---
title: How to Start a Podcast for Business
description: "Learn how to start a podcast for business in nine steps: pick a format, set up equipment, publish through a hosting platform and promote every episode."
---

[The Propello Blog | Go-to-Market, AEO and RevOps](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog)

# [How to Start a Podcast for Business](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/how-to-start-a-podcast)

 Written by [Tumisang Bogwasi](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/author/tumisang-bogwasi) | Jul 29, 2022, 8:23:09 PM

If you lead marketing, sales or growth at a B2B company and want a channel that builds trust with buyers before they ever speak to your team, this guide is for you. It shows how to start a podcast for business, from the first idea to a published podcast show.

The short answer: pick one audience and one topic, choose a podcast format, gather your podcast equipment, record and edit your first few episodes, publish through a podcast hosting platform, and promote and measure every episode. Nine steps follow, each with what done looks like.

 

| **Business Podcast** A business podcast is a recurring audio or video series that a company publishes to teach a specific audience, build trust and start sales conversations, delivered as episodes through an RSS feed to podcast directories. |
| --- |

## You will finish with a published podcast and a repeatable routine

At the end of these steps you will have a named podcast with cover art and a podcast description, a recording setup that produces high quality audio, a first batch of podcast episodes, a live podcast feed in the major podcast directories, and a simple routine for promoting and measuring every release.

A podcast is an audio series that a listener can download to a personal device and play whenever they like. It works like a television series, with a theme, episodes and often seasons, but the podcast audio has to carry the story through voice alone.

Podcasting is no longer a niche habit.

[Edison Research's Infinite Dial 2026](https://ssrs.com/insights/the-infinite-dial-2026/) found that 58% of Americans age 12 and older (167 million) consumed a podcast in the last month, an all-time high. In the same study, 57% had both listened to and watched a podcast, so a video podcast is now a normal option, not a bonus.

For a company, that audience matters because a podcast is [content marketing](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/what-is-content-marketing) in its most personal form. Listeners spend time with your voice, which builds familiarity that a blog post alone rarely does.

## What to have in place before you start

You do not need a studio. You do need five things ready before step 1, and the first three cost nothing.

- **A named owner.** One person accountable for the podcast, the calendar and the numbers. A podcast stalls when nobody owns it.
- **A target audience.** One kind of buyer you want to help, described by role and problem.
- **Access to guests.** A short list of customers, partners and experts who could join your own podcast.
- **Podcast equipment.** A USB mic or an external microphone, headphones, and a quiet room. A podcast microphone made for speech gives better sound quality than a laptop's built-in one.
- **Recording software and editing software.** Podcast recording software that records each voice on its own track, and editing tools that let you trim, level and export the audio files.

## Start a podcast in 9 steps

### 1. Choose a podcast topic and a target audience

Pick the one problem your listeners want solved and the one kind of listener you serve. A podcast for everyone attracts no one, so niche down until you can describe your podcast audience in a sentence.

Test the idea with a few questions. Has another podcast covered it, and can you add a different view? Does it connect to what your buyers care about this quarter? Can you list topic ideas for a full season? Does it relate to what your company sells?

Write the value proposition as one sentence that tells listeners why they should tune in. It clarifies the concept for you and keeps every later choice focused. Planning topics in advance also stops you running out of ideas by episode six.

Done looks like: a one-sentence promise ("this podcast helps \[listener\] do \[outcome\]") and a list of at least ten topic ideas.

### 2. Choose a podcast format and an episode length

Most business shows use one of three formats. An interview podcast brings in special guests and borrows their expertise and reach. A solo podcast lets one expert teach.

A co-hosted show puts two voices in conversation, which suits topics that deserve a debate. A hybrid podcast format mixes interviews with topic-based discussion. A storytelling podcast leans on sound effects and real-life audio. Pick the format that suits your personality.

