of Brand Camp, our branded podcast webinar series, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Steve Pratt, the author of Earn It. He joined our Founder and CEO, Fatima Zaidi to share:

• Why great branded podcasts are audience-first 
• How to make your podcast a gift, not a sales tool
• How to measure podcast success beyond downloads
• Real-life brand success stories

In case you weren’t able to join the conversation, you can find the full recording below along with our top takeaways for brands looking to create a podcast that makes an impact beyond the walls of their company. 

Why the best podcasts are “from you, not about you”

A lot of branded podcasts fail to make an impact because they prioritize marketing objectives over audience experience. As Steve Pratt aptly puts it: “No one is sitting there waiting with bated breath for a brand to put out a new piece of branded content.”

At Quill, we always start intro calls with a simple yet (oftentimes) difficult question: Would you listen to this podcast if you didn’t work at your company? 

The best branded podcasts pass this test because they offer genuine value — whether it’s education, entertainment, or inspiration. 

Instead of asking, “How can we promote our company?” the best branded podcasts ask, “How can we provide something valuable to our target audience that only we can offer?” This shift in perspective transforms a podcast from a one-sided marketing tool into a show that listeners genuinely look forward to.

Put another way, the best branded podcasts don’t force their way into a listener’s time — they earn it. “Podcast listening is transactional,” Fatima explained. “We are asking for their most valuable resource — time and attention — and in exchange, they’re asking for something in return, whether it’s to be educated or entertained or inspired.”

Ultimately, it’s the brands who treat their podcast as a genuine value exchange that not only capture attention but build long-term audience loyalty.

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Package your podcast like a gift to your listeners – again and again

The best branded podcasts are gifts. When a brand approaches podcasting with a mindset of generosity rather than self-promotion, that’s when real audience trust is built. As Fatima puts it: “The thing that establishes trust is the generosity of spirit to give, not just take. Podcasting is no different. The more you give, the more brand trust follows.”

Yet, many brands struggle with this concept. Too often, companies enter the space with a primary focus on short-term ROI, lead generation, or direct sales rather than long-term audience engagement. But podcasting, like any meaningful relationship, takes time. “You don’t just get trust by default,” Steve said. “You actually have to prove yourself and be consistent by being great.”

Even “the stars” didn’t get famous overnight. Joe Rogan has been podcasting since 2009. His success didn’t happen in an instant — it was built through years of consistency and trust.

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Don’t hyperfixate on what your competitors are doing

One of the biggest mistakes brands make in podcasting is obsessing over what their competitors are doing. They see a rival company pushing out two episodes a week and immediately want to match that pace, without stopping to ask: Does this make sense for our brand? Is this the best strategy for our audience?

This is a common trap. 

As Steve Pratt put it, “If you’re doing what everybody else is doing, you’re invisible.” Yet brands still feel pressure to copy what’s already out there — whether that’s Joe Rogan, Alex Cooper, or Mel Robbins. But the reality is, “Being the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 10th, or 100th best version of something that already exists isn’t compelling.”

The only way to stand out is to take creative risks. That means resisting the urge to follow the herd and instead asking: What can we do that no one else is doing? What’s our unique voice?

Yes, it’s safer to copy. But as Steve pointed out, “Doing the opposite and being brave is where all the spoils are.” The brands that win in podcasting aren’t the ones chasing competitors — they’re the ones who carve their own lane and offer something truly original that can only come from them.

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Examples of branded podcasts doing it right 

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Hackable?

A stand-out example of a branded podcast done right is Hackable?’, a show created by McAfee in partnership with Pacific Content. Rather than creating a dry, interview-based show about cybersecurity threats, Steve and his team focused on storytelling, suspense, and real-world scenarios.

Each episode played out like an investigation, where the host and a team of ethical hackers tested real-world cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Could someone hack your car while you’re driving? Is public Wi-Fi really as dangerous as people say? These were the kinds of compelling questions Hackable? explored, drawing listeners in with suspense and real-life stakes.

The brilliance of Hackable? was that it delivered immense value to the audience — educating them on how to stay safe online — while seamlessly aligning with McAfee’s brand as a leader in cybersecurity. Yet, as Steve emphasized in our discussion, the key was that it never felt like a sales pitch. “The opportunity to do something different and to be really generous with the audience — that’s how you create a podcast people actually want to listen to,” he said.

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Slack Variety Pack

Another great example is Slack Variety Pack. Rather than making a show about Slack, they made a show from Slack — one that reflected their brand’s personality while focusing on the broader theme of the future of work. They took a creative approach, using an elevator pitch exercise to align their show with pop culture references that resonated with them:

• Personal storytelling like This American Life
• A comedic take on office culture like Office Space
• A quirky, playful voice like Monty Python’s Flying Circus

The result was a completely unique, unpredictable, and fun show that stood out from anything else in the branded podcasting space at the time. It wasn’t just a marketing tool — it was an experience. And it worked. 

Slack’s willingness to take creative risks paid off in more ways than one. It not only positioned them as a company that gets modern work culture, but it also set a precedent for other tech companies. As Fatima noted, “After Slack Variety Pack came out, other tech companies like Microsoft and Salesforce started paying attention and thinking, should we be early adopters?”

Slack proved that a branded podcast can be more than just a content piece — it can be an extension of the brand’s personality and values. 

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How leading brands are measuring podcast success 

Brands have long been fixated on downloads as the primary metric for podcast success. And while downloads matter, they’re just one piece of the puzzle. What truly defines success is engagement, retention, and relationship-building with your audience.

"I’ve notoriously said downloads aren’t everything," says Fatima. "What matters most is engagement, retention, and relationship building. Steve echoes this sentiment: "Time and attention are what matter most. If you don’t have those, everything else is for nothing."

With that said, here are the key metrics they suggest tracking:

• Consumption rate: Track how much of your episodes are actually listened to. The closer to 100% the better.
• Loyal/returning listeners: Monitor how many people keep coming back. High return rates signal strong, engaging content.
• Cost of listener attention: How much effort, time, and financial investment it takes to hold a listener’s focus on your podcast.
• Drop off rate: At what points are listeners dropping off? If you notice a pattern, refine your segments and see where you can incorporate more value or cut clutter.
• Word of mouth: Check social shares, referrals, and NPS scores to see if your audience is recommending your podcast.

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Is your branded podcast a gift for your listeners?

Creating a branded podcast that stands out requires more than aligning your content with marketing goals. By prioritizing your audience’s needs and delivering value, you will build a show that earns listeners’ time and trust. That’s because the most successful branded podcasts are those that focus on generosity and take creative risks.

Whether it's through captivating storytelling like Hackable? or a bold, unique approach like Slack Variety Pack, the key to standing out in the crowded podcasting space is to offer something your audience genuinely values and that can only come from you. As you start or refine your own branded podcast, remember: it’s not about you, it’s about your listeners.

To keep up to date with all future webinars, please consult our Brand Camp page. If you’re looking for more actionable branded podcast tips in the meantime, you’ll want to subscribe to The Branded Podcaster newsletter.