In today's content marketing landscape, the power of podcasts cannot be overstated—they offer brands, creators and organizations a unique platform to amplify their voice, reach target audiences and establish themselves as industry thought leaders. As Caroline Saba, Vice President & Chief of Staff at UpSpring, discusses, launching a company podcast is more than just a trend; it's a strategic move that can drive business development, enhance brand recognition, and foster invaluable connections within your industry.
Social media, the cell phone, and the growth of internet culture have given rise to a phenomenon that has taken the digital world by storm: the podcast. While podcasts today are a dime a dozen, they present several key benefits for organizations when executed well. They can empower businesses to reach target audiences better, enhance business development, and carve out identities as thought leaders in a respective field. For PR and marketing professionals, a podcast allows you to operate an owned, dedicated channel, opening avenues for fostering relationships and amplifying brand presence.
Primary Benefits
There are numerous benefits to creating an owned channel to share your organization’s content—publishing regular content helps hone your company’s perspective, bolsters business development efforts through greater brand recognition, and ultimately establishes your firm as a well-rounded thought leader by solidifying its position in a given vertical. These tactics help your business build trust with potential clients while also fostering greater relationships with peers.
Beyond the obvious tangible benefits, starting a podcast provides several upsides. One of these is the number of incredible people you personally connect and network with as a result. While these platforms can be a remarkable business development tool, the true magic lies in the unexpected connections and learning opportunities. Through UpSpring’s podcast, The Design Board, we’ve met and learned from experts on a diverse range of topics—from designing for neurodiverse individuals with AJ Paron, EVP and Design Futurist at Sandow, to the intersection of design thinking and market research with ThinkLab’s Founder Amanda Schnieder, and exploring digital accessibility with expert Kevin Erickson. These interactions have not only expanded our knowledge but also enriched our perspective.
Key Considerations to Start
Before taking the leap to start your own podcast, there are a few key considerations to determine prior to recording your first episode. Operating your own show is a time-consuming process requiring a substantial investment in resources and energy. First and foremost, you have to determine your goal in creating a podcast itself. Are you looking to increase brand awareness, jumpstart your business development efforts, or develop thought leadership content? A combination of all three? Whatever your goals may be, outlining them off the bat will provide you with greater clarity in terms of the direction, cadence, and overall style of your podcast moving forward.
For the Design Board, we focused on creating a show that would appeal to our core audience of architecture and design professionals, while remaining valuable for our industry counterparts. Our goal from the outset has been to facilitate a broader community, bringing people together in the industry at large. We felt this was a great opportunity to catalyze greater connectivity in the industry, and to date, we’ve hosted close to 40 episodes featuring a wide range of A&D professionals. Figuring out our key goals before jumping into the process provided a valuable roadmap for our subsequent success.
Pro Tips (Believe Us, We Know)
After you’ve figured out your goals in creating your own podcast, the rest comes down to implementation. I’ve gathered a few key tips for those looking to jumpstart their journey:
● Ensure Content is Fresh, Relevant, and Consistent: Maintain a regular release schedule to build listener loyalty. Keep topics up-to-date and engaging to retain and grow your audience.
● Develop a Strong Theme and Editorial Calendar: Organize episodes by theme and create a synopsis for each theme and episode. Be sure to maintain consistency in your podcast's focus and messaging.
● Craft a Prep Guide for Each Session: Prepare predetermined and curated questions to foster thoughtful and engaging conversations. Plan each episode in advance to ensure a smooth flow.
● Identify and Invite Quality Guests: Select guests who can provide unique perspectives and are considered thought leaders in their industries. Ensure that they can add value to the conversation while aligning with your podcast’s theme.
● Prioritize Promotion: Develop creative assets and a strong marketing strategy to reach your target audience. Promoting your podcast can be as crucial as creating the content itself.
● Invest in the Right Equipment & Partnerships: Ensure you have high-quality recording equipment to produce professional-sounding episodes. Collaborate with partners for editing, tech support, scheduling, and promotion if these capabilities are not available in-house.
The rise of podcasts represents a transformative shift in how organizations communicate and engage with their audiences. Despite the time and effort required, the rewards of starting a podcast are vast—from expanding networks and learning from diverse perspectives to enhancing business development. With clear goals, strategic planning, and a focus on quality content, organizations can leverage podcasts to build a dedicated community and achieve sustained success.
