1. You are an individual looking to start a personal podcast and want an estimate of the costs.
2. You represent a company and want to know what hiring a podcast production team costs.
3. You are a podcaster, and you want to know what to charge.

Those are significantly different points of view, but all answerable. I’ve organized this article to address each scenario, taking into account the most important variables for each. 

Feel free to use the table of contents on the left to navigate to the right section.

Scenario 1: Individuals interested in starting their own personal podcast.

The do-it-yourself approach.

There are many ways a podcast can benefit your personal brand, from increasing your authority, scaling your ideas to reach more people, and even building or strengthening your network. Whatever your goal is, there are 5 factors you’ll need to consider before deciding if you can afford to launch the podcast you envision.

1. Equipment
2. Self-production
3. Hosting
4. Promotion
5. Personal time

Let’s go over each factor in detail.

1. The cost of podcast equipment.

Free to $2,000+.

Podcast setups can vary dramatically. Some experts recommend getting started with whatever equipment you have at hand, like a free recording app on your phone or the built-in microphone on your computer. Others will tell you to go all out on fancy mics, audio interfaces, and more.

As a musician and podcaster with over 10 years of experience producing shows, I recommend investing at least $100 into a good USB mic and maybe a little more into improving your recording space. For reference, my first personal setup cost about $800, and the setup I use now for personal and client shows costs just over $2,000. My field recording setup is roughly $1,800 and is separate from the studio setup. The starter setup I recommend for new podcasters—the same kit we mail to all our clients—is roughly $500 and includes a mic, digital recorder, stand, cables, and SD card. There are plenty of options.

For a full list of my recommendations, you can read the Podcast Equipment: The complete guide over on my personal website.

2. The cost of self-production.

Free to $799 + your time.

The next thing you need to account for is producing your podcast. By this, I’m talking about editing, leveling, and mixing audio files for audio-only podcasts. If you are interested in launching a show that is both video and audio, you will have to contemplate additional resources. Again, lots of variables here, but the two main things you’ll want to account for are software costs and time costs.

The first option you have is simply not editing your show. I know some people who record an episode and post it directly to their podcast feed as it is. I do not recommend doing this because the quality of your show will likely suffer. However, it is an option if you’re looking to produce your show for free.

If you prefer a higher quality, edited show, keep on reading.

Podcast production software.

Many options exist, ranging from free to several hundred dollars. Consider any of the following:

Audacity | Free

Audacity is a free audio editing software that works for nearly all beginning podcasters. It has limitations if you want to do more complex work, but it’s a great option for at least 90% of your needs. Personally, Audacity is how I got started back in 2012, and it’s still what I use a lot of the time for basic projects where I need to add bumpers or do quick clean-ups. It’s also a good option for people who want to start editing in a digital audio workstation (DAW) instead of text-based options like Descript.

Adobe Audition | Monthly subscription

This is a step up from Audacity in terms of quality and capabilities, but it comes with a subscription fee. At the time of writing this, the cost of Audition is between $22.99 and $34.49 per month, depending on the plan you select. I use Audition for the more complicated projects I need to work on, or when working in tandem with Adobe Premiere (video editing software).

Descript | Free to monthly subscription

This offers an alternative take on editing that’s actually quite unique. It allows you to edit audio by editing the text transcript, similar to editing a Word document instead of an audio file. Their plans currently range from $0 to $40 per person per month. Our producers regularly use Descript to structure and arrange episodes, which they can later export into more robust editing software like Pro Tools. I also have to add that their AI Underlord features have really improved over the last year.

Pro Tools | Monthly or annual subscriptionYou won’t get any better than Pro Tools when it comes to audio engineering. This solution is best for people who are music composers as well as podcast producers. Their prices currently range from $34.00 for monthly subscriptions to S299 if you prefer an annual fee. I don’t personally use Pro Tools, but it’s what our team uses. In fact, two of our audio engineers used Pro Tools to create At the Brink (Check out False Alarms or Hibakusha—probably my two favorite episodes of the series).

Factoring in your time.

If you plan on self-producing your show, don’t forget to factor in the time it takes to edit an episode. Variables for this include:

• Length of the episode.
• Quality of the recording.
• Format of the show (solo, interview, narrative, or hybrid).
• How much you struggle with perfectionism.

Generally speaking, our team estimates that editing an interview-based show will take 2x to 4x the length of the show. For example, a 30-minute interview could take between 1 and 2 hours to edit. Keep in mind that it might take even longer if you’re new to editing.
And if you are editing a narrative show, plan on spending much more time. Narrative shows can easily take 10x to 50x the length of the final edit to produce. If you want more details, you can check out my article on how much it takes to run each type of show. It will help you plan appropriately.

3. Hosting costs.

$5 to $99+ per month.

Once your podcast is ready, you need to put it on the internet. Just like this website lives on a server (Siteground), your podcast audio file (likely an MP3) needs to live somewhere. There are many companies in this space, and I’ll save you the time by saying there is no good free option (trust me, I’ve looked). The factors you’ll want to consider include uptime, reliability, speed, openness, and analytic capability.

The following are popular choices:

Libsyn. This is what I used when I first started. The interface is a bit dated, but it’s dependable. Plans range from $5 to $150 per month.

BluBrry. Another veteran player. I have one client currently using Blubrry. They are known best for their analytic tracking. Plans range from $10 to $20 per month.

