As of 2024, the average time spent listening to podcasts has grown 450% since 2014. Over 192 million people listen to podcasts every month in the US. Podcasts are booming. It’s no surprise that hundreds of the top businesses and brands have started using podcasts as a new marketing channel. 

If you’re thinking about starting a branded podcast for your company, this blog has everything you need to get started. 

You’ll learn: 

• What is a branded podcast
• 12 best branded podcasts 
• 9 reasons to start a branded podcast
• How to start a branded podcast

Let’s kick things off with a simple definition. 

What is a branded podcast? 

A branded podcast is a show created by a business or organization to educate, entertain, or inform their audience while indirectly promoting their brand.  

10 best branded podcasts 

1. Resonate Podcast by Resonate Recordings

Resonate Podcast is a show that interviews content creators on the strategies, tactics, and mindsets they use to resonate with their audience. If you haven’t already noticed, this is our podcast! We’re practicing what we preach by creating our own branded podcast. The goal of this show is to educate podcasters like you on cutting-edge marketing strategies so you can grow your podcast and your business. This podcast is written, produced, and edited by Resonate Recordings. 

2. GO AI with Jenna Ahern by Guardian Owl 

GO AI with Jenna Ahern is a podcast that educates business leaders on how they are implementing artificial intelligence into their businesses. Marketing is rapidly evolving because of AI. That’s why Jenna and her team at Guardian Owl have put together this podcast series.m This podcast is produced and edited by Resonate Recordings. 

3. Honda Stories by Honda

Honda Stories is a limited 6-part series from Honda about the stories behind their iconic vehicles. The podcast is recorded by host Bradley from inside of his Honda CR-V, and interviews Honda employees, industry experts, and champion drivers around the world. This podcast is produced and edited by Resonate Recordings. 

4. Game Changers by Konvoy

Game Changers is a podcast from Denver-based venture capital firm Konvoy, which invests in platforms and technology in the gaming industry. Hosted by the four co-founders, Game Changers takes you behind the scenes in the industry and brings you into conversations with iconic brands like Xbox, Twitch, Halo, Guitar Hero, and more. This podcast is edited by Resonate Recordings. 

5. Making Madden by EA Sports

Making Madden is an 8-episode series from EA Sports that tells the stories of how one of the most iconic video game series of all time is created. This interview-style show breaks down the story behind game features and goes deep into the weeds. This podcast was edited by Resonate Recordings. 

6. Inside Trader Joe’s by Trader Joe’s

Inside Trader Joe’s by Trader Joe’s is one of the most well-known branded podcasts of all time. They have over 4200 5-star reviews on Apple Podcasts and have created 87 episodes over the past 6 years. Episodes range from 4 minutes to 30 minutes and cover themes like how to find great recipes, the story behind Trader Joe’s infamous tote bags, Q&As with the CEO, and more. It’s a friendly, personal, and authentic-sounding podcast that fits right into their brand culture. 

7. Evolving Money by Coinbase

Evolving Money is a 4-part series on the history of currency and the monetary system, asking questions about whether cryptocurrency is the next logical step in money’s evolution. Produced by Bloomberg Media Studios, each episode is a highly-produced 15-20 minute story that uses narration, interviews, music, and sound design to tell a compelling and concise history of money. 

8. Shopify Masters by Shopify

Shopify Masters is a classic interview show that sits down with ecommerce experts every week to talk about topics like marketing, personal branding, D2C operations, and how to grow your small business online. The show is down to earth, practical, and an info-taining listen. 

9. Online Marketing Made Easy by Hubspot Podcast Network

Online Marketing Made Easy is hosted by Amy Porterfield, a powerhouse in the marketing community and one of the world’s leading experts on digital course creation. Amy’s show is incredible because she’s honest, authentic, and transparent about the highs and the lows of her entrepreneurial journey. This podcast helps Amy promote her personal brand, but it also promotes Hubspot, because it is a part of the Hubspot Podcast Network along with hit shows like My First Million and Business Made Simple. 

