Within the last decade, podcasts have carved out an important space for themselves in the world of multimedia communications.

Since 2004, its official birth-starting (thanks to The Daily Source Code by Adam Curry, the first podcast of this genre) the podcast has developed into a valuable communicative tool.

Originating from the concept of radio programs, this new and innovative format allows anyone who wants to share their passion to connect with a wide audience.

What makes podcasts so special is not only that they offer niche consumers a program aimed at satisfying their interest, available whenever the listener decides.

What makes the difference is the ability to leverage some valuable tools that allow the podcast itself to target a very specific market segment, selected to generate more listeners, traffic, or sales.

Are you into leads? Then don't miss our guide:

How to Use Podcasts for Effective Lead Generation

What is a Corporate Podcast?

The corporate podcast, or branded podcast, is different from the traditional one.

While the basic concept is the same (i.e., creating a series of audio or video episodes), the goal of a corporate podcast is to communicate with a specific audience, who voluntarily chooses to listen to the story or opinions of a brand.

It is not, therefore, an unusually long advertisement, although given its nature, one might think it is.

The main purpose should not be to impose your product or service, but rather to satisfy listeners' curiosity and answer their questions, creating content that generates anticipation, curiosity, and attention.

I assume you have a question: why invest time and money in this project if I can't use it primarily to talk about my product, which is what would generate an economic return?

Good point, but I can assure you that the economic return will definitely be there. If listeners have chosen you and continue to do so, it is very likely that they will decide to purchase or recommend others to follow suit.

What I wanted to tell you is simply that listeners expect something relevant in return for their time.

You may represent an important brand, but if your content doesn't capture the audience's attention, your podcast will still be a failure.

Moreover, if your intention is to create, for example, a 10-episode podcast with an average duration of 30 minutes, talking non-stop always and only about your product, how well it works, and all its features will hardly encourage your audience to return each time to listen to you.

An interesting story about your brand or related to your product, however, will not be. Translation: you've created your podcast to sell, but do it with grace and discretion.

Why Create a Corporate Podcast?

The data is clear: one out of three Americans listens to podcasts daily, weekly, or occasionally.

The number of listeners is approaching 140 million, with an estimated growth curve of 20 million a year. The ratio of 1 in 3 also applies almost to all countries where podcasting has become a trend.

Worldwide, we're talking about approximately 550 million. It becomes clear that whatever the conversion rate resulting from a podcast, it can only generate large numbers.

As mentioned, selling should not be the purpose of a corporate podcast. It should be the consequence of its success.

And the way to it is to make the brand known, to earn public trust for the company, or to emotionally involve your audience.

Why Can a Podcast Be Useful for My Company?

For various reasons: Firstly, a corporate podcast allows you to create an empathetic bond with the audience.

Sharing something personal, like the brand's story, the successes and difficulties that have made it grow, will strengthen the trust of future customers, who will identify with your brand.

Since this message can be distributed on different platforms and can be listened to at the discretion of the audience, it can have a rather wide, as well as effective, and enduring spread.

Choosing a format that includes interviews with special guests can reinforce the idea that the brand is special, making it more appealing to consumers.

Interacting with the audience through comments and answering questions will allow you to understand the strengths and weaknesses of your product, enabling you to improve it and adapt it to consumer tastes.

Market research confirms that about 80% of listeners are receptive to the product or service proposed in the podcast. 

Then, a special format with interviews with special guests will only seal this idea for customers.

Comments from the audience-and answering questions may help you realize what points you're strong and weak at, and improve the product accordingly to fit consumers' tastes.

Market research supports the fact that about 80% of its listeners are open to the product or service proposed within the podcast.

Interest does not always generate a sale, but it certainly generates traffic through online searches and on social media. And as we well know, in the modern world, traffic is money!

Audio or Video Podcast?

The choice is personal, but there are differences to consider, and I'm not just talking about the production aspect.

Generally, an audio podcast offers the advantages of simpler production phases and lower costs.

The world of multimedia communications has overwhelmed us with videos, accustoming us to receiving information and viewing content predominantly in that way.

However, industry studies have shown that many consumers prefer audio podcasts because they allow them to receive information while engaging in various activities, such as sports, work, or driving.

Obviously, these might be less effective in presenting a product compared to video ones, as they cannot visually demonstrate its use and features.

This problem does not occur with video podcasts, which offer greater engagement and versatility in content creation as well as better showcasing the product and its features.

Furthermore, a video podcast ensures greater possibilities of reaching the audience thanks to a larger number of distribution platforms.

Among the disadvantages are greater difficulties in the production phases and higher costs regarding the purchase of production material.

Successful Strategies for Corporate Podcasts - Winning Rules

To create a winning podcast, you need a successful strategy. Here are some rules that can help you achieve the desired results without mistakes: 

1 - Define the goal to be achieved

First of all, it is important to define the type of result you want to achieve:

• Make the product known

• Generate sales

• Generate online traffic

• Solidify one's industry expertise.

• Create a network with other industry experts

It is also important to ensure that achievable objectives are set, evaluating the necessary time to achieve them and the audience's potential.

But above all, it is important to understand what the necessary financial commitment and the time spent on the realization of the podcast will be.

Not just for a single episode, but for its entire duration. Even if it is a series of limited episodes, it is crucial to ensure that you can complete the project, whatever the conditions.