Transistor. This company is newer to the space but is doing well at targeting the creative and entrepreneur communities. We don’t use Transistor at Come Alive, but many of my friends and peers do, and it’s a great service from everything I can tell.  Plans range from $19 to $99 per month, and they have add-on options ranging from $5 to $20 per month if you are interested in getting transcripts.

Megaphone. This is the other media host that my company uses. One main feature is dynamic advertising. For example, instead of hard-editing an ad or sponsorship straight into your episode, Megaphone’s technology allows you to choose the placement and serve the ad based on variables such as date ranges or your listener’s geographical location. Megaphone’s plans start at $99 per month.

4. The cost of promotion.

Free to $$$$.

This is a tricky one to put a concrete number behind. You have a lot of services and processes at your disposal. Let’s assume you want to manage your show’s marketing completely by yourself, and you are going to focus on the basics. Here are a few options:

Repurposing episodes into written pieces | Free
To get the maximum amount of use out of any episode you create, you can consider repurposing it into different formats—like show notes and blog articles. If you have enough spare time on your hands, you can do this yourself to expand the reach of the content you create.

For example, we create show notes for all the episodes we produce for our clients at Come Alive. Our show notes contain a title, a short episode description, quotes, and full notes with links to relevant resources. This text can then be reused in multiple ways. For example, the short description might become a blurb on the podcast website or the description text for podcast apps like Spotify and Apple. Some clients use the quotes in social media images and audiograms to promote the show. The point is, once you create your podcast, you should try to distribute it as much as possible on different channels.

AI has made content repurposing way easier than it was in the past. However, boring content will still be boring at scale. You must take the necessary steps to create a strong show and have a human using the AI to create noteworthy content.

Transcriptions | Free to monthly subscription
Transcriptions help make your podcast episodes more accessible for people who can’t listen, and, in some cases, they can also help with SEO. The main variables with transcription services are automation, accuracy, and dependability. We’ve tried many options at Come Alive and have settled on a mix of Descript for rough transcripts and Rev for professional ones. This space continues to evolve; as it does, we’ll continue testing different services. Rev subscriptions range from free to $29.99 per month, depending on the audio minutes you need transcribed.  It’s a little pricey, but we don’t have the time to deal with the slow delivery speeds and inaccuracies that come with other cheaper options.

Social media graphics | Free to monthly or annual fees
Again, if you have the time, you can opt for a tool like Canva to create images to promote your podcasts. Canva has a variety of plans, and the options currently range from free to $30 per month per user. They also have various free templates you can tailor to your needs and will do when starting out.

You can also find plenty of AI tools that are blowing up in this space, like Midjourney. However, If you are serious about your show, I suggest hiring an independent designer to help you create your podcast branding and even a set of templates you can use for promotion on social media.

Audiograms | Free to monthly or annual fees
Headliner is one of the most popular tools to create those animated audio videos you’ve probably seen a lot of. You know the ones, they typically have some podcast cover art and the little squiggly line when you hit play. The idea is to feature an interesting snippet from the podcast to get people interested.
Other options include Wavve, Descript (which we use for the most part), and many media hosting companies offering these features. Even Spotify and Apple are allowing for the creation of audiogram-style content.

Guest appearances | Free to a few thousand dollars
One of the best ways to generate awareness for your podcast is by guesting on similar podcasts. You can do this by contacting other podcasters or hiring services like Interview Valet and Lemonpie to handle it for you. This is one of the most effective ways to promote your show, but it’s also one of the most difficult to do well.

5. The cost of your personal time.

Priceless.

Remember the old Mastercard commercials? Podcast equipment: $500. Editing software: $30 per month. Your time spent trying to figure out everything: priceless.

What is your time worth to you? Don’t overlook this too quickly. Podcasts take time to produce. Probably more than you think. If you genuinely want to edit your show, go for it. However, if you are trying to edit your own show to save money, you might be doing yourself a disservice if your time is better spent somewhere else.

Personally, I believe there are 3 kinds of work:

1. Work that only you can do.
2. Work that someone (not you) can do.
3. Work that can be automated (software).

Like anything you want to accomplish, it will require a balance of money and time. If you are on a budget, plan on spending time to get a podcast started. If you have the funds, it would be worth spending some money to hire someone to help you.

P.S. I love the topic of prioritizing and delegating because it’s something we can all improve. If this is a topic you’re interested in, check out books like The One Thing by G. Keller (for individuals), Traction by G. Wickman (for business owners), or even The 4-hour Work Week by T. Ferriss (for the individual or business owner).

Scenario 2: Individuals and companies who want to hire a podcast production team.

The done-with-you and done-for-you options.

So, you want to hire someone to help you create a podcast for your business but don’t know what to expect. Perfect! This is my favorite area to discuss because it’s the one I understand the most, being a production company ourselves. Like everything else so far, you have some options. 🙂

The first thing you need to do is decide what kind of help you want. This depends largely on how much or how little you know about producing a podcast, what services you’re looking for, and how much time you want to dedicate to the process.

You can receive help in three different ways:

1. Full-service podcast production.
2. Technical solutions.
3. Consultation and/or education.

1. Full-service production.

$$$$$ to $$$$$$

This is the best solution for people or businesses who want a podcast without all the work. True full-service solutions can take your ideas and create a successful show. The best services will help with everything from concept to branding, production, and promotion.

