How do you start a business podcast?

A business podcast is a great way to give your organisation a voice – quite literally. You can showcase the expertise you have in-house and let a customer share their experience of your service. It’s also ideal for exploring a topic in greater depth. But how do you go about it? Because a good idea and a microphone alone aren’t enough. We’ll help you get started.

Why start a business podcast?

A podcast is a great medium for exploring your topic in depth. Its biggest advantage is that people can listen whenever it suits them – in the car, on their way to work or an appointment, or whilst out for a walk, for example.

And if your listeners have more time, so do you. And that opens up opportunities. Because there are plenty of topics you can cover to tell your story. You can share knowledge, discuss developments, spot trends, let staff share their experiences. And more. The possibilities are endless!

A podcast for businesses has many advantages. For example, it makes your organisation seem more personal. Listeners get to hear what you have to say and who the people behind the company are.

Let’s start at the beginning. Before you get carried away coming up with topics, it’s a good idea to think about what you want to achieve with the podcast. Do you want to position your organisation as an expert? Reach new customers? Or keep your own staff better informed? Also, think carefully about your target audience. A podcast for potential customers requires a different approach to a series for staff. What questions are on your listeners’ minds? And why would they take the time to listen to your podcast?

Once you’ve identified your goal, make it specific. Ask yourself: what do you want your listeners to take away from the episode? Also, consider what constitutes success for your podcast. You can measure this using listener figures, for example. But it’s also about whether you’re making new contacts or whether your organisation is being mentioned more often within the industry. The latter two are a bit harder to measure, but can be very valuable.

Choose a format that suits your organisation

There are various formats for a podcast. Which one you choose depends mainly on the story you want to tell.

The interview

As the name suggests, this involves a presenter chatting to an expert, a customer or a colleague. It’s an interview-style format, in other words. This format is perfect for sharing knowledge or telling a personal story. A good interviewer is key here – someone who asks questions and probes further at just the right moments.

The round-table discussion

For a round-table discussion, you invite several guests to discuss a topic together. For example, developments in your sector, common pitfalls or, conversely, similarities within the field. Please note: it’s a good idea to have a moderator. This allows you to keep the discussion on track.

The solo podcast

Do you have someone within your organisation who is very knowledgeable and also a good storyteller? If so, a podcast with a single regular presenter could work very well. For example, for short updates or episodes in which you answer a frequently asked question.

The documentary

Want to go the extra mile? Then you could create a podcast in which you build a narrative using interviews, reports and other audio clips. Think of a series on the history of your company or a special project. This requires a lot of preparation and, afterwards, quite a bit of editing work. However, if you do it well, it’s something that will really stick with the listener.

How long should a podcast be?

There’s no set length for an episode. And it doesn’t have to be exactly the same every time. The most important thing is that you keep the listener engaged. It’s better to have a short episode that’s absolutely fascinating than a long one that people click away from.

Draw up a content plan for several episodes

The next step is to draw up a content plan. That way, you can be sure you’ll still have plenty to talk about in a few months’ time.

Think about how many episodes you’re going to produce and consider which topics you want to cover. What questions do you get from customers? Which developments deserve further explanation? And who has an interesting story to tell? Then, for each episode, set out what the topic is, who you want to invite and what you want to discuss.

Organisation is also important. Discuss who will invite and brief the guests, as well as who will edit the episodes and upload them online.

What equipment and recording environment do you need?

Sound quality is just as important as a good conversation. So you’ll need good equipment for a podcast. Think high-quality microphones, as well as headphones and software for recording and editing. The room also plays a part: are you going to record at home or in a studio? The room has a big impact on the listening experience. For example, in a meeting room with lots of glass and hard floors, you’ll experience more reverberation than in a specially fitted studio.

At Jaarbeurs Studio, you don’t need to worry about equipment or the setting. We take care of it all for you. We have five microphones, four 4K cameras and various set-ups for recording a podcast. There are also three technicians on hand to operate the equipment for you.

Publishing and promoting your podcast

Is your episode ready and time to put it online? Using a hosting platform, you can easily upload episodes and distribute them to services such as Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Promoting it takes a bit more effort. To start with, share your podcast on the channels you already use. So include it in your newsletter, post snippets on LinkedIn or upload the episodes to your website. And ask your guests to share the episode too. That way, you’ll also reach people outside your own network.

Want more tips? Read: How do you promote a business podcast?

Creating a business podcast doesn’t have to be very complicated. But there are some pitfalls to bear in mind. Here they are:

1. Don’t choose a target audience
   Just as with your marketing plan, you’ll want to define a clear target audiencehere too. Because if you try to appeal to everyone, it becomes difficult to choose topics that are genuinely interesting. So it’s wise to think carefully in advance about who you’re making the podcast for.
2. Too much advertising
   It makes sense to talk about your organisation from time to time. After all, it is your business podcast. But nobody wants to be bombarded with non-stop advertising. People need to get something out of your podcast. So this isn’t the time to sing the praises of your new product or run special offers.
3. Recording without preparation
   A spontaneous conversation can sometimes work well, but a bit of direction is always needed. Make sure you know which topics you want to discuss and where you want the conversation to go. If you don’t, you’ll lose the thread. And your listener might too.
4. Not putting enough time into it
   Producing a 30-minute episode takes far longer than 30 minutes. Inviting guests, preparing topics, recording, editing and publishing: all of this takes up business time. So make sure you factor this into your schedule.
5. Don’t just leave it at that
   You’ve set aside plenty of time to produce episodes. It would be a shame if nobody knew they existed. So get that podcast out there!

There are other mistakes you can easily avoid. Read also: What are the most commonpodcast mistakes?