Are you tired of battling algorithms and drowning in the noise of saturated marketing channels? Enter podcasting: your secret weapon for building a loyal audience and making your B2B brand stand out.
Imagine reaching decision-makers during their commute or chores – times when other marketing tactics fall short. With 38% of listeners using podcasts for business decisions and 75% changing their beliefs after tuning in, podcasting offers a unique opportunity to educate and influence your target audience.
Ready to amplify your brand’s voice and showcase your expertise? Follow our step-by-step guide to launch a successful B2B podcast, packed with expert tips to help you cut through the clutter and connect with your audience like never before.
Key takeaways from this blog
- Set clear goals to ensure your podcast supports your marketing strategy.
- Scout the competition to identify your podcast’s unique value.
- Launch with your most captivating content first to hook listeners.
- Embrace the rise of YouTube podcasts to maximize listenership.
- Maximize your content mileage by repurposing episode content across the marketing funnel in emails, paid ads, and social.
1. Align your podcast’s goals with business objectives
Begin by clearly defining why you’re launching your podcast and what your business stands to gain. Establishing goals helps position your podcast within your marketing strategy, whether it aims to drive brand awareness or foster consideration.
Consider these goals for your B2B podcast:
- Establish thought leadership by showcasing your brand as an industry innovator.
- Increase brand awareness by reaching new audiences.
- Generate new business opportunities by attracting the right listeners.
- Educate your audience with stories, trends, and actionable insights.
- Build relationships and community by engaging with guests and listeners.
- Enhance content creation by using podcast material across various platforms.
As Abel Grünfeld from Riverside suggests, clear goals allow you to shape promotion strategies, guest selection, and audience engagement tactics.
Hone in on your target audience
Next, identify your target audience. Knowing your audience informs your topics, tone, and guest choices. Your niche could align with your general business audience or target a specific group, like startups scaling their revenue.
For example, impact.com’s podcast, The Partnership Economy, focuses on different types of partnerships brands can form with publishers, while serving broader partnership economy interests.
Define success metrics to measure effectiveness:
- Number of downloads or listeners per episode
- Audience growth over time
- Engagement metrics such as likes and shares
- Increase in web traffic or leads stemming from the podcast
Compile this information into a concise one-page document to guide your podcast strategy and keep your team aligned.
2. Choose dynamic hosts and a reliable production crew
Choose a passionate, engaging host who can commit to consistent production. Consider co-hosts for dynamic conversations and guest interactions.
Your podcast team should include:
- Producer/project manager
- Audio editor
- Content manager
- Marketer for promotion
Assess your internal capabilities realistically. If resources are limited, consider partnering with a podcast production agency for expertise and efficiency.
“There are a shocking number of steps to build a podcast,” says Chuck Moxley, CMO at Blue Triangle. “Having a professional production agency who handles the heavy lifting and helps keep you on schedule is critical.”
The impact.com podcast team works with Quill Podcasting to enrich its brand storytelling.
3. Analyze the competition to uncover gaps in your niche
Creating a standout podcast starts with offering fresh, valuable content that provides new perspectives or dives deeper into existing insights. Take some time to dig into what’s already out there in your niche to see how you can carve out your unique space and pull in listeners.
Check out popular formats, episode lengths, and how different podcasts engage their audiences. Look at what others do well, where they might fall short, and where your podcast can fill in the gaps. And don’t just limit your exploration to direct competitors. Tune in to podcasts you love in other industries to find intriguing elements you can adapt to your B2B podcast.
If you’re working with a podcast production agency, take advantage of their expertise to conduct a formal competitive analysis. This step can really hone your strategy and help you stand out in the crowded podcast market.
4. Zero in on your podcast’s format to engage listeners and set expectations
Setting a consistent structure for your podcast is key to meeting your audience’s expectations. Here are some things to keep in mind:
Episode style: Decide whether your podcast will focus on interviews, solo commentary, or panel discussions. Each style suits different content types. For instance, 37signals’ REWORK uses co-host discussions with occasional internal guests, while The Ecommerce Playbook mixes interviews and expert panels.
Episode length: Align with audience preferences and habits. Aim for a 30-minute episode to fit commutes, but consider shorter segments for quick updates. Riverside notes that short formats help discovery, while longer ones build trust and facilitate monetization.
Episode structure: Determine if you’ll have regular segments and establish a consistent flow for opening and closing episodes to enhance listener engagement.
Release schedule: Choose a feasible frequency for releasing episodes, such as weekly or bi-weekly.
Seasons vs. ongoing: Decide between a seasonal or continuous format. Seasons allow breaks and topic shifts, while ongoing formats maintain engagement.
Don’t be afraid to experiment. Chuck suggests trying different formats to see what aligns best with your podcast’s goals and strategy, as each option has its perks.
