Starting a company podcast is not as difficult as it seems. It's actually quite simple and can be done with just a few hours of work each week. In this guide, we will outline what you need to do to start your company podcast, including the basics such as choosing an appropriate topic and how often to publish episodes.
We'll also cover some more technical aspects like audio equipment and software needed for recording and editing podcasts so that you know exactly what you need before starting!
It should be noted that sense technology improves every single month, we're not going to include recommendations for the brands to go with, however, if you're looking for it we recommend checking out Amazon (here's a link for bundles) or WireCutter (audio equipment), as they serve as better places to get tips from.
There are a few pieces of audio equipment that you will need in order to start podcasting. The first is a microphone. There are many different types of microphones on the market, so it's important to do your research and find one that best suits your needs.
Another piece of equipment you will need is an audio recorder. This can be anything from a smartphone with recording capabilities to a dedicated recording device. If you're using a service like Anchor to record your podcast episodes, you can do it natively on the app.
Finally, you'll need some type of software for editing your podcasts. While there are many options available, we recommend using Adobe Audition or Audacity which are both free-ish programs.
If you have the budget to hire people, be sure to check out marketplaces like Fiverr or Upwork where you can get professional editors that will have the audio quality sound like it's a multi-million dollar production. No lie, just shell out a couple of hundred bucks, and you'll have radio quality audio (obviously if you provide good content).
In addition to audio equipment, you will also need some video equipment if you plan on streaming your company podcast on sites like YouTube or Facebook.
At a minimum, you will need a webcam. However, it is highly recommended that you invest in a higher quality camera with better video and audio capabilities.
You will also need some type of video editing software to polish your recordings and add any necessary effects. Believe it or not, Youtube has a great way of editing both video and audio within their creator studio. So you can always edit the video and audio natively on Youtube, if you want to kill two birds with one stone.
One of the most important aspects of starting a company podcast is choosing the right topic(s) to discuss. It's important to be strategic and think about the target audience you're trying to reach.
Some good company podcast topics include:
How often you publish episodes of your company podcast will largely depend on the topic(s) you choose to discuss. If you plan on discussing industry news and trends, for example, it would make sense to publish an episode every week or two.
However, if you're focused on employee interviews or product updates, then monthly publishing may be more appropriate.
Keep in mind that you want to have hosts (and editors) that have the bandwidth to produce the amount of content that you're looking to publish and the time to make the necessary edits. If you're looking for high frequency podcast publishing, just be ready and manage accordingly.
So if you want to have four 2 hours podcasts a week, you'll be in for a doozy as you have to manage editors, music, talent, interviews, and more. So be prepared to handle more moving parts) as you continue to grow your brand.
When it comes to intro and outro music, you have a lot of options. You can either create your own music using software like GarageBand or Adobe Audition, or you can license stock music from sites like AudioJungle.
It's important to pick music that sets the tone for your company podcast and helps to engage listeners right from the start. The same goes for outro music - you want something that leaves listeners with a good feeling and encourages them to subscribe to future episodes.
Another reason we love Anchor is that since they're a Spotify company, it's easy to select music that's available from Spotify. You can even use songs that are popular (not royalty free?) as long as the podcast isn't for profit.
When it comes to episode length, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. It really depends on the topic you're discussing and the type of content you want to include.
For most company podcasts, we recommend aiming for a duration of around 30 minutes per episode. This will allow you to cover a good amount of ground without being too long or short.
To run a successful podcast you shouldn't worry too much about time. I've seen individual podcast episodes go for 4 hours.
Another important question is whether or not you should host your company podcast on your own website. There are several good reasons for doing so, including:
You get complete control over the design of each episode's webpage and can more easily promote them to visitors on your site, you improve SEO by linking back to blog posts and other content within your company's website It increases brand awareness since many people might stumble across episodes while looking at other pages on your company website
On the flip side, there are also some benefits to hosting company podcasts elsewhere such as SoundCloud. These include: It takes less work than creating a new page for every single episode People don't need to subscribe (which they would have to do if it was hosted on their company website) in order to listen It can be easier to share company podcasts with a wider audience
We strongly recommend doing both, as you'll be able to strengthen your SEO efforts with a podcast and having transcript on your site. While also being able to get some of those other networks to give you visibility by hosting through them.
