How to offer podcast production services for clients
A practical guide for freelancers and agencies on how to offer podcast production services for clients: benefits, owning niches, multitasking consumption, where to publish (Ivoox, Spotify, Google Podcasts). An audio content strategy.
The team behind Polimake. We explore the intersection of technology, creativity, and automation.
The rise of the podcast is a fact. Users show more and more interest in audio content and are weaving it into their daily routines. That's why now is the ideal time to offer podcast production services for your clients, both corporate and personal. Podcasts should be part of your marketing plan and complement your content strategy to improve communication and engagement with your target audience. Podcasts are an essential part of digital marketing and improve your brand's digital presence. Podcasts strengthen your brand identity and improve two-way communication with your audience, and they're an essential part of your website and corporate blog.
Spotify released data from 2019 showing that podcast listeners had grown by more than 50% compared to the start of the year.
The rise of the podcast: "radio" without schedules
The term "podcast" was coined by Britain's Ben Hammersley, and it's a blend of the terms broadcast (transmission or rebroadcast) and the iPod brand (Apple's line of audio players). So a podcast is basically an audio multimedia file, designed to be played and/or downloaded on multiple devices.
This way of creating content brought about the rebirth of the digital audio phenomenon. Something like radio 2.0. And why did this happen? Because this format managed to combine everything good about the radio format with internet users' digital demands.
The podcast meets today's biggest requirement, which is on-demand consumption, meaning users are the ones who choose the topic, the length, and when they want to listen to that content. On top of that, it's very easy to access and free through any mobile device. Devices like a smartphone are the most common companions in our day-to-day lives. They're permanently connected to the internet and right there with us. So the podcast can keep you company whenever you choose: on public transit, while grocery shopping, cleaning, exercising… They allow for multitasking, since you only need one sense to enjoy one: hearing.
Benefits of creating a podcast for your clients
Here's a quick summary of why offering this service is a good idea:
Own its niche
Offer content related to your client's brand that's of interest: interviews with experts, tips, industry news, Q&A segments, and even informal chats around a topic… Something that grabs the attention of people looking for a podcast on that subject. Own its little plot in the digital world and get the audience to associate that content with its brand name.
Include its brand
You're offering quality content that provides extra information on a topic. Take the opportunity to include your client's products in the thread of the conversation. Just be careful not to overload it with self-promotion; in the right measure it will be more effective, since the audience will perceive it as something natural.
If the podcast isn't focused on a product or service, but you're instead building a personal brand for your client, take advantage of it to promote them as well. The podcast is the perfect place to showcase the knowledge and experience they have. If they understand a topic, don't hesitate to present them as someone competent in that area. This is a great opportunity to build a résumé, gain experience, and break into the job market.
Free and "on demand"
The audience is the one who will choose your podcast and access it for free. These are two key factors. If the user reaches you on their own, you become "their discovery," which is very positive.
Multitasking consumption
It's not just that listening to a podcast fits your schedule, since the user is the one who chooses the length of the podcast to listen to or the topic they're interested in, but it also allows for multitasking. As we mentioned earlier, it's a format that's very compatible with consuming while doing other activities, since it only requires one sense: hearing.
Where to publish your client's podcast
Once you've decided to create a podcast for your client, it's time to choose the topic and how often and how long each episode will be. Obviously you'll pick a topic related to their company or personal brand. You should adapt the frequency to their way of working and think about what fits best with that topic. The same goes for the length, though we recommend that the more frequent, the shorter. In other words, if you publish 5 episodes a week, it's better that they be short (around 15 or 20 minutes is fine), but if you publish only 1 a month, it's better that it be long (between 1 and 2 hours is recommended).
To publish your podcast, we recommend the following hosting options. Keep in mind that publishing involves a small cost, and if they offer a free service, it will have limitations such as audio length.
If you're interested in learning more strategies to position your brand, we recommend reading our article "Benefits of creating a blog for your company".
Frequently asked questions about podcast production for clients
What publishing frequency is recommended for a brand podcast?
The best frequency is the one you can sustain with quality. For most projects, starting with a weekly or biweekly cadence is usually realistic.
How long should a podcast episode be?
It depends on the format and the audience, but in B2B, episodes of 15 to 40 minutes with a clear focus tend to work well.
Which KPI should you measure first in a podcast?
Listen-through retention per episode, growth in recurring listeners, and clicks to associated commercial assets (website, lead magnet, or contact).