For this reason, I should create a spreadsheet that includes as detailed as possible all the costs to be faced over time, for example

• Cost for purchasing the tools necessary for creating the podcast

• Studio cost (if you don't want to rent it, read here to learn how to set up a custom one)

• Hosting (choose a well-known platform; there are many and for all budgets, but make sure it has good reviews)

• Specific podcast software (costs can vary significantly, but for a new generation software with highly advanced AI features, such as PodcastAI, the cost of the Basic monthly plan is totally beginner-friendly. The figure may seem significant to a young  podcasters, but PodcastAI guarantees the added value of a full-time assistant, and also offers Hosting service).

• Graphic design (see Cover Art, Logo, etc)

• Sound effects (which you will probably want to buy)

• Advertising on social media

• Website creation

• Music license, if necessary

• Business licenses, trademark registration, and other possible legal expenses

• Other expenses for content development (for example, travel, cost of any guests, expense reimbursements)

• Personnel assigned to the technical part or another phase of production

Don't forget to also calculate the hours expected for pre-production, actual production, and post-production of each episode.

Time is money, and it must be calculated exactly like the other costs.

2 - Create winning content

Creating content that engages an audience can be particularly challenging for a corporate podcast.

This difficulty arises because such podcasts are linked to the image of a brand or the sale of a product, unlike podcasts that are not tied to commercial interests.

Similarly, consistently developing fresh and unique content over the long term can also be demanding.

Even if the purpose of a corporate podcast is not the same, valid content should meet the same conditions as any other podcast, for example:

• Provide information

• Share ideas

• Educate

• Improve learning

• Create a connection with the audience

When this happens, targeted communication can bring excellent results to corporate branding.

It is essential to prepare the scripts of each episode in advance and in a complete manner.

Moreover, the show notes must meet some precise requirements. If you don't know what they are, read here and take a look at our templates.

Be consistent with the theme, plan the duration and frequency of the episodes, and stick strictly to the schedule.

3 - Understand your demographics

Knowing who your audience is crucial when planning a strategy for corporate podcasts.

Demographic data are those that create the profile of your average user:

• Age

• Gender

• Occupation

• Education

• Interests

• Origin

• Lifestyle

• Religion

• Spending ability

• Presence of children/pets

• Fears

A deep knowledge of the audience will allow you to be incisive with the content, to know how to present it, and to generate leads more quickly, or more effectively.

4 - Adapt tone and language to the type of audience

Depending on who your target audience is, tone, language, and manner during the podcast will need to be adapted to satisfy that segment of listeners exactly.

Cooking and technology podcasts will not benefit from the same setting, and every detail is important to convince listeners to return, and in your case, to purchase.

According to market research, over 75% of respondents stated that they follow their favorite podcasts for the topic covered, but over 50% stated that they do so because they are interested in the host himself as well as the content.

Therefore, create a unique character from all points of view and use all the weapons

5 - Study the Market and Competition

To ensure a product or service's success, it is crucial to identify and study the competition and understand how to communicate more effectively.

This will also allow you to demonstrate the advantages offered by your brand or to correct any deficiencies.

Monitor social media channels, analyze potential collaborations with other podcasts or brands, sponsorships, or advertising campaigns.

Check their distribution platforms, how they interact with the audience, and the technical quality of their podcasts.

This way, you can devise a unique, better, customized, and highly effective strategy.

6 - Create a Comprehensive Editorial Plan

A podcast is a miraculous marketing tool, but it's even more effective if backed by a well-planned and successful marketing strategy.

Support your podcast with a fast corporate website, continuous updates to your blog content, newsletters, and a social media presence.

If your budget allows, you may want to look into paid advertising on social media or other promotional activities like offering discount codes or give away campaigns.

Remember, any opportunity is great for self-promotion, and no one will be better at it than you. You have to make sure you use every means and chance to make your podcast known.

7 - Utilize the Correct SEO Strategy

A correct SEO strategy is essential for your podcast to reach a vast number of users.

SEO helps you communicate with search engines and maximizes your potential.

Unfortunately, search engines do not index audio content, but that does not mean SEO should be neglected.

Use direct and semantic keywords in the title, content, and transcripts, and the benefits will be assured.

If you're unsure how to use search engine language, ideally, you can turn to a specialized marketing agency.

Alternatively, tools like Semrush or Surfer can assist you in drafting your texts.

8 - Generate a Quality Podcast

While an amateur touch may be acceptable when the podcast's ultimate purpose isn't company promotion, nothing can be left to chance in the case of a branded podcast.

Every stage of production—sound, image, setup, and transcripts—is crucial for ensuring the highest quality of the final podcast product.

Do not publish until you are sure that you have approached perfection.

9 - Distribute on Multiple Platforms

If you want your message to reach a truly broad audience, it's better to spread it across multiple platforms.

Besides the most famous ones, there are platforms that allow targeting a more selective audience, so choose those that are most suitable for your podcast.

Always read the terms of use to avoid any unpleasant surprises.

10 - Analyze and Adjust

Analyze the results of each episode, and if necessary, make corrections.

Distribution platforms allow you to create a comprehensive report for individual episodes, and understanding them is crucial for improving your podcast.

If you have doubts about how to interpret the metrics of your podcast, read our guide: How to analyze the performance of a podcast.

Most importantly, take advantage of the feedback generated by your audience. Audience response is the most valuable tool a podcaster can use to turn a simple project into a successful product.

In conclusion... Now that you know how to create a business podcast from scratch, you can get to work and explore your creativity.

The results will not be long in coming, generating sales and much personal satisfaction!