I think Hubspot’s strategy is brilliant. Rather than just making their own branded podcast, they have acquired or cut deals with dozens of successful podcasters, effectively buying ad spots on every single episode for years to come. This is similar to how Stripe purchased the Indie Hacker’s podcast at one point.  

10. The Rework Podcast by 37Signals

The Rework Podcast is made by 37Signals, the software company behind hit products like Basecamp, Hey, and Once.com. This podcast is hosted by the co-founders of 37Signals, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, and their co-host Kimberly Rhodes. Each episode offers advice on how to build a calm and sustainable company, drawing on over 25 years of profitable business experience. Be ready to hear some hot takes and strong opinions, held loosely. 

Now that you’ve seen some incredible examples of branded podcasts, let’s talk about the why. Why should you start a branded podcast? 

9 reasons you should start a branded podcast 

Think about it. Every brand has a story. They’ve had a beginning. An impetus for starting and a mission of what they have set out to accomplish. What’s more, they want their investors, employees, and consumers to know that story, be invested in it, and become passionate about it just like them. They are looking for ways to get people on board with what they’re all about. However, the challenge in business and marketing has always been finding both an efficient and effective way to get that message out in front of potential customers. In the past, print and broadcast media were the go-to’s. The challenge now is that print is dying, radio is evolving and television is becoming on-demand. So companies are looking to fill the void.

For many today, podcasting seems to be that potential solution in our ever-streaming, always-binging and incessantly-plugged-in society. That’s why brands like Citi, Associated Press, Sumo Logic, Gensler Design, MongoDB, OpenView, Drift and Boston Consulting Group have trusted their podcasts to our team.

In addition to massive brands jumping into the industry, we have also noticed a revolution in the university sector. More and more universities are leveraging podcasting as a resource for their institution both as an internal resource, and external brand building. Some of the clients we’ve been able to work with include the University of Notre Dame, Cornell University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Brown University.

Brands and organizations of all shapes and sizes know the difference a podcast can make. But generalizations aren’t enough. To make the case, here are specific reasons why your brand needs to look to podcasting as the solution for the future.

1. Podcasting has never been more popular

As alluded to already, podcasting has never been more popular than it is right now. With thousands of podcasts being submitted to Apple every day, the truth continues to prove itself that podcasting is a formidable force that is not going anywhere any time soon. Perhaps you need some convincing. Like statistics? Like cold, hard facts? How about these for starters:

• 47% of US population have listened to a podcast in the last month (~135M)
• 34% of US population have listened to a podcast in the last week (~98M) 
• Average time spent listening to podcasts has grown 450% since 2014 

With over 327,000,000 people in America, these percentages translate into jaw-dropping numbers that pack some serious punch. If you are a brand looking for an effective way to get in front of millions of people, podcasting has to be at least one weapon in your arsenal.

2. Podcast listeners are affluent, engaged, and receptive to ads 

56% of podcast listeners earn over $75,000 annually, 49% of monthly podcast listeners have college education, 46% have purchased a product or service because of listening to podcast ads, and 62% of podcast listeners consume over 3 hours of audio every week. Translation? Podcasts reach a deeply engaged audience, and that audience has money to spend.  

2. Podcasting is an incredibly effective marketing platform

Unlike other platforms of marketing and communication, podcasts are on the upswing. There is no end in sight for this medium. What’s more (and likely the reason for the skyrocketing popularity), they are easily consumable on the go which makes it convenient. While video may be king in many ways, the reality is it’s hard to engage in video while in the car. It’s hard to tune into mobile video at the gym. It’s hard to watch video while going for a run. Sure, we all make considerable time in our daily life for video, but there are times when it’s just not feasible. That’s why audio is taking the reigns as a formidable leader in many cases. 