Expect to pay anywhere from $1,000 to $15,000+ per episode, depending on the type of podcast you are producing (solo, interview-based, narrative or story-driven, or hybrid). 

I know what you’re thinking. These numbers sound crazy, but there is a huge difference depending on the types of shows, so don’t worry just yet. I recently heard a producer of a very popular series say that their multi-episode series cost north of $500K to create (This was at a Podcast Movement breakout session).  

High costs for episodes aren’t the norm, but they’re very possible. Ultimately, when you work with agencies and teams that are experts in podcast production, they’ll have the experience and evidence to prove the value of a great show (Like we do 😉).

2. Technical solutions.

$$$ to $$$$

Best for those needing help with specific parts of the process or with smaller budgets. This is an excellent option for people who want to transition from producing their own shows entirely to handing off some responsibilities to someone else. This generally involves hiring one or multiple freelance experts who specialize in the tasks you need help with.

Technical solutions typically cost between $200 to $2000 per month, with the sweet spot being around $$750 to $1200 per month, but will vary depending on the type of help you are looking for. The most common tasks to outsource are editing, show notes, transcripts, and promotional items. 
If you’re evaluating hiring someone to help you with technical solutions, make sure you do your due diligence to make sure the agency or individual you work with knows what they’re doing—I share some tips on how to choose a podcast production company here. And keep in mind that by delegating some tasks, you will only get some of your time back. You will still have to manage the project and make sure you are getting all the pieces you need from everyone you work with on time.

3. Consultation and education.

$$ to $$$$

This is the best option for those who have time AND want to learn. Courses and education come in all different shapes and sizes, from group experiences and one-on-one coaching to PDFs, books, videos, and live calls.

Podcasting courses and education can cost anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on the level of support and the results being offered.

A couple of tips on deciding what kind of help to hire.

Making a decision on the level of support you need for your podcast is a tricky topic, and I feel for the individuals trying to figure this out on their own. Here are a couple tips to consider when evaluating help:

• Time vs. money. Which is more valuable to you right now? If you’re part of an established business and have a budget, hire the best help you can afford. A talented full-service production agency will make it worthwhile for you. If you’re tight on cash and just getting started, try to find a technical or educational option that helps solve your biggest pain point(s).
• Buyer beware. Between the popularity of podcasting and people looking for alternative sources of income, a lot of new individuals and companies are entering the scene. Not all agencies are created equal. Do your homework. Review the articles, work, and testimonials of the person or agency you are evaluating before entering into a contract. Talk to them about your project to see if they are a good fit.

Scenario 3: Podcast producers who want to know what to charge.

The do-it-for-others option.

I often meet young editors or even producers who are entering the space and want to know how much they can charge for their services. The truth is, I’ve seen podcast professionals making anywhere from $16 to $300 an hour, depending on the job they are doing. Like everything else I listed so far, there are many roles and variables to consider.

Understanding roles and services.

The first thing to understand is the different roles and services you can provide for others. Check out Podcast Taxonomy for a full list of the different roles a podcast fulfills, with the most common descriptions for each one.

Some popular roles include:

• Executive Producer
• Producer
• Host
• Audio Engineer
• Audio Editor

This includes several factors:

• Your Skill
• Your Credentials
• Your Credibility
• Your Testimonials
• Your Expertise

This includes several factors:

• Your Skill
• Your Credentials
• Your Credibility
• Your Testimonials
• Your Expertise
• Your Team

Understand the value of what you offer.

What do you actually offer? How good is the quality of your work? What problems do you help your clients solve?

These are some questions you’ll have to ask yourself when you get started. 

There are significant differences between someone who is a junior editor, an audio engineer, and a music composer or sound designer. I pay people who can mix, master, add sound design, and write music for our narrative podcasts more than I pay people who rough edit interviews or pull raw selects. I also handle different budgets based on the client we’re helping and the value we’re creating for them.

Having a foundational sense of your abilities and worth in a given market or role will help you understand what to charge. Take the following into account:

• Your skill level.
• Your credentials and expertise.
• Your credibility and testimonials.
• Your team (if you have one).

Understand how to charge.

There are a lot of resources online that talk about how to set rates in much more detail than what I’m going to offer here. It’s a much bigger topic than just podcasting. However, here are a few tips to help you decide on your price.

• Compete on value, not price. There will always be competitors who charge less (and more) than you. Instead of focusing on the cost of others or allowing your prospect to haggle on price, focus on the value that your work delivers and be ready to prove it.
• Focus on the result and the audience. Clients aren’t paying you to just edit a podcast. They are paying you to take care of a pain point or achieve a result, and if you specialize in their niche, it will earn you plus points. Keep that in mind.
• Be clear about what you do. Review the Podcast Taxonomy and understand what role you fill. You’ll attract more of the right clients by properly marketing yourself.
• Avoid charging hourly. It’s important to understand how long a job takes you but try not to charge by the hour. When you charge by the hour, you are penalized for improving and becoming more efficient because you’re able to do the job better and faster. Instead, try to charge flat rates like by the episode or the season instead.
• Charge more than you think. Most of us charge less than we should. For example, if you are really busy, you probably have a high demand. Raise your rates to a point where you’re at least a little uncomfortable, and see how new clients respond. This will help you find better quality clients and earn more money.
• Hearing “no” is okay. This one is simple. If everyone you pitch to is saying yes, your rate is too low, and you’ll probably end up with some clients you don’t like working with.
• Price fairly. Despite what I said above, you need to be fair. As an employer, I try to find a balance between paying fairly and being charged fairly. If a person’s rate is too high or the quality of their work isn’t up to the expectations, I will find someone else to do the job.

