Podcasting

Having A Brand For Your Podcast

Back in February Ben Dodd over at the Captivate.fm blog wrote up a comprehensive guide to building a brand for your podcast and explained why having a brand around your podcast is so critical.

Seth Goldstein

Aug 21, 2024 — 13 min read

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Back in February Ben Dodd over at the Captivate.fm blog wrote up a comprehensive guide to building a brand for your podcast and explained why having a brand around your podcast is so critical.

With the launch of my new podcast coaching offering and my more than 15 years of podcast experience, I know how important it is to have a solid brand for your podcast.

Entrepreneur's Enigma and its predecessors all had their own outposts online and over the years I've built up my own personal brand to help supplement their individual brands.

Ben writes:

Podcast branding refers to the imagery and vibe you build up around your podcast in order to give it a clear and distinct voice. Your visual design – in the form of your logo, artwork and social media posts – and your tone and subject are the main factors which build up your brand.

I agree with him wholeheartedly. Having a tone for your podcast posts and a look and feel in your artwork that is consistent is key.

I often tell my coaching clients that the brand surrounding your podcast is almost as important as the content of your podcast. Afterall if the brand and visuals aren't good, people will probably not click through to hear the show.

Another good thing to point out is the difference between podcast branding and branded podcasts.

A branding your podcast with visuals and a sense of tone and personality is what's needed for a podcast to have a chance to get found and gain listeners.

A branded podcast is a podcast associated with a business and serves as a publicity mechanism for that brand.

The latter still needs the former. 😎 But the former is necessary across the board. 🤯

Ben goes into such detail in his piece you should definitely go have a read over at the Captivate blog!

But here are some high level elements to get ready when developing your podcast and its brand:

1. Define Your Podcast Concept

Niche/Topic: Identify a specific niche or topic that your podcast will cover. This helps you target a particular audience and keep them hooked.
Target Audience: Clearly define who your ideal listeners are. Understand their interests, pain points, and what they are seeking from a podcast. Missing this at the start can send you down a windy road of randomness.
Unique Value Proposition: Determine what makes your podcast different from others in the same space. What unique perspectives, experiences, or expertise do you bring? Make sure you highlight in the episode intro why people should care what you have to say.

2. Brand Identity

Podcast Name: Choose a name that is memorable, relevant to your content, and reflects the tone of your podcast. Do your best to avoid trademarks of other bigger brands. And if your podcast gets big enough, consider getting a trademark. Can't hurt right?
Logo and Visuals: Develop a logo and consistent visual elements (colors, fonts) that align with your podcast’s theme and resonate with your audience. The logo, especially, shouldn't be too complex, it needs to be eye-catching but also readable and recognizable.
Tone and Voice: Establish the tone of your podcast—whether it's casual, professional, humorous, or serious. This will help guide the style of your content and communication. Don't worry about the first few shows where you're getting your feet wet. They're going to SUCK! But don't get discouraged you'll get your footing and get better the more you do make content. It's like a muscle, the more you work it the stronger you get.

3. Content Strategy

Episode Structure: Decide on the format and length of your episodes (e.g., interviews, solo shows, panel discussions). Consistency is key, so establish a routine your audience can rely on. If you miss a show (it happens, just pickup back up and keep going. I suggest that if you know you're missing a show to warn your audience.)
Content Calendar: Plan out your episodes in advance, if possible. Aligning with relevant topics, seasons, or events is key. This helps in maintaining a steady flow of content. Also consider whether or not you want to live stream your shows or recorded then release them. The latter gives you flexibility to bank some shows so that you're never scrambling.
Guest Strategy: If your podcast includes guest interviews, develop a strategy for selecting and reaching out to potential guests who align with your brand and will add value to your listeners.

4. Technical Setup

Equipment: Invest in good-quality recording equipment, including microphones, headphones, and recording software, to ensure your podcast sounds professional.
Hosting and Distribution: Choose a podcast hosting platform that suits your needs and ensure it distributes your podcast to major directories (e.g., Apple Podcasts, Spotify).
- I suggest Transistor.fm or Captivate.fm, but there are plenty out there. Do your research.

5. Marketing and Promotion

Launch Plan: Create a strategy for your podcast launch, including teaser content, a trailer episode, and a marketing plan to generate buzz before the first episode drops.
Social Media Presence: Establish a presence on social media platforms where your target audience is active. Use these channels to promote episodes, engage with listeners, and build a community.
Email Marketing: Build an email list to keep your audience informed about new episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and special announcements.

6. Monetization Strategy (Optional)

Sponsorships and Ads: Consider if and how you want to monetize your podcast, whether through sponsorships, ads, or affiliate marketing. Sponsors can be tough to nail down at the start. Affiliate marketing, if done right and legally, can bring in some extra cash while you grow.
Merchandise and Services: Think about additional revenue streams like selling merchandise or offering premium content or consulting services related to your podcast’s theme. This probably shouldn't be the first thing you do. Get the podcast rolling, get people listening. Then consider the ancillary stuff.

7. Analytics and Feedback

Track Performance: Use analytics tools to track your podcast’s performance, including downloads, listener demographics, and episode popularity.
Listener Feedback: Encourage listener feedback through reviews, social media, and direct communication. Use this feedback to improve your content and approach.

If this seems like too much to handle on your own. Reach out. Like I said at the top, I've been podcasting for 15+ years. I can help

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