Decide also whether the podcast will be audio only or a video podcast. Video takes more setup, but it gives you clips for social channels and lets you live stream an episode when you want a real-time audience. You can begin with audio and add video later.

Then fix the episode length and release rhythm. Choose a length your material can fill without padding, and a frequency you can keep for a year.

Match the episode length to your publishing frequency so the workload stays sustainable. Consistency builds trust, and a steady schedule serves listeners better than bursts of activity followed by silence.

Done looks like: a written format, an episode length, a release day, and a plan for the first few episodes.

### 3. Name your podcast and design the cover art

A podcast name should be memorable and relevant to the content, and say what the podcast is about in plain words, so that someone who has never heard of your company can find it. Put your brand in the cover art, not in a clever title.

Create a podcast logo and cover art that stay readable at thumbnail size. [Apple's guidance for its Show Cover](https://podcasters.apple.com/support/5514-show-cover-template) describes it as the show's primary visual representation, shown in a square format, and says the artwork is required to publish on Apple Podcasts. Keep the title large and the extra text minimal.

Write the podcast description now too. Say who the podcast is for, what listeners will learn, and how often you publish.

Done looks like: a podcast name, a square cover art file and a two-sentence description.

### 4. Set up podcast equipment and a quiet recording space

Listeners forgive a modest setup but not poor sound quality. Start with a USB mic or a dynamic microphone, which picks up less room noise than a condenser microphone, plus closed headphones, which also stop sound bleeding into the recording and let you hear problems as you record.

A free option for recording and editing is enough for your first podcast.

Choose a quiet room with soft surfaces, such as a room with curtains and a rug. Hard walls add echo, and background noise is the flaw listeners notice first. Turn off notifications and fans before you start recording.

If you run a co-hosted show or interview guests in different locations, use recording software that captures each voice on separate tracks. Separate tracks let you fix one person's levels without damaging the other's. Keep one track per voice and avoid mixing them while you record.

Done looks like: a two-minute test recording with no hum, echo or clipping.

### 5. Plan the first few episodes and book guests

Record more than one before you launch. Batch recording the first few episodes lets you publish at least three together, gives new listeners something to binge, and takes pressure off your schedule.

Planning future episodes at the same time saves time later. Record a practice episode first to improve your delivery and spot weak areas; you do not have to publish it.

Build a simple outline for each podcast episode: a short introduction that states the topic, three to five segments, and a closing that tells listeners what to do next.

If you interview, send guests your questions and a short briefing in advance. To book guests, ask people in your network and offer something real in return, such as exposure to your audience. Listen to other podcasters in your field to see which guests they have not yet had.

Done looks like: an outline for each of the first three episodes and confirmed dates with every guest.

### 6. Record your first episode, then edit the podcast audio

Open your recording software and start recording once the room is quiet. Speak the way you would to one customer across a table. Stay close to the outline, but leave room for natural conversation. If you stumble, pause and repeat the sentence, since it is easier to cut a gap than to repair a mumble.

In editing software, remove long pauses and filler words, balance the levels, and add an intro and outro. Clear audio matters more than elaborate sound design in early episodes, so add royalty free music and sound effects sparingly.

Budget more time for editing than for recording, because editing is where most of the work sits. Listen to the whole first episode once on headphones and once on a phone speaker.

Done looks like: one finished episode exported as audio files in the format your host accepts, with steady volume from start to finish.

### 7. Publish through a podcast hosting platform and submit to podcast directories

A podcast host stores your audio files and creates the RSS feed that carries your podcast to every app.

Your own website is not a substitute, since listening apps read the feed rather than your pages. When you compare a hosting platform or podcast hosting service, check storage and bandwidth, analytics, and whether it lets you edit show notes.

The feed has technical rules. [Apple states](https://podcasters.apple.com/support/823-podcast-requirements) that a feed must follow RSS 2.0, be publicly addressable and not password-protected, and give every episode a globally unique identifier that never changes. Your hosting provider handles most of this, but check the podcast feed before you submit it.