Ultimately, the decision of where to host your company podcast is up to you.
Now that you have recorded and (hopefully) transcribed an episode, it's time to edit!
Editing your company podcast can be tough because there are so many aspects to consider including pacing, tone, inflection...the list goes on!
However, before we get into specific advice for audio editing let's discuss how transcriptions can help lower the workload when creating podcasts. The best way to avoid tedious edits is by investing in high-quality company podcast transcripts like those offered by Otter.ai
This will save you hours upon hours across multiple episodes. It also helps ensure that every word is heard correctly when listening back; this is especially helpful if you don't have a lot of experience editing audio podcasts.
Once you've received your company podcast transcript, the first step is to listen to the entire episode and mark any errors or areas that need clarification. This could be anything from incorrect words, missing words, or unclear sentences.
Next, open up your transcription and start editing the audio file to match what's been written in the transcript. Use your ears to make sure everything sounds accurate and natural. You may also want to use sound effects or music clips to enhance certain parts of the episode.
Once your company podcast is edited and sounds great, it's time to distribute it around the web.
The best way to do this is by creating a website or blog specifically for your company podcast. This will give listeners a central location to find all of your episodes in one place.
You can also submit your company podcast to popular directories like iTunes (Apple Podcasts), Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or Anchor.fm. This will help increase your exposure and reach new audiences. Finally, don't forget about social media! Share links to your company podcast on Twitter, Facebook, and other networks for maximum impact.
We strongly recommend using Anchor FM to distribute company podcasts. At the time of writing this, Anchor allowed an RSS feed URL to be sent to all of the major distributors and podcast directories, meaning you can manage all of your content from Anchor, and have it automatically sync across the web.
Now that you understand all the basics of company podcasting, it's time to start thinking about who will be hosting your show.
There are a few things to keep in mind when looking for a co-host or host for your company podcast:
When choosing a host or co-host, it's important to make sure they are someone with whom you feel comfortable working. They will be by your side throughout the entire process so it's important that you get along well.
When you're creating a company podcast, it's important to write an enticing description that will make listeners want to tune in.
Consider including some or all of the following information in your description:
You can also use this space to tease upcoming episodes or highlight special guests who will be appearing on the show. The more information you can provide about your company podcast, the better! People are much more likely to listen if they know what to expect.
Using Anchor, you can ggo a bit wild and have a Q&A segment, as well as include polls to entice and engage audiences.
Learn more about Anchor's polling feature here.
When recording your company podcast, there are a few things to keep in mind:
When listeners tune in to your company podcast, you want them to feel like they can easily contact you if they have any questions or feedback.
Include your business name, website, email address, and phone number in the description so that people know how to reach out. This will help increase engagement with your company podcast and encourage more people to listen!
The last thing you'll want to do is create some eye-catching cover art for your company podcast. This can be a simple logo or graphic that will help represent your show.
Make sure the art is consistent with your branding and includes all of the necessary information, such as the title of the episode and the name of your company. You can even use this space to add quotes from the episode or memorable moments.
Once again, this is something that can be outsourced, or it can be produced in-house. Now, cover art is getting a bit fancier to say the least, as you can have visuals (like videos or gifs) that make for good backgrounds as it plays on smartphones.
Don't be afraid to get creative when it comes to company podcast names! You want something that is memorable and will make people take notice.
Personalization can go a long way with company podcasts, so you might want to consider naming your show after the company itself (if applicable).
But if not, try brainstorming some ideas for what kinds of topics or guests you plan on covering in future episodes. Once again, this step should help increase engagement because listeners are able to anticipate what they're getting themselves into before even listening!
If possible… run an A/B test on different titles before making any final decisions. This helps determine which name could yield more downloads by grouping similar audiences together and seeing each performs over time.
Now that you have all of the basics in place, it's time to start thinking about how you will measure the success of your company podcast. There are a few key performance indicators (KPIs) you should keep in mind:
You can also track things like website traffic and social media followers over time to see if there is any correlation between listening to your company podcast and increased engagement on those channels.
Now that you understand all the basics of company podcasting, it's time to start thinking about your first episode! Reach us @NewTheoryMIA