You have made the decision to go headfirst into the process of developing an audio stream of information for your company. Your decision is excellent, and you are now at the front of the pack.

We are certain that just as every company now has a written content stream (for example, a blog), they will soon also have an audio content feed. This is something that we have come to firmly believe (e.g., a podcast). And the companies that are the first to act on this trend will be the ones to get the most of the advantages.

You now find yourself confronted with the next obstacle which podcast production business is the best option to go with?

Before making your choice, there are a few things you should take into account, which are outlined in this post:

What is a podcast production company?

A firm that has been established for the exclusive purpose of producing podcasts for customers is known as a “podcast production company.” Because they are charged by a company to develop material that will eventually be used to advertise the product of a business or an individual, you might argue that they are part of the larger specialization that is known as content marketing.

There is also the possibility that the podcast itself will be the product. If users had to pay a monthly fee in order to access the information, this wouldn’t technically qualify as content marketing according to the accepted definition, but I think you understand my argument.

In a nutshell, the primary function of a podcast production firm is to assist other businesses or individuals in the initiation, maintenance, and expansion of their own podcasts.

Are they fit for your type of business?

There are many different things that can be done by podcast production firms for many different kinds of enterprises. Both business to consumer and business to business (B2B) models are used by some.

There are major podcast production businesses that focus on producing content for a certain sector, while others provide content for a variety of industries.

Check out the agency’s website and talk to a representative to find out if they have any areas of expertise, in particular when it comes to podcasts, before you commit to working with them.

Both business-to-business and business-to-consumer podcasts need quite different approaches if a return on investment is to be generated from the podcast. A good example of a volume play would be “business to consumer” podcasting… The objective is to garner as much attention as humanly feasible in order to later create a return on investment (ROI), which often takes the form of advertising money but may also come from the sale of a B2C product.

What podcast production services do they provide?

Different podcast production companies provide various different services. They can range from:

• Podcast editing
• Production audio production
• Visual design
• Producing transcripts/key takeaways
• Editing video
• Distribution to podcast directories

Before you dive in, make sure you have a good understanding of which of these services the podcast production firm will and will not supply. This will allow you to organize the necessary resources in-house to carry out the responsibilities.

Have you listened to their previous work?

Do not rush into a partnership for podcast creation without first evaluating the quality of the work produced by the podcast production company of your choice.

You have to determine whether or not their opening music, editing technique, and overall approach to the audio material are compatible with what it is that you want to generate. If you find the music that was selected for their past work to be intolerable, it is doubtful that you will be able to find music that you and your co-host both like listening to while you are producing your podcast.

How do they work with clients?

Do you have to pay for each episode or for the whole month? Do they need you to sign a contract that is valid for a year? They should be held accountable for the advertising of the podcast, shouldn’t they?

All of these are issues that need to be answered before deciding whether or not to collaborate with a podcast production firm.

Typically, podcast production firms will operate on a monthly subscription model and will agree to create a set number of episodes within the confines of that subscription. This may range anywhere from one to ten episodes each month. Although this point is occasionally up for negotiation, the majority of the most reputable organizations that produce podcasts will also request that the agreement have a minimum period of between three and six months.

Because growing a podcast audience may be a tedious and laborious process, and because the rewards often accrue during the latter phases of a project, a podcast production business may want a lengthier commitment from its clients than a conventional content marketing agency would.

How much do they charge for podcast production?

You should make it a priority to learn how much a podcast production business bills for their services before engaging in an in-depth conversation with the agency. If their prices are not in line with your financial constraints, you will not want to spend your time with that agency.

The costs normally begin at $250 per episode, but they may range as high as $2,000 per episode depending on the kind of material and the responsibilities that the podcast production firm is accountable for. The average cost is $250 per episode.

For instance, if the podcast production company is in charge of deciding the whole length of an episode, inviting several guests, and then creating and publicizing the episode, this would place the firm farther up the cost spectrum.

If there is just one guest on the podcast and the podcast production firm is only responsible for editing, then the total cost is most likely going to be closer to the $250 level.

In most cases, the price of a monthly membership is contingent upon an agreed upon minimum number of episodes.

Have they proved they can get results?

This is an obvious choice. There is no need for me to explain the significance of this…

You are required to inquire about the podcast production company that you are thinking about hiring for examples of podcasts that they have produced. You are required to listen to the content of those podcasts, and you are also required to make contact with the client and ask to speak with them (if possible!).

After that, you need to additionally ask the firm that produced the podcast what they were hoping to accomplish for the customer with the podcast that is in dispute.

• Were they trying to increase brand awareness?
• Were they trying to build relationships with guests?
• Were they trying to generate sponsorship revenue?

After that, you need to inquire of the customer (if at all feasible!) as to whether or not those objectives were accomplished by the podcast production firm.

Do they love what they do?

Is this podcast production firm really passionate about what they do? This is the most critical question to ask.

If the answer is no, then this constitutes a deal breaker, and you will not be able to proceed. It’s not easy to put up a podcast, so if your podcasting partner doesn’t like the next steps, you should go elsewhere.

• Podcast editing
• Production audio production
• Visual design
• Producing transcripts/key takeaways
• Editing video
• Distribution to podcast directories

The outcome will most likely not meet your expectations because of this.

To be able to overcome the challenges and create something really remarkable, the team working on the podcast production firm has to have a strong desire for expansion as well as a deep appreciation for the power of audio material.