“Pricing (specifically in a service-based business) is a conversation about value—not cost. If you take the time to explain why you charge what you charge, you make it simpler for the client on the other end to understand why you’re the best possible option.”

Kaleigh Moore, Freelance Writer

Other resources for pricing your services.

Profit First by Mike Michalowicz is a super helpful book on pricing and profitability. The Futur’s Pricing Design Work & Creativity and Stop Charging Hourly are two excellent videos on the philosophy of pricing.

Wrapping it up.

There is no “right price” when it comes to creating a podcast. The situations and variables are plenty. Regardless, I hope this article gave you a better sense of what to expect. Prices can vary a lot. It’s important to trust the people you’re going to work with and have a sense of what you can spend before you get started.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out via our contact form or connect with me directly on LinkedIn. Last, if you’re looking for a production partner and like what you’re seeing, check out our services page to see if we’re a good fit.

If you are thinking about launching a new podcast for your company or if you already have one, understanding how podcast analytics work and how to use them to your advantage can be the secret weapon that helps you achieve success.

In this article, I will cover: 

• How to define what success looks like for your podcast.
• How to track analytics effectively on different platforms.
• How to use all this data to improve your podcast over time.

How to define and measure podcast success.

When founders and CMOs reach out to me and my team about starting a podcast, we begin the conversation with three questions:

1. What is your goal? 
2. Who is your target audience?
3. Why a podcast? 

Establishing what success looks like early on will determine all the decisions you make about your show in the future. Whether it’s the podcast format choice or the length of your episodes, each decision should support your vision of success.

Of course, there is no hard and fast science when it comes to what “success” looks like for each podcast. It will vary depending on the answers to the above three questions. 

For example, one of our clients is the William J. Perry Project (WJPP), an organization founded by former Secretary of Defense William Perry dedicated to raising awareness about the threat of nuclear disaster. Their overall business goal is to inform and educate people about the threat of nuclear issues. 

When they contacted us for help producing and launching a podcast, they knew they wanted to target a broad audience and younger generations. They chose podcasting because of its potential reach and the power of storytelling. Success for WJPP was to inspire and mobilize as many people as possible.

Another client of ours wanted to launch a podcast for entirely different reasons. They ran an in-person training workshop with limited seats a few times a year. Their goal was to improve relationships with other professionals in the industry, establish themselves as a leader in the space, and generate leads for the workshop.

The podcast we created for each client was wildly different because their visions of success differed.

My point? Podcast analytics are the most helpful when viewed in the context of your goals. 

A note on what podcasting can actually help you accomplish.

At Come Alive, we’ve worked with clients from many industries with a wide range of goals, from generating leads to training new hires. While a podcast can be helpful at any stage of the marketing funnel, we’ve realized that it is particularly beneficial for companies that genuinely want to build trust and connect with others.

I’ve spent a lot of time conducting “Jobs to Be Done” research and working with various coaches—including Corey Quinn, author of Anyone, Not Everyone—and I’ve realized we work best with clients who have something meaningful to share with their audience and who care deeply about human capital and relationships. This is why we’ve started by niching on professional training and coaching companies.

Regardless of your industry, take a moment and ask yourself: 

• What is your goal for your podcast? 
• Who is your target audience? 
• Why is podcasting a good medium to accomplish your goal and reach your target audience? 

Once you have clarity around those three questions, it will be easier to determine what metrics you should be tracking.

Which podcast analytics and tracking metrics matter?

While researching this article, I came across a lot of interesting yet often confusing information about podcast analytics. People generally search everything from “podcast analytics iTunes,” “podcast analytics Spotify,” and “podcast analytics Google” to “podcast analytics consumption” and “how to measure podcast performance.” 

You’ve likely experienced the same issue.

It’s easy to “get into the weeds” on the topic, so let’s start by covering what podcast analytics are.

What are podcast analytics?

Podcast analytics are relevant information and metrics you can gather about your listeners and their listening habits. 

They can include but aren’t limited to, the number of unique episode downloads, total episode downloads, listening platforms, apps, and devices your audience is using to listen to your show, the geographic location of your listeners, total time listened to each episode, the percentage of your audience who is subscribed, the number of episode starts and complete streams, age, gender, and more.

Beyond the hard metrics, you can also track additional factors, such as:

• Podcast reviews and ratings
• Testimonials
• Social shares and recommendation
• Digital or in-person feedback and engagement 

Additionally, if your podcast has a dedicated website, you can track the number of site visitors, their behavior on your website, and the ways they found your website (paid, direct, organic, etc.).

If you have a newsletter, you can pay attention to opt-ins and open rates on your podcast-related campaigns.

If you have sponsorships, you can look at ad revenue and conversions on the ads you run. You can even evaluate how your podcast has influenced the networking or speaking opportunities you receive.

The list goes on and it can feel overwhelming.

That’s exactly why I find it more helpful to look at analytics through the lens of key performance indicators (KPIs).

Podcasting and key performance indicators.

Your goals and the subsequent KPIs that help you achieve those goals will help you determine what podcast metrics and evidence you should use to measure success.

For example, some years ago, I ran a personal podcast with the goal of creating networking and collaboration opportunities for Come Alive. I used specific KPIs and metrics to evaluate my progress on these goals.

