Launching a Business Podcast? 10 Essential Things You Need to Know First

How about a business podcast? A podcast can be an excellent opportunity to gain recognition for your brand if you do it right.

This story was first published on Rolling Stone Culture Council.

It seems that there’s a podcast for every subject or interest nowadays, from true crime to financial advice to entrepreneurship. This medium has become a go-to source of entertainment and education for many, which is why business owners are clamoring to launch their own podcast ventures.

While many business podcasts have had unprecedented success and reach, many more have been made that have flown under the radar, so entrepreneurs considering starting a podcast for their company should do so cautiously and with a few considerations in mind.

Below, 10 Rolling Stone Culture Council experts share what entrepreneurs should understand before they invest time, energy and resources into launching a podcast.

People Consume Content in Different Ways

Many people like to be entertained and educated via their ears, whether through music, audiobooks or podcasts. Others like to read or watch something. This is why you need to mix and match content, add value, transcribe the podcast to a blog post or quote and more. There’s even voice tech, voice search, Alexa and smart homes to leverage. Technology keeps morphing around us — it’s now or never. – Igor Beuker, Igor Beuker

A Business Podcast Need Structure

Podcasts are just like any other form of storytelling — they must have structure. Start with a short intro to the podcast series (five to seven seconds), introduce the topic and the guest or guests (20 seconds), have an interview section (10 minutes) and then thank the guests and say goodbye. Don’t spend the first two minutes talking about where you went for lunch. Get to the subject and keep it moving. – Michelle De Long , Mimi Productions

Success Means Commitment

The one thing you should know before launching a podcast is that it takes commitment. You need to be prepared with new, thoughtful and engaging content each and every week. It takes planning, preparation and hard work. It may look and sound easy, but it’s not. To be successful, you need to be fully committed! – Andy Hale, Hale & Monico

You Have to Consider What Value You’re Adding

The podcast space has become oversaturated with many shows. Any entrepreneur should know what value they want to provide to their audience, especially as a credible source within their field. It is also important to know what format the podcast will be conducted in and how it will be promoted once an episode is released. – Irma Miriam Penunuri, Burgerrock Media

You’ll Need Practice to Sharpen Your Skills

Get your business podcasting skills as sharp as possible before releasing episodes. Record practice sessions and then listen to them. It will be painful at first. Before we started publishing episodes of “How to Launch an Industry,” the core team had biweekly practice recordings for months. I’d caution against scripting entire shows, but talking points are always a good idea for guests and yourself. – Jahan Marcu, Marcu & Arora

The Right Marketing Will Help You Get Heard

In order to get people to listen to your podcast, you will need to know how to correctly market it. Without a marketing plan, how would anyone know about your podcast? There is a lot more that goes into curating a successful podcast than just recording something and hitting “upload.” – Christian Anderson (Trust’N), Lost Boy Entertainment LLC

The Podcast Space Is Very Saturated

A space can become saturated very quickly with the same voices saying the same things over and over again. Take stock of what’s out there and try to onboard a more diverse set of voices from your industry so you aren’t repeating efforts and you’re giving listeners a reason to tune in. – Jenna Valleriani, Valleriani Consulting

Business Podcasting – Preparation Is Crucial

Preparation is key. First, establish the podcast’s goal and target audience. Preparation must encompass everything, including making sure guests have everything they need during setup, to discussion topics, to sound quality for both the host and guests during recording. You also need to have a marketing strategy to promote your podcast and attract an audience. – Nicole Rodrigues, NRPR Group

You Have to Think About Your Audience

How do you reach a broad audience? Speaking only to those who already know or agree with you leaves you marking time rather than moving forward. What do you have to offer a broader audience? Brainstorm ideas before starting the podcast. Thinking outside the box never hurts. – Luanne Smith, Taboos & Transgressions

You May or May Not Need a Podcast

Assuming your business strategy is well done and working, does having a podcast align with and support your business strategy? If, after your analysis, the answer is “no,” then it will distract your business from what it’s already doing well. The opposite is true, too; it can support your strategy and help you grow. – Rene Nunez, Sensum

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