Directories distribute your podcast through that RSS feed link, so submit it once to each of the podcast directories you want, starting with Apple Podcasts. Submitting to several directories widens your audience. After approval, new episodes appear in each directory automatically, so you never upload them again.

Done looks like: a live podcast feed, your podcast listed in at least two podcast directories, and your first three episodes available to play.

### 8. Build a podcast website and promote every episode

Give the podcast a home on your own site. A podcast website lets you publish show notes, a transcript and an embedded player on one page per episode, which brings in search visitors who never open a listening app. An [inbound-ready website](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/what-is-an-inbound-ready-website) also gives every listener a clear next step.

Treat each episode page like a blog post, and our guide to [building an SEO strategy](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/how-to-build-an-seo-strategy) covers the basics. Write show notes with the guest's name, the main takeaways and links to anything mentioned.

Promote before you launch. Tease the first episode to your email list and social channels, share snippets of audio on social media, and ask guests to share their episode with new listeners.

If you cut clips for video, our guide to [building a video marketing strategy](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/how-to-build-a-video-marketing-strategy) shows how to plan them, and [video marketing](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/what-is-video-marketing) explains why they work.

Promoting actively gets you discovered faster than waiting for listeners to find the podcast.

Done looks like: an episode page for every release and a promotion checklist you repeat each week.

### 9. Track engagement metrics and improve every season

Check your numbers after each release. The metrics worth watching are downloads per podcast episode in the first month, subscribers or followers, average listening time, and visits to the podcast page. Compare episodes against each other, not against other people's podcasts.

The point of engagement metrics is to improve what you make. If episodes on one topic keep more listeners to the end, plan more of them. If drop-off happens at the same minute, shorten that segment. Our list of [metrics to measure](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/top-metrics-to-measure-your-inbound-marketing-campaign) helps you connect these figures to leads.

Review the numbers after five to ten episodes, not after one. A business podcast earns mostly through pipeline, but it can also earn directly through sponsors, membership subscriptions, merchandise and listener donations. Exclusive content can attract sponsors.

Done looks like: a one-page report you review monthly, with one change you will make to the next episodes.

## Avoid the mistakes that end most new podcasts

- **Launching with one episode.** Listeners who like it have nothing more to play, and you lose momentum.
- **Skipping the plan for the audience.** A successful podcast speaks to one kind of listener.
- **Buying expensive gear first.** Good audio quality comes from a quiet room and a good microphone, not from the most costly kit.
- **Recording without a schedule.** Gaps of months teach subscribers to forget you.
- **Having no next step.** Each episode needs one clear action, such as a guide, a call or a download.

## What you gain when this is done properly

### Sales gets warmer conversations

Prospects who have listened to your podcast arrive already knowing how you think. Sales spends less time explaining the basics and more time on their situation, and episodes make good follow-up material after a first call.

### Marketing gets content that keeps working

One recording becomes a podcast episode, a transcript, show notes, quotes, short clips and an article. Marketing gets a steady stream of content from a single conversation, and every episode stays available to play long after the release date.

### Customer success gets a way to teach at scale

Customers can listen while they drive or train. Episodes that explain common questions reduce repeated explanations, and interviews with customers give success teams real stories to share with new accounts.

## A podcast works best inside a connected go-to-market system

A podcast creates attention, but attention only becomes revenue when marketing, sales and customer success share data and handoffs. Listeners who visit your podcast page should land in the same CRM record as every other lead, with their activity visible to the team.

Propello is a HubSpot partner. It designs and builds connected go-to-market (GTM) systems on HubSpot, as described on the [about page](https://www.finemediabw.com/about-us). If your content is producing attention without clear pipeline, a GTM audit is the place to start.

[Book a Propello GTM Audit](https://www.finemediabw.com/contact)

## Frequently asked questions

[View full post](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/how-to-start-a-podcast)

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