How to choose the right partner for your branded podcast
First published in Puget Sound Business Journal Leadership Trust
By Joelle Nole, Larj Media Managing Director
Maybe you’re leading a marketing team inside a Fortune 100 company and you’ve been reading about the measurable ROI from podcasting, or you’re an author and your publisher is urging you to use the medium to promote your book, or perhaps you are a thought leader wanting to extend your audience.
Larj Media Founder and CCO Tina Nole and Seattle Design Center’s Gina Colucci record an episode of Inspired Design
Whatever the reason, you’re ready to harness the power of a podcast. And while it’s easy to jump right in, purchase recording equipment and create your guest list, I caution you to press pause right here. It’s all too easy for a branded podcast to fail, especially if you try to manage everything on your own.
Depending on your goals for the podcast, your budget and the time you want to spend on podcast production, there’s a variety of options for services and partnerships to consider.
I’m here to help you identify your needs and guide you toward the right collaboration partner for your podcast.
Option 1: Freelance producer/editor
Pros:
When your podcast producer is in the recording session, they’re already mentally editing, so the edit will be pretty tight, requiring few or no revisions. Having one brain wear two hats can be extremely cost-efficient!
They’ll customize, making you exactly what you ask for.
Cons:
Be careful what you ask for. If you are new to the podcast medium, you’ll have a learning curve. Your producer will make a podcast for you, not necessarily for your audience.
It’s risky for your podcast to depend on one person who’s juggling other shows; you may have to “wait in line.”
If they move on, you’ve lost both your producer and editor and will need to fill both roles.
Having one person cover two jobs may mean that they’re better at one, either content/story development or the more technical side of production. Or they may be mediocre at both.
Who benefits most:
Interview-based podcasts recorded in a studio or over video conferencing tools (vs. in-field or on-location recording)
DIY or self-publishing podcasters who need to start scrappy
Podcasters who already have an audience and a solid content strategy and just need technical support for recording and editing
Option 2: Online editing services
Pros
Inexpensive
Quick turnaround, usually within 24 hours
Easy to replace if necessary
Will provide recommendations on basic technical needs so you can record on your own and upload your audio
Cons
Will not streamline your narrative or shape the story — they’ll cut ums and ahs and that’s about it
Generic offering with little to no discernment between your goals and the goals of other customers
Requires more of your administrative time to track and manage
Won’t protect you from the false starts and pitfalls of first-time podcasters
Who benefits most:
Hobbyist podcasters who have more time than budget to commit to their podcast, and who are prepared to cover the elements an online service can’t handle
Experienced producers/editors who need a quick proof of concept to get a more full-scale production funded
Option 3: Full-service podcast production agency
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Pros
Knowledgeable podcast production professionals understand how to optimize this medium to appeal to your audience so you can focus on your day job.
A team of producers, editors, engineers and project managers can scale to the speed and growth of your podcast and connect it to the other elements within your branding toolset.
You can choose a podcast agency that fits with your organization regardless of location because a full-service agency has the tools and expertise to produce and record from anywhere.
Cons
More expensive
Agencies typically have an established methodology and process that can sometimes feel onerous
Who benefits most:
Brands that already know their audience and want to engage them in a deep and meaningful way
Organizations with a sense of urgency and no time to waste on failed attempts
Marketing firms and in-house marketing teams that want their show to sound like it came from inside their own company
Long-form, episodic stories or other narrative format podcasts (as opposed to interview format)
Podcasts with celebrity or high-stakes guests who need to be handled professionally or need special accommodations for their recording sessions
Option 4: Your current marketing/PR firm
Pros
You already have a strong working relationship with a team that knows your brand.
They’ve already cleared your procurement process and you won’t need to justify additional budget.
If your marketing firm partners with a professional podcasting agency, they can act as the go-between, so you’ll have the benefit of both a trusted brand partner and the expertise of a podcast firm without having to manage an additional partner.
Cons
Podcasting will be a new service offering so they’ll be learning on your dime.
They’re probably used to short-term campaigns that make a big splash right away, so they may not understand the long-term, episodic nature of a podcast and how to sustain it.
Who benefits most:
Marketing agencies of record with Fortune 100 clients who pay large retainers
Large and mid-market brands who have a trusted marketing agency that can partner with a collaborative podcast production agency for the best of both worlds
Final thoughts
The world of podcast production services has grown as fast as the podcast industry itself. With so many types of production services available to you, finding the right one to match your podcast needs really boils down to time, budget and having a good sense of your longer-term goals. You don’t have to go it alone — and you’re wise not to. The ideal collaboration partner is ready and waiting to make a podcast that’s just right for your listening audience, so go ahead and make the leap!
Ready to jumpstart your podcast? Schedule a call with Larj Media today.