I’ve been involved in podcasting with businesses and organizations since 2016. I’ve talked to a lot of people about the medium. Over the years, here are the common podcast questions we answer.

Is Creating A Podcast Hard?

The answer is no, podcasting isn’t very hard. But it is work. So be prepared to put in the time and effort to make a good one and create great content. As of June 2024, Apple Podcasts has 460,536 active podcasts. However, about half of those podcasts have only three or fewer episodes. This is because many creators start podcasts but abandon them soon after, which can inflate the number of podcasts on the platform.

So you do have some competition.

One of the major challenges for podcasters used to be the audio recording technical know-how. How to make the recorded audio sound professional, with theme music, audio transitions, and more. That’s changing. There are now plenty of services that will handle sound engineering and sound design for a reasonable monthly fee. This includes Circle270Media Podcast Consultants.

There is a lot of thought and planning that goes into any podcast for a business or organization. That’s where the major effort and time comes in. 

A well-planned podcast will engage the listeners. 

Just remember, you should give podcasting for business the same time and attention you would give to any major content marketing efforts. Like your company blog, vlogs and social media planning and creating. Otherwise, it will be hard to get the maximum return on your investment. 

Can Podcasting Help My Business Or Organization?

The answer to this is yes, it can — especially if content marketing is already a major component of your overall marketing efforts. 

Podcasts reach people at times and places that other forms of media just can’t. Like when people are driving, or exercising, or working in the yard. Podcasts engage the listener in what we like to call “lean-in moments.”

This is where you have the listener “leaning into” content, blocking out everything else around them. Those are great times they could be listening to your podcast, learning more about you, and hearing your story. 

How Long Should The Podcast Be, And How Often Should I Publish The Podcast?

There are no requirements for the length or frequency of a podcast. As long as you focus on delivering content your audience wants and needs. You can make a five-minute daily briefing, a weekly half-hour update, an hour-long monthly update, or anything in between and beyond.

No clocks, just content.

Podcasting is a rapidly growing medium. You can efficiently reach your customers, members, or stakeholders, podcasting for business or organizations. Podcasting is now a staple to marketing mixes, just like blogs and video.

Should My Business/My Organization Have A Podcast? 

The answer is, maybe. The variables include who is your audience, how does creating content fit into your time, and your commitment. When you choose to start podcasting, you’re creating a product for an audience. It has to be something your audience will love.

Treat your business podcast professionally. Start by defining your goals and objectives. This solidifies your intent to everyone on your staff, including the marketing department or advertising agency. So they understand why you are podcasting. Who your audience is. And what you hope the listeners will get from the content you are putting time into creating. 

Establish metrics that you can measure so you know the podcast is accomplishing what you intended. But be realistic. As with any content creation, this takes time to build. Your metrics should be yours — never judge your podcast by how many downloads, listens, or likes another podcast gets.

That’s where a good podcast consultant can give you better insight on how your podcast is doing.

We at Circle 270 Media™ Podcast Consultants…

  • analyze the podcast market overall, bringing you insights on universal listener habits
  • provide in-depth analysis of your podcast metrics
  • present you with the needed information to understand the metrics from a content creator position. Such as monthly trends, and long-tail activity of episodes
  • update our clients with changes in metrics that can help improve insight on your podcast success
  • continuously remind our clients that their show is for their audience; it’s unique

Learn more about podcasting for business or organizations. 

Focus on these things. Podcasting can be a very effective external and internal marketing and communication tool for your business or organizations. Get YOUR podcast questions answered. Find out more about all of this and get a free consultation about podcasting for your business or organization. Set up a time to talk with us.

Recorded in Studio C at Channel 511, in the Brewery District, downtown Columbus, OH.

This article originally appeared on Circle270Media’s podcast Note To Future Me.