3. Podcasting provides incredibly accurate analytics

Another great benefit of podcasting are the analytics that are available to the creator. With anything related to business you want to allow the numbers to speak for themselves. With that in mind, podcast hosting and directory platforms are tracking the digits associated with the listens and downloads of your podcast episodes in ways that help you stay on top of what’s happening. While each platform will have a unique twist on the numbers and the features they offer, generally you will be able to track some key components of your podcast on a regular basis, including:

• Number of listens for each episode
• Average length of listening for each episode
• Top performing episodes
• Number of subscribers
• Up-to-date ratings and reviews
• The platform and devices your listeners use
• What country or region they listen from

There are other key pieces of data that are also able to be tracked which prove helpful. If you so desire, there are also services you can sign up for that will track and measure your listens in a much more robust way to help you know your overall standings in both your industry and your chosen genre. Almost everything you would want to know about the performance of your content can be spit back to you through the current analytics.

4. Podcasting allows people to tune in to what they like

Another advantage of podcasting is that it allows people to choose what they want. Now the truth is with everything trending towards being on-demand these days, podcasts are not breaking any ground here. People are dropping cable for on-demand because they want to choose what they want. Podcasting is no different. 

5. Podcasting can be tailored to the audience with great flexibility

Aside from the truth that your listeners will be generally open to your message since they’re choosing to plug in, the truth is that you also have the ability to tailor your podcast to the demographic you’re appealing to. Not only that, you have the chance to speak to many different types of consumers, many demographics and many different causes all on the same platform because the medium is episodic. You have the flexibility to do a single episode or short-run series on a topic you feel beneficial and then not be bound by that strategy for the duration of a marketing campaign. And because you run the show, you can cover essentially any topic you want to because podcasting is essentially unrestricted. Podcasting allows you to tailor your message as often and as much as you would like as you see what is effective and what is appealing to your audience. This is incredibly powerful flexibility for you as a brand ambassador.

6. Podcasting can make your brand more approachable

Podcasting is a very intimate and authentic medium and can make people feel that your brand is approachable. Historically a challenge for businesses (especially big business) is having people know you, understand you, hear your message and gain an appreciation for your service or product in a short time. In many cases these obstacles are magnified because a brand can seem inaccessible (again, especially big businesses). Apart from that, many times you have a one-shot opportunity to get in front of the consumer and have your impact. You hope they have a pleasant experience and enjoy your product or service and will be converted. Podcasting allows you to not only be approachable through getting right out in front of them, but it allows you to do it daily, weekly, bi-weekly or monthly…however often you choose. 

This means that as often as you produce content, you have the ability to be received by the consumer. But podcasts are also more sustainable for the long-haul as they allow you to build your story and your message over a much longer period of time rather than just a 30 or 60 second advertisement. Think of it. You have the chance to be in front of your audience for 15, 30, even 60 minutes and have their undivided attention to help them see why you’re different!

7. Podcasting allows people to see behind the scenes

Podcasting breaks down the barriers of assumptions and let’s you tell your story how you want. It gives you the opportunity to give consumers and patrons the ability to see behind the curtain, get a peek inside the kitchen or have a fireside chat with the people in your company that matter and have the most influence. Podcasting allows you to craft your story your way, have it be told by your heavy-hitters and have the listener be engaged with multiple touches in such a short time-frame by people who carry a lot of gravitas.

8. Podcasting is surprisingly cost-effective

Companies spend hundreds, thousands, tens-of-thousands and sometimes much more on initiatives to get their people and their message out in front of the world. A lot of times the mentality is I hope this works. Podcasts can be a very inexpensive way to get your message out to millions of consumers on a consistent basis. Now there are many strategies for podcasting and you can certainly spend a pretty penny on a podcast with all the bells and whistles. There can be tremendous value there (as well as appeal to the listener), but this isn’t a requirement. 

With recording equipment as inexpensive as a few hundred dollars, new launch and promotion strategies around the same, ongoing post-production service costs at whatever the budget allows and average monthly hosting fees around $20, the investment is very nominal by most standards. This means you can get a ton of bang for the buck with this platform.