5. Invest in essential recording equipment for quality audio
Ensuring quality is crucial for a professional podcast, as it builds trust in your brand. Investing in the right equipment enhances both the sound and listener experience, without needing a full studio setup.
Start with these essentials:
- Microphone: Choose one designed for podcasting to ensure clear audio.
- Headphones: Use them during recording to prevent audio bleeds.
- Recording and editing software: Riverside is popular for B2B podcasts, offering high-quality audio and video.
- Transcript software: Transcripts boost accessibility, search discoverability, and content repurposing.
- Recording space: A quiet, echo-free room with a clean background is vital for good sound and video quality.
6. Design your podcast’s visual identity and media assets
While podcasts are primarily audio, strong visuals help attract listeners and build brand recognition.
Develop these key assets:
- Logo: Design a versatile logo that works across various platforms and materials.
- Podcast cover art: Create eye-catching artwork for podcast directories. Ensure it’s recognizable even at small sizes and meets platform requirements.
- Episode artwork: Create template designs for individual episode artwork, including space for episode numbers, titles, or guest photos.
- Intro/outro music: Your podcast’s music sets the tone. Just ensure you have usage rights.
As you develop your assets, consider how closely you want your podcast’s brand to relate to your business. Content, Briefly uses Superpath’s signature typeface and orange brand color to tie the two entities together. Though brands with multiple podcasts, like us, tend to create more differentiated visual identities for clarity.
7. Map out a compelling content calendar
A content calendar is vital for podcast consistency and cohesion. Initially, plan one season at a time, pausing between seasons to analyze and refine your strategy. Before each season, identify topics to cover, including current trends, evergreen subjects, and frequent audience questions. Align your podcast with business initiatives. For example, if launching a new product, dedicate episodes to related topics to generate interest.
Incorporate mini-series into your plan. Chuck suggests creating wrap-up episodes to summarize guest insights and add unique viewpoints. These episodes, especially when guests are tagged on social media, often outperform single-topic ones.
8. Book expert guests to spark audience interest
Running an interview-style podcast? Start by listing industry experts who fit your theme and can offer valuable insights. Reach out early to coordinate schedules, especially with high-profile guests.
Begin with your existing network for easier bookings. You can also invite guests by adding a submission form on your website or using platforms like Help a B2B Writer.
Create a one-sheet or media kit that outlines your podcast’s purpose, target audience, and episode format to attract potential guests. Once you’re launched, include noteworthy stats.
Aim for diverse guests to cover a wide range of topics and perspectives, keeping your show engaging within your chosen niche.
9. Launch with your most engaging episodes first
Kick off your podcast strong with your most engaging topics and high-profile guests to draw people in. It sets a high standard for content quality from the start and gives you compelling episodes to showcase for promotion.
Doing this for our podcast’s first season at impact.com laid the foundation and generated buzz.
Chuck recommends recording several podcasts before you publish. He said, “It will take you some time to get your rhythm and format down, and likely the first episode you want to publish to start your podcast won’t be the first one you record.”
Building a backlog also gives you breathing room, so you can maintain a consistent release schedule in case of production delays.
10. Leverage podcast content across channels to grow your audience
Getting your podcast out there starts with choosing the right hosting platforms. Think of Apple Podcasts and Spotify as your go-tos, and if you’re rocking video content, YouTube is a must—it’s really picking up steam for B2B podcasts.
Now, let’s talk promotion. Start small with organic strategies. Share snippets or quotes from your episodes on LinkedIn or Twitter to get the conversation going, and don’t forget to include your latest episodes in your email newsletters. Once you have a few episodes live, you can dive into paid ads to reach even more listeners.
Make sure your hosts and guests are in on the action too. Ask them to share episodes with their networks, especially if you’ve got a guest with a big following. Make it easy for them by providing shareable goodies like video clips or graphics.
As your audience grows, encourage reviews and ratings—they’re like gold for attracting new listeners. And don’t stop there. Grünfeld recommends repurposing your episode content to keep the buzz going. Use clips for social media posts, weave them into ABM campaigns or email marketing, and sprinkle quotes throughout your blog. This way, your podcast content becomes a powerhouse for your brand across all channels.
Now, keep it going!
Congratulations on your B2B podcast launch! Track your key metrics from the North Star document to ensure you’re on target. Listen to your audience through reviews and comments to understand what they enjoy.
Analyze why some episodes perform better—consider the topic, guest, or promotion strategy. Building a successful podcast takes time, so don’t sweat slow growth. Consistently deliver quality content and engage your audience. Chuck suggests not aiming for the top 100, but focusing on reaching the right listeners who matter to your niche.
Celebrate each milestone, whether it’s hundreds or even dozens of the right listeners. With continuous learning and improvement, your podcast will become a powerful brand-building tool.
Happy podcasting!