Here are some of the KPIs I tracked to measure networking and collaboration:

• I had the opportunity to interview 100 guests, at least 75% of them were with people I would otherwise never have had an opportunity to talk to.
• I’ve been invited to guest on over 20 podcasts to share my message.
• I’ve received advance book copies of books and thousands of dollars worth of software, which I’ve used to improve what we do at Come Alive.
• I was invited to guest on a Simplecast webinar to discuss this very topic.

Those are just the metrics I used to track progress on my networking and collaboration goals. I also experienced additional benefits. One of the podcasts I guested on led to a listener contacting me directly, and after some conversations, it turned into a five-figure contract.

Side note: If you’re curious about how guesting on podcasts can help you increase revenue, you should read about how the social media management tool MeetEdgar generated 1.25 million visitors, 100,000 email subscribers, and $329,000+ in monthly recurring revenue by simply guesting on other people’s podcasts.

Another great example of how metrics can be used to track goal advancement is our client, Leading Voices in Real Estate. Matt, the host, is super intentional about who he brings on as a guest and what topics they talk about. His goal is to build in-depth authority in his niche, which means his audience needs to be super engaged. And that’s one of the things we track for him, engagement rate. 

Thanks to his level of intentionality, the show has achieved over 1.7 million listens and a 90% engagement rate so far. He also regularly receives emails from listeners thanking him for his work and sharing their real estate stories.

Go back to the goals you wrote down for your podcast. Take a few minutes and write down what KPIs can help you reveal if you are achieving those goals. If you need help, here are 9 metrics you can track to determine ROI.

How to track podcast analytics.

To recap, you’ve set your goals and defined your KPIs. So, how do you view and track podcast analytics? 

Tracking podcast analytics properly is one of the most difficult and time-consuming parts of the podcasting process. It looks different depending on the platforms you use to track data. In general, you have four options:

1. Your selected podcast media host.
2. Your distribution platforms.
3. Third-party analytics tools.
4. Tracking adjacent metrics.

And let’s clarify something: podcast media hosts are not podcast analytics tools. 

The podcast community as a whole could do a much better job with the language we use to describe things. In my research for this article, I came across several front-page ranking articles listing many podcast media hosts as “podcast analytics tools.” That’s simply not true. 

A podcast media host is where your podcast audio files live. It’s where you upload the individual episode MP3s to be synced up with your website and distribution platforms like Apple and Spotify. Any trustworthy media host will have reliable analytics tools. However, podcast media hosts are not stand-alone podcast analytics tools.

Now, let’s examine the metrics that can be found on other platforms.

Tracking podcast analytics through your distribution platforms.

If you want a complete picture of your podcast’s performance, you may need to track additional data on your distribution platforms. My team reports on Apple Podcasts and Spotify for most of our clients. Each platform offers unique insights that we find valuable. 

Apple Podcasts: You can find your Apple Podcast analytics using your Apple Podcast Connect account. Here, you’re able to see information like: 

• Number of followers
• Number of listeners
• Number of engaged listeners
• Top countries or regions
• Total time listened

Spotify: In recent years, Spotify has stepped up its podcast game, providing unique insights about your audience that many other platforms can’t. You can view your podcast analytics on Spotify on your Spotify for Podcasters account. Here, you’ll be able to see data like:

• Number of starts
• Number of streams
• Number of listeners
• Number of followers
• Details on each episode
• Gender of your listeners
• Age ranges of your listeners

Pro tip: Individual distribution platforms are only one piece of the puzzle. Look at your media host and see what percentage of your audience can be attributed to that specific platform. Weigh them accordingly in your reports. For example, if 60% of your audience listens to your show on Apple Podcasts and only 5% listens on Spotify, Apple data should weigh more heavily.

Tracking podcast analytics using third-party analytics tools.

While the most compelling analytics come from the dashboards of podcast media hosts and distribution platforms, there are additional analytics tools designed specifically for podcasts. I believe less is more, but here are a few worth mentioning.

Chartable: This is a great way to see all your reviews (from all countries) in one place. It’s also a great place to see your rankings on the Apple Podcast charts.

Podtrac: This popular podcast analytics tool boasts some of the most accurate third-party metrics. I’ve used it occasionally for some of our clients.

Podnews: Podnews isn’t technically a podcast analytics tool, but it is a great way to get a general summary of your show, see all the places your podcast is available, and more.

Podcastindex.org: This one is similar to Podnews. It is not technically a podcast analytics tool but good for uncovering insights. 

Podcast X-Ray: This is a newer, free tool created by the Bumper team. It is useful for research, and all you have to do is plug in a show and see what information it returns. 

Tracking adjacent metrics.

As I mentioned earlier, sometimes it is worthwhile going beyond direct podcast metrics to measure your show’s impact on your business. The following tools are not podcast-specific but provide relevant metrics that can help determine your show’s ROI.

Website metrics: Tracking users and their behavior on your website can be incredibly helpful, especially if one of your KPIs is to direct traffic to your website. We typically use Google Analytics and Google Search Console. For a privacy-friendly option, Fathom Analytics. 

Email metrics: Email lists are an excellent way to stay in touch with your listeners and give them value outside your show. It also provides another perspective on their interaction with your brand. We use ActiveCampaign to track link clicks and engagement with content. However, we’ve also used ConvertKit and OptinMonster in the past, and there are tons of other options out there.

