A branded podcast is a show that a company produces to talk about its sector, its way of working or the people behind it. Done well, it is not a long advert, but content people choose to listen to because it gives them something. That is why it works: the audience spends half an hour with you of their own free will.

What a branded podcast is for

There are three usual goals. Firstly, building authority: if your company explains its sector well, it becomes the reference people turn to. Secondly, telling the brand’s story from the inside, with the real faces and voices of the people who make it happen. And finally, creating content for many channels at once, because each episode produces clips, quotes and articles.

In addition, a podcast is the perfect excuse to talk to clients, partners or experts. Each invitation opens a relationship, and that conversation is often worth as much as the episode itself.

Formats that work in a branded podcast

Whatever the format, it pays to prepare each episode well. We explain how in how to write a podcast script.

Set ready to record a branded podcast with four people around a table

Common mistakes in a branded podcast

The most frequent mistake is talking only about your own company. If every episode feels like a sales pitch, people stop listening. On the other hand, if you talk about your clients’ problems and bring ideas, the brand shows up on its own.

Another mistake is starting with lots of energy and giving up after two months. So, before recording, decide on a realistic pace, for example one episode every two weeks, and prepare several episodes in advance. That way you will have some margin if a month gets complicated.

How much effort it takes

Less than it seems if it is well organised. What takes most time is not recording, but preparing, editing and publishing. A good solution is batching: record two or three episodes in the same morning and leave the editing to professionals. If you want to run the numbers, in how much it costs to start a podcast we compare the different options.

The image communicates too

Today most company podcasts are also published on video, so the place where you record says a lot about your business. A well-kept set, with good light and good sound, conveys professionalism from the very first second. At the studio, the Bright Studio is the one companies choose most, because it gives a warm and luminous image.

How to get started

  1. Define who you are talking to and which problem you help them solve.
  2. Choose a format and a name that is easy to remember.
  3. Prepare a list of ten possible topics or guests.
  4. Record a pilot episode and listen to it with a critical ear.
  5. Publish at a pace you can keep up.

When the show is ready, you will need to distribute it. Platforms such as Spotify for Creators let you publish it for free, and at the studio we deliver the episodes edited and ready to upload. You will find it all in podcast recording in Barcelona.

Written by Adina Harnagea, journalist and co-founder of the studio.