9. Podcasting can be profitable

Ok. This is the zenith of the storyline here, right? This is where the rubber meets the road. This is where the people who really care about ROI start to tune in. So a few points to note. To be candid, the outcome, influence, and experience for every podcast will not be the same. It will vary depending on several factors. But having just discussed the idea of how minimal the investment is in combination with the reality that there is generally no long-term commitment when it comes to podcasting makes the pill much easier to swallow. But we are not grasping blindly in the dark here. There is some general information and some motivating statistics that have been gathered that will be of some very big help here. Here’s what has been tracked regarding the projected impact and marketing of podcasts:

• 62% of listeners should consider your product or service
• 63% of listeners should buy something your host promotes
• 71% of listeners should visit your website
• 88% of your subscribers should listen to every episode you make

While other additional motivating stats are floating around the interwebs, these are some seriously exciting numbers. When you pair these averages with the fact that there’s little cost up front and the reality that with each new episode you can get in front of millions of listeners (and a listenership that’s always growing), it all seems to align to be an effective, or at least a low-cost, strategy of getting your message out. What’s not to love? It’s a win-win..win.

​​How to start a branded podcast

1. Define your why 

As Simon Sinek famously said, start with why. Why do you want to start your podcast? More specifically, try to set one clear metric you will use to measure success. Are you trying to generate 5/50/500 more sales calls each month, build relationships with 10 potential partners in your industry, grow your YouTube channel to 10,000 subscribers, or something else? 

Every podcast is unique, and there’s more than one reason to start a podcast. Start by defining your why.  

2. Create a podcast strategy (host, name, cover art, topics, format, etc) 

After you identity a clear goal that your podcast can help you achieve, start brainstorming your podcast strategy. 

• Who will the host(s) be? 
• What topics will you cover? 
• What format will you use: Interview, monologue, immersive storytelling, roundtable? 
• Who is your idea listener? 
• What is the name of the show? 
• What should the cover art look like? 
• When will you launch? 
• How long will each episode be? 
• Will you create a limited series (e.g. 7 episodes) or an ongoing podcast? 

3. Choose a production partner 

Next, you’ll want to decide who is going to bring your podcast to life. Is your in-house marketing team going to manage 100% of the writing, recording, editing, publishing, and marketing of the show? Do you want to partner with an agency to outsource some work? 

If you’re looking for a trusted partner, check out Resonate’s all-in-one podcast services. We’ve helped hundreds of businesses launch podcasts, including Amazon, Honda, Colgate-Palmolive, EA Sports, Stanford University, and more. 

4. Record, edit, and publish 

Once you have a clear why, a strategy for the show, and a production team in place, it’s time to hit record. For a more detailed guide on this process, read our comprehensive blog on how to start a podcast in 7 steps. It covers all you need to plan, edit, record, publish, and market your show, and it links out to even more additional resources. 

5. Market your show 

Last but not least, once your show has been created and published you need to tell the world! So many podcasters miss this. Think about it like this: You can’t make a movie and just hope people watch it. You must promote it, educate people, post about it, talk about it, ask others to talk about it, gather reviews, and more. Learn more about how to market your podcast in our free guide on the 7 pillars of podcast marketing. 

Conclusion

The truth is large, reputable companies are plugging in to press record every day because they know it’s valuable. Will you? 

I’ll leave you with a few closing thoughts. While branded podcasts are often done in conjunction with media conglomerates like NPR, Gimlet or others, they almost always want a piece of the pie. If this is something you’re open to, have at it. But there are great partners out there who will be able to get you on the right path without owning equity in the podcast. Also, there is much to consider when considering kicking off a branded podcast, so do some research. Here’s a great article that offers some good food for thought as you start. Here’s another one that offers another unique perspective. But know that we’re here to help. If you want to talk to our team to pick our brains on this idea, we’d love to hear from you. Feel free to check out our site or set up a call with a team member.