SEO and topic research tools: You can save yourself serious effort long-term by doing upfront research around the topics your audience could be interested in. We use these research tools all the time to help decide on better topics for our clients’ shows. Some of our favorite tools include SEMrush, Mangools, Sparktoro, Moz, Google Trends, and Google’s Keyword Tool. 

Content monitoring: There are many automated, AI, and machine learning tools out there that notify you when you are mentioned somewhere online. For example, Google Alerts notified us that our client’s podcast was named one of 15 must-listen podcasts about the real estate industry by Business Insider. These tools are easy to set up and can help you keep track of brand mentions.

Use cases for podcast stats and analytics.

Defining the goals for your podcast and tracking the KPIs using relevant tools is only the first part of the equation. The final piece is knowing how to use your findings to make a better show. Do this well, and your audience will thank you for it (and grow in the process).

The caveat is that there is no single right way to do this. What matters is intentionality.

At Come Alive, we use podcast analytics in two different ways: 

• For planning.
• For improving and reviewing performance.

Using podcast analytics for planning.

Many people create content by getting an idea, turning it into an article, podcast episode, or video, and then wondering why it’s not getting any reads, listens, or views. Worse yet, after creating a low-performing episode, you spend a ton of time and resources pushing your podcast on social media, in your newsletter, and through word of mouth, trying to gain some interest.

I would like to suggest a different 3-step approach:

Step 1: Research before you create.

I’ve borrowed this concept from people like Joanna Wiebe of Copyhackers, Aaron Orendorff of iconiContent, and Andy Crestodina of Orbit Media. 

Creating content is time-consuming. 

In fact, Andy Crestodina’s article on Zero Waste Marketing shares just how time-consuming it can be:

We also know from research that the average post takes 3+ hours to create. Do the math and you’ll find that hundreds of millions of hours are wasted each day doing content marketing. It all adds up to 7.7 lifetimes that are wasted every day writing posts that get no results.  

– Andy Crestodina, Orbit Media

So, what’s a better way to create content? Research your audience’s needs and answer the questions and concerns you’ve been hearing all day.

Step 2: Understand who you’re talking to and what they care about.

Corey Quinn, author of Anyone, Not Everyone and host of the Deep Specialization podcast (which is also the name of his signature course), explained it to me this way: 

When companies focus on a niche, they can serve customers on a deeper level. Successful companies do serious work to understand who their target customers are. Here are some examples of things you can do to understand your target listeners:

• Identify their primary objections and create collateral that answers their questions and objections before they even call you.
• Research demographic details like age, city, education, etc.
• Explore psychographic details like the motivation behind their buying decision and why they want to make a change.
• Study the competition to inform your messaging and help you stand out.
• Go straight to your clients and ask them what motivated their decision to work with you.
• Visit chat rooms and research reviews online to learn what your customers are saying, their language, and their struggles.

In the same way, podcasts can benefit from focusing on a niche topic instead of trying to be everything to everyone. If this is a topic you are interested in, I highly recommend Corey’s book and course—I went through the course myself, and we helped him produce the audiobook. 

By talking to your listeners at conferences, hanging out in the same online groups, and researching topics with SEO tools, you can create content that people are already searching for and interested in.

Step 3: Keep an eye on podcasts and search.

Search engine optimization is an ever-changing field (like almost everything online). It can be an interesting source of information on what topics could be relevant for your audience. 

For a long time, podcasting wasn’t affected or impacted by SEO. You could add show notes and metadata to your files, but these were minor factors in search, especially for audio-only podcasts. However, this is a bit different for video podcasts.

If you distribute your video podcast on YouTube, Google will analyze your content and potentially feature your episodes in their show results. For example, when I search the question, “How to frame a window,” the top search result is a YouTube video titled “How to Frame a Window and Door Opening.” Google has decided that video is the best answer on the web for my question.

Audio-only podcasting isn’t quite there. I have yet to see Google return suggested clips of podcast episodes. 

It’s hard to say what will happen in the long term, but keeping an eye on any developments in this space could lead to interesting insights. 

To be clear, I don’t make podcasts for search or propose you do so. I believe podcasting works best when you care about creating value for actual humans, not search bots. That said, if you can leverage search in what you’re already doing, then cool.

Using podcast analytics to improve your show.

Podcast analytics can help you improve existing shows almost in real time. 

For example, one show we produced had a slightly longer-than-normal introduction. At the time, we thought it was important to frame each episode, and we wanted to save time by reusing roughly 70% of the intro in each episode. However, we found that many listeners skipped the introduction after the first two episodes. Based on this data, we changed the long pre-recorded intro for a shorter, original, host-read intro for each episode. 

There are many ways to use analytics to improve your existing show; it’s all about keeping your eyes open, looking for trends, and using data to implement changes.

A warning: the dark side of podcast analytics.

Recently, a podcaster I met told me he pays “a guy” in another country to artificially increase his downloads so he can say his show is in the top 5% of all podcasts. He even said it with a proud grin. Cool story, bro…

It’s worth noting that, in recent years, some podcasters have found ways to game the system by purchasing mobile ads to boost their number of downloads, similar to buying social media followers. 

When I hear things like this, all I can do is shake my head. There is little you can gain by artificially increasing your metrics. You can boost the number of downloads as much as you want, but your podcast will only help your business grow if you can reach and attract your target audience.

