The term “branded podcast” has become a huge buzzword in the podcast world recently. But what are branded podcasts, really? 

A branded podcast can be defined as a podcast created by or on behalf of a company, brand or corporation to promote its products or services, strengthen its brand narrative, spread its key brand messaging, or serve a variety of other purposes or goals.

Essentially, a branded podcast can be viewed as a marketing tactic used by the brand. While different branded podcasts may be serving different goals, they usually latter back to the same overarching aim: growing the brand’s business.

However, this doesn’t mean that all branded podcasts are the same. On the contrary, each branded podcast is as unique as a snowflake, which means the brand has full creative license to use the medium in a way that suits their specific goals, mission and aim.

Still have questions? Here are five common questions about branded podcasts we can help answer:

1. What is a branded podcast?

We’ve already covered this above, but in case it’s still not landing with you, here’s another way of putting it. A branded podcast is a vehicle for promoting a brand’s overall mission, products, or services, without being too overt about mentioning the brand at all. 

In other words, a branded podcast should discuss topics that are aligned with the brand’s industry without banging listeners over the head with the company’s specific key messaging. It can be used as a subtle brand strengthener, but it definitely shouldn’t sound like an infomercial with each episode being used solely for the purpose of talking about your company’s offering.

2. Should a branded podcast mention the name of the brand?

Hence the name “branded podcast,” you’d think that every branded podcast should definitely mention the name of the brand behind it. However, this isn’t necessarily the case. 

Many brands launch a podcast solely for the purpose of sparking interest about their industry or topic, and as such, they don’t necessarily need to squeeze a brand mention into each episode or even the branding materials like the cover art and show description. This is a good route to go if you’d like your brand to fly under the radar. 

However, if you are looking to promote your brand’s name and increase exposure for your company, then you may want to mention it more often in the materials and within the show script. Try not to go overboard with this because you still want to make sure you’re adding value to your listener at the end of the day, but one to two mentions each episode can’t hurt.

3. Does my company need a branded podcast?

With the podcast landscape expanding every day to encompass new subjects, topics and niche areas, really any brand or company can get in on the action today. There’s no subject or industry that’s off-limits since you can use the medium to talk about whatever it is your heart desires.

However, that said, does that mean every brand and its mother should have a podcast? Not necessarily. Before going ahead and launching a podcast, it’s important to sit down and have an in-depth strategy session with your team to think about what it is you’d like to accomplish with a podcast, and whether it’s a worthwhile goal.

Check out our post on determining whether your company needs a branded podcast for more information on this.

4. What should a branded podcast be about?

You may be wondering, how closely related does a branded podcast’s topic have to be to your company’s industry or service area? Again, this is up to you, but don’t feel like it needs to be super spot-on.

For example, let’s say you’re a green beauty brand. Your branded podcast could discuss living a more sustainable life, green beauty hacks, or women who are killing it in the industry with a new interview each episode.

Try to find a happy medium by choosing a subject area that’s broad but not too broad, while also ensuring each episode adds value to the listener through entertainment, advice or insights.

5. How do I get people to listen to my branded podcast?

Growing an audience for your branded podcast may sound like a daunting feat, but it doesn’t have to be as hard as reinventing the wheel. If you’ve already built a solid following on social media, through your email list and other channels, then getting people to subscribe to your branded podcast should be a breeze.
However, if you’re starting from scratch, have no fear: there’s a wide variety of paid and organic marketing tactics you can try to grow a dedicated, engaged audience base. Read our post on the best podcast marketing tactics for more tips.