If you’ve ever tried to discover a new favorite podcast to listen to, you might be overwhelmed by the sheer variety. From podcasts where people dramatically read bad Yelp reviews to true crime episodes that try to figure out murders to educational genres discussing niche topics, there truly is a podcast for everything. You might think, “I could make one of those!” And you would be right — making a podcast isn’t particularly difficult. But can producing your own actually get you the results you desire? 

What are the benefits of creating a branded podcast?

Podcast equipment can be fairly inexpensive 

Overall, producing and distributing a podcast is relatively inexpensive. You’ll need a few good-quality microphones, which start at about $20. You’ll also need a computer for recording, and some kind of editing software, many of which are free. You can always splurge on additional devices or better quality tools for a little extra money, but podcasting can be very cheap if you want it to be. 

Another aspect you might choose to pay for is podcast hosting, which is the website that holds your podcast and helps distribute it to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc. Once again, there are free options out there, but paid options offer additional services and analytics that the free ones might not. 

You can build a community around your podcast 

If you’ve ever found a favorite podcast, you’ve probably recommended it to loved ones, subscribed to their channel, and maybe even perused their social media accounts. You feel like you know the hosts, and you might even donate money to their Patreon to help them fund their creative endeavors. This same kind of support doesn’t come from people listening to ads. Unlike a 30-second spot, a podcast episode can give you a more concrete brand identity and develop a loyal following. 

Your podcast can help position your brand as an expert

Whether you own a restaurant and want to make a podcast about how to cook certain foods or you’re a dog trainer and want to share some tricks of the trade, offering quality information for free can help people see your brand as an expert in whatever you specialize in. Familiarity and consistency of regularly occurring podcasts will also drive brand awareness as more people find value from your episodes and share them with others. 

Consider these key things when creating a podcast:

• You should be prepared to spend money on marketing. While producing a podcast can be as cheap or as expensive as you like, you need to be ready to back up your efforts with some bills. Consider where your target audience spends their time online and try to reach them there, whether it’s by running ads on social media platforms or display ads on relevant websites. 

• Choose hosts who will advocate for your brand. They will become your brand ambassadors and should be able to put effort into marketing the podcast as well. They can share new episodes with their followers on social media, encourage friends to listen to it, and request that people leave honest reviews. 

If you think creating a podcast is the right move for your brand, consider pairing up with an agency that knows its stuff. DECODE has the capabilities to help you record your content, edit it for length and continuity, distribute it, and promote it to your desired audience — removing the guesswork out of the process for you. 

And while there are seemingly infinite podcasts already vying for people’s attention, DECODE can help you find the space between the noise. See how we can help your brand stand out in the podcasting sphere.