As Tom Webster from Edison Research says in his article, Podcast Audience Strategy: What Your Downloads Can’t Tell You:

…look beyond the download counts and top charts, and instead focus on the health and sustainability of an audience. Disruptions happen every day, in every industry. Podcasting will have any number of meteors striking it over the next several years. And the key to surviving those meteors is a diverse, thriving population of humans, not downloads.

Tom Webster, Edison Research

To Recap.

Podcast analytics are important and can and should be used to improve your show. However, to use them well, you must understand your goals, the KPIs that can help determine whether you’re reaching them, and how to apply any findings to improve your show. 

Finally, many platforms, services, and tools exist to help you achieve these goals, but none matter if you aren’t focused on your listeners.

Analytics matter, but your listeners matter more. 

Personally, I’ve been podcasting since 2012, producing podcasts for clients since 2016, and working in audio for over 20 years. Even with this kind of experience, I’m learning something new every day. I’ve also surrounded myself with a team of specialists who make it possible to accomplish more than I ever could on my own.

What I’ve found is that most of the businesses I talk to are trying to figure out what to do, who to trust, and how to find the right kind of help.

If that sounds familiar, this article is for you.

I’ve broken this article into the following “helpful topics.” Skip around as needed.

• Four questions you need to answer about your project before you start looking for a podcast producer.
• What you need to know about the podcast industry to have effective search results.
• How to evaluate and choose the best podcast production company.
• 6 Podcast production companies you should consider working with.

4 questions you need to answer before you start searching for the top podcast production companies.

Too often, people start looking for help before they even know what they are doing. To be honest, too often, people start podcasting before they know what they are doing!

You need to get clear on four things before you start your podcast:

1. What is your goal?
2. Who is your target audience?
3. What does success look like?
4. What kind of help do you need?

Question 1: What is your goal?

My clients don’t want a podcast for the sake of having a podcast. They want one because of what it can do for them. Most of the time, podcasting is a means to an end.

Defining your goal is one of the most important things you can do because it will influence everything about your podcast… From the show style to what kind of help you should hire to how much production should cost.

Action item #1: Brainstorm the reasons for wanting a podcast for your business. List all the goals that a podcast could help you achieve. Our clients’ most common goals are:

• Establishing authority in a space
• Generating new leads and sales
• Networking with others
• Teaching and reaching prospects, clients, and teams
• Influencing large groups of people

Bonus tip: If you’re not 100% sure what your goals are, use the 5 Whys Method to get to the real goals that are motivating you to launch a branded podcast. Here is an example:

Original goal: To have a lot of listeners.

First why: Why do you want a lot of listeners?

Answer: So lots of people will know about our company.

Second why: Why do lots of people need to know about your company?

Answer: We’re launching a new e-commerce service next quarter, and we want to get lots of new leads.

Real goal: We want the podcast to raise awareness around our new e-commerce service…

Question 2: Who is your target audience?

It’s much easier to create a meaningfully branded show that helps you fulfill your goal when you understand your audience. 

The most common target audiences include your existing audience and peers in an industry you want to be serving. 

Action Item #2: Define who your podcast listener is. Be as clear as possible. Understand what type of information they are interested in learning about, what stories motivate and inspire them, and what some of their biggest pain points are.

Bonus tip: Conduct audience research by interviewing people within your target audience. This will help you understand who they are and what information they are seeking.

Question 3: What does success look like?

Podcast success goes beyond the number of listeners and downloads. In fact, there are other metrics that will be more indicative of the progress you are making toward your goal, depending on your goal. If you don’t define what success looks like for your podcast, you will never deliver the right outcomes.

Success might look like a variety of things:

• A certain number of podcast downloads.
• Increased website traffic.
• Increased social media interactions.
• Strong consistency of episode-to-episode listens.
• High episode completion rates.
• Positive reviews and social proof.
• New and/or improved relationships.
• New prospects, leads, and sales.
• Invitations to speak at events or other podcasts.
• Sponsorship agreements.

Make sure your goals are realistic and in line with what a podcast can actually accomplish. I frequently find myself teaching our clients (especially the ones who are marketers) how to properly evaluate their podcasts. That’s why I wrote a whole article about podcast analytics.

Action Item #3: Make a list of the top one to three outcomes you’d like to see from your podcast. You can read my articles on how to define podcast success and podcast analytics to gain more clarity on different podcasting metrics.

Question 4: What kind of help do you need? 

There are three main types of help you can get in the podcasting space:

• Podcast Consulting and Education. This is where a person or business teaches you how to produce podcasts, and you do it yourself. 
• Technical Solutions. In this case, a person or podcast production agency handles technical tasks like editing, show notes, or posting online, while you focus on the strategy, production, and project management.
• Full Service Podcast Production. Full podcast production solutions typically involve teams that handle everything from planning a show concept to consistently producing and posting episodes.

The main variables you need to consider are time, budget, speed, and expertise. How much time does your team have to spend on this project? What is your budget? When are your deadlines? How important is it that you get it right the first time? Having a sense of the kind of help you need will help you know what to look for in a podcast production company.

Action Item #4: Get a loose sense of your budget and deadlines. Pick the areas you want to work on and try to offboard everything else.

Bonus tip: Rand Fishkin from SparkToro wrote a great article on Why You Should Hire Agencies & Consultants (for everything you can). It might help you decide what kind of help you actually need.

What you need to know about the industry to have effective search results.

