Corporate Podcasts: How to Start & Tips to Succeed - Riverside.fm

What is a corporate podcast?

A corporate podcast is one that’s produced by a company for either internal communication within the company or for external branding. 

Here are some ways that companies make use of corporate podcasts: 

• To make important announcements
• To build brand awareness among the company’s customer base
• To promote company culture and a sense of belonging among employees
• To demonstrate to clients and customers that they’re an authority in the field
• To inform employees about the company’s latest offerings as well as other developments
• To communicate with employees uniquely, instead of the usual channels like email and Slack

What companies have their own podcasts?

Here are some of the popular corporations that have their own podcast:

Netflix: We Are Netflix

Netflix's We Are Netflix podcast features Netflix employees discussing work and life at Netflix.

Amir Moini, the employer branding lead at the company, said that the podcast was the ‘most influential thing that we’ve done all year’ in an interview with LinkedIn Talent in 2019.

Spotify: Life at Spotify

Life at Spotify is the company’s public-facing podcast that runs on its own platform. It offers interviews with many of the talented Spotify employees about work and company culture. 

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Penguin Random House: The Penguin Podcast

Penguin Random House is one of the biggest book publishers in the scene. And their status in the industry gives them access to some of world’s best authors, making The Penguin Podcast is an excellent podcast for book lovers. 

Each podcast episode features one of these authors discussing their books. The authors also discuss the major events, people, and places that inspired them to write the book.  

The podcast features special episodes where the hosts explore the best books of the year, as well as other hidden gems. 

Why should you start a corporate podcast?

According to Statista, over 50% of Americans have tuned in to a podcast in the past and three-quarters of them are aware of podcasts in general. 

What does this all mean? By starting a podcast, you get access to a large crowd of people. 

Here are some more reasons why many big companies (and why you) should start a corporate podcast. 

Benefits of starting an internal corporate podcast

They can help build company culture

Starting a podcast is a unique method to foster company culture. In addition, it can help the CEO communicate directly with the employees – creating a sense of trust and connection between employees and higher-ups.

They are convenient

Whether you're at the gym, at your desk, driving, or cooking, you can listen to podcasts anywhere.

So if you want to communicate with your employees and deliver a message – a podcast will make it more likely that your employees will listen to it –  without it being an inconvenience for them. 

They help beat screen fatigue

Staring at a screen all day can cause screen fatigue. Therefore, podcasts are a great way for employees to listen to information without having to spend additional time in front of a computer or a mobile device.

They are engaging

When was the last time you’ve been ‘engaged’ while reading an email or a Slack message? Chances are, not any time recently.

Conversely, you can probably recall a podcast you listened to and thought about for hours or days following.

Similarly, if you create a high-quality podcast with passion, it will make it more likely that your employees will be not only engaged but also have them contemplating the message long after they have listened to the podcast. 

Benefits of starting a podcast for your customers

Now let’s look at why a branded podcast can help your company.

They help build a personal connection with your audience

Podcasts are better than most digital mediums for creating a personal connection between the host and the audience. 

For example, YouTube videos tend to feel somewhat impersonal as most of them are heavily edited. 

In contrast, a podcast is usually uncut. When listening to one, it feels like you’re listening to the host's and guest’s raw thoughts. In this way, the format helps build trust with the audience. 

Podcasts reach more customers

Having your podcast on different podcast directories can help you reach a new set of potential customers for your business. And if your podcast is educational and of value, it will automatically spread through word of mouth.

Appear as an authority

Hosting a podcast will make you appear as an authority in your field, which will instantly boost your credibility and make you appear trustworthy in the eyes of your customers. 

How to start a corporate podcast successfully

Here are the key steps to follow when starting a corporate podcast

1. Choose the type of podcast and topic 

Figure out the type of podcast you want to publish. You can choose from the following types: 

• Interview podcasts
• Solo podcasts
• Co-hosted podcast
• Panel podcast
• Storytelling/documentary podcast

2. Plan your podcast

Next, plan your podcasts. Here are the most important things you’ll need to do:

• Figure out the topics for the next few episodes in advance
• Establish a schedule for releasing the episodes
• Come up with an outline for the episode
• Create a script for the episode
• Produce the episode 

2. Choose the right equipment 

Get the bare minimum equipment for a podcast, which includes:

• Microphone(s)
• Headphones
• Camera (if you’re recording video)
• Recording software
• Editing software

You can also get extra accessories, like a pop filter, video lighting, and an audio interface, but this isn’t necessary if you want to start out on a small budget at first.

