Podcasts are getting more and more popular as people consume more and more audio. If you’ve reached the stage in your business or podcast where you’re looking to hire a podcast producer, we’ve got you covered.  

So, what exactly is a podcast producer? 

A podcast producer is often seen as the creative genius behind the magic of a great podcast and their role can be multifaceted and can vary depending on the person’s experience and the type of podcast they are managing. But ultimately, they are the overseer and technical director of the show. 

Some podcast producers are heavily involved in every element of the show and will be the ones to take a raw recording and do all the editing, distributing, and marketing themselves. Others may choose to back off the smaller details and instead oversee a team that does all the leg work. 

In this post, we will walk you through what qualities to look for when hiring a podcast producer. So, let’s dive in and learn more!

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1. Management Skills 

Production management is one of the more diverse and all-encompassing roles of a podcast producer. The producer is the person who oversees the process of developing the podcast and makes sure things are running smoothly. 

Coming up with fresh ideas, episode concepts, managing the production schedule, brainstorming with the host, and strategizing how to promote the show all fall under the podcast producer’s scope of work so being able to manage multiple things is a key skill to have. 

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2. Research Abilities  

Alongside managing the show, podcast producers are also responsible for finding guests to join the podcast. This includes administrative work like calling, emailing, and scheduling the guest, amongst other things. 

There are strategic elements involved here as a producer needs to look for interesting people that would help increase the number of podcast listeners. The podcast producer also wants to ensure the guest fits with the overall style and brand of the podcast and so they'll do their best to prep the host and guest before the show. 

They’ll pre-write interview questions and guide the guest on specific talking points. But in order for a podcast to continue to churn out episodes and be a success, having strong research skills to ensure a solid lineup of value-add guests is critical. 

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3. Editing Chops  

Many podcast producers handle all of the technical aspects of podcast production, including audio management and editing. Managing the podcast’s audio is probably one of the most important parts of a podcast producer’s role. A podcast producer's job requires many hats, from director to audio engineer – they can oversee the recording, editing, and distribution of each episode. 

They’re also involved in post-production, including audio editing and distribution of the completed episodes. This is one crucial part of their job since it entails tapping into their creative side to produce something that is of top-notch quality. 

Therefore, when hiring a podcast producer make sure they come with lots of editing experience under their belt. 

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4. Analytics and Numbers Background

The producer must have experience with analytics tracking and reporting. The producer can monitor podcast metrics, like the number of show downloads, listener demographics, and listening times, to make improvements on how the podcast is structured and produced. 

These analytics may need to be shared with other team members or sponsors and the producer is responsible for providing these reports. Hence, looking for someone who has a knack for numbers and data and a track record of strong analytics is important. 

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5. Leadership Traits  

Lastly, a podcast producer is responsible for interacting with many different people on the team and ensuring that everyone’s work aligns. Depending on the size and scope of the podcast, this team may include an executive producer, associate producer, audio engineer, video producer, and content producer. 

The podcast producer is the project manager for the podcast, ensuring that every team member works efficiently to complete their work for the series or episode. This requires a podcast producer to be able to take on a leadership role to support the podcast’s host and the team from conceptualization all the way through the production process. So, it is paramount that you hire a podcast producer that you have confidence can lead your team and rally, inspire and motivate everyone to create the best show possible. 

So, there you have it! The key things to look for when hiring a podcast producer. It is important not to compromise on these skills because your podcast producer is a crucial part of the podcast’s overall longevity and success.