Read more: Video Podcast Equipment: Video Starter Kit Essentials (2024)

3. Find guests for your podcast 

You don’t need guests if you’re going the solo podcast route. That being said, most successful podcasts usually have a guest on the show. 

The best guests to invite to a corporate podcast include industry leaders, experts in your company, and business partners. 

4. Record and edit your podcast

Record your software using one of our recommended podcast recorders. You can choose to record only the audio or also video (which is ideal if you plan to upload to YouTube). 

If you’re looking to record a studio-quality show, then we suggest you try Riverside. You can record in high quality with up to 4K video resolution, without worrying about internet connection interfering. This is because all files are recorded directly on your device instead of relying on the internet. 

Once you’re done recording, you’ll want to edit and finalize your podcast. If you’re using a platform like Riverside, you can seamlessly edit w,ith our in-built editing tools. Our text-based video editor makes trimming your video as easy as editing a text document. Any text you delete in your transcript automatically removes the corresponding video and audio in your recording. You can also fine-tune audio, add customized logos or branding to your podcast and create short shareable clips seamlessly.

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5. Promote your podcast

Once your podcast is recorded, boost its reach through social media marketing. 

A great way to do this is to use Riverside Magic Clips. This feature helps you extract the most share-worthy snippets from your podcast and promote it to Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, or Facebook. And, all it takes is one click. Magic Clips uses Ai to identify key moments in your recordings and turns them into multiple short snippets.

For a more detailed explanation of how to create a corporate podcast successfully, check out our detailed guide to starting a business podcast!

Tips to create an effective corporate podcast

Looking to create a podcast that stands out? Then keep the following tips in mind as you plan and produce the show. 

Select a good team

To make a podcast interesting, you’ll need to choose people from your company that are creative. 

If none of your employees know how to start a podcast, don’t worry – below are some resources that’ll help you start one (even if you have no experience). 

• How to Start a Podcast | Full Guide with Easy Steps (2022)
• 7 Essential Things to Know Before Starting a Podcast
• 25 Podcast Tips to Start a Successful Show (2022) - Riverside.fm

Answer the big questions

Before starting your podcast, you’ll need to answer these key questions. Getting clear on these questions can help you create an impactful podcast:

Ask yourself:

• What will be the ideal format of the podcast to convey my message? 
• What is the overall goal of the podcast? What topics do you plan to cover?
• What kind of guests do I plan to bring on to the show? Will they only include people from within the company? Or will guests from outside be included? 
• What will the tone of the podcast be? Will it include humor and creativity? Or will it be purely informative? 

Getting outside help

It’s not easy to create a high-production quality podcast, especially if no one in your team has experience creating media. If you have the budget, it may be a good idea to get the help of experts outside the company. 

A podcasting agency or consultant can help you plan your content, schedule your podcast, plan and write the script, and produce the show. 

Get a good host

Ever noticed how popular podcasts usually have a host that’s charismatic? 

Unfortunately, few people have this trait. So you may need to choose someone from your company who is not only charismatic but also intelligent enough to explain concepts and topics clearly.  This person should have subject matter expertise. 

Take audience feedback

Ask your audience for feedback after 2-3 podcasts. You can use the company's internal mail to request feedback from employees. If you’re seeking feedback from an external audience, you can share, you can share your company's feedback email address on the podcast. 

In this way, you can see where the audience is at and tailor your future podcast accordingly.

FAQs on Corporate Podcasts

How do companies communicate with podcasts?

Here are some of the main ways companies communicate internally with podcasts:

• Onboarding: Recording onboarding and training material on podcasts helps new hires get familiar with the business. They can listen to podcast episodes at their own time and pace. 
• Communication: Podcasts can be used to inform employees about the latest ongoings in the company, announce new products, as well as share any successes and growth that the company has achieved in a quarter. 
• Cultural messaging: Companies use podcasts to build a sense of passion, community, and shared culture with their employees. 

How do podcasts grow your company?

Here are some ways that podcasts can help grow your company: 

• It helps you become an authority in your field, thus increasing consumer trust in you. 
• People who listen to your podcast for the first time will eventually become potential customers if they like what you have to say. 
• Bringing on guests from your industry or those from an adjacent industry further increases your reach and increases your customer base.