Jargon exists in every industry. Podcasting is no different. You’ll get better search results once you understand what you’re looking for and how to talk about it. 

Using the right phrases when searching the web.

1) Searching for companies directly.

Are you ready to start searching directly for a team or resources to help you with your podcast production? Certain terms are more popular in search than others.

If you are looking to hire a podcast production team, the most common search terms are:

• podcast production companies (about 450 to 870 average searches per month, according to Mangools and Ahrefs)
• podcast production services (about 250 to 350 average searches per month)
• podcast production agency (about 300 to 400 average searches per month)

The phrase “podcast production team” is significantly less popular, with 10 to 40 average monthly searches.

If you are looking for consultants or resources to teach you how to podcast, the most popular terms are:

• how to start a podcast (35K to 50K average monthly searches)
• how to make a podcast (7K to 10K average monthly searches)

Phrases like “How to create a podcast” and “How do you start a podcast” are less popular, with 1K to 2K searches per month.

The one thing to watch out for is companies running ads to get on the front page search results. The terms are popular, so of course, companies want to rank for them. There is nothing wrong with running ads (we do it off and on) but they don’t guarantee quality and reliability.

2) Searching for companies indirectly.

You can also indirectly search for companies by researching questions you have about podcasting. For example, when you search “podcast ROI,” our article 9 Ways to Determine the ROI of Your Podcast will likely come up.

Many of our prospects and clients have found us this way because they read the articles, appreciate our insights, and want to strike up a conversation. It’s a more organic way to connect than scrolling our homepage, and it often becomes a win/win for both parties.

Understanding the language and terms of the podcast industry.

Unfortunately, the people in the podcast industry aren’t uniform in the language they use to describe it. Audio “editing” and “producing” technically mean different things but are often used interchangeably.

The result is a lot of potential confusion.

Beyond this, there are plenty of services and tasks companies like to list because they sound nice.

For example, audio editing, noise reduction, audio cleaning, audio mixing, premium editing, audio equalization, and broadcast standards basically mean we’ll make your podcast sound professional.

Dynamic balancing and volume matching typically mean we’ll make the audio of different people talking have a similar volume level so they sound good.

I even saw one company list “sync multi-track channels.” Without getting too technical, oftentimes, the interview host and podcast guest are recorded separately (on different channels) to make editing easier. Sync multi-channels simply means lining things up so the timing is correct.

These are all things podcast production companies should be doing. Could you imagine a company not syncing channels and the conversation being all out of whack?!

The moral of the story? When in doubt, ask what things mean, and don’t be wowed by basic standards of practice being met.

Bonus Tip: If you are a word geek like me, check out Podcast Taxonomy and download their White Paper. It’s a document where multiple people in the industry came together and put a common vernacular to podcast production. Did you know there are 8 different roles under podcast creative direction and 7 under audio post-production? Do you even know what post-production is? You will now. 🙂

How to evaluate and choose the top podcast production company for you.

With the podcast market being valued at USD 18.52 billion in 2022 according to Grand View Research, you can imagine the number of podcast production companies and independent podcast producers trying to serve the industry. The industry has grown so much in recent years, that people are searching how to start a podcast production company! Point being, you have lots of choices and all companies are not created equal.

Ask yourself the following nine questions when choosing who you want to work with:

1. Do you need a podcast specialist or podcast production team?

If you plan on handing off most of the work so you can focus on other responsibilities, or if you want to get your podcast setup and published fast, hire an experienced full-service team. They will be better equipped to properly handle all the moving pieces of your podcast and complete it in a timely manner.

Individual podcast producers are good for specific tasks like audio editing, but struggle with handling multiple tasks and clients at scale. Keep in mind that hiring teams is more expensive than hiring individuals.

2. Does the podcast production team have an area of specialization?

Specialization can be viewed in 3 different ways:

1. In the services offered.
2. In the type of shows produced.
3. In the content area focus.

What service specialization looks like.

I’m hesitant anytime I see a service company say they are specialists and then list a ridiculous amount of services they provide. For example:

“We specialize in web design, web development, affiliate marketing, influencer marketing, email, SMS, app development, search engine optimization, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, Snapchat, Twitter, display ads, audio ads, video production, podcast production, search, drop-shipping, e-commerce, SaaS…”

No, you don’t. That’s not specialization. Stop it.

For this reason, it’s important to know what is reasonably considered specialization in the podcast space and what to watch out for.

“Strategy is making tradeoffs in competing. The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do. Without tradeoffs, there would be no need for choice and thus no need for strategy.”

—Michael E. Porter, What Is Strategy?

Some agencies will focus on a specific task in the production process, and others will focus on all the tasks in the podcast process. Both options are reasonable.

For example, you can go to UpWork and search for a podcast or audio editor. They might specialize in only audio editing or do audio and video work. However, it’s very difficult for an individual to handle all the steps of the podcast process at scale for multiple clients.

On the other hand, many agencies have teams to handle the whole process at scale. For example, at Come Alive, we offer full-service podcast production and focus on four areas:

1. Planning
2. Production
3. Production
4. Tracking Progress

In order to offer all of that, we have specialized project managers, audio engineers, music composers and sound designers, producers and copywriters, and graphic designers to handle the full service podcast production.

The only way to actually specialize is to have experience over a long period of time and/or the talent on your team to handle all the different skills necessary.

Watch out for digital marketing agencies that are trying to break into the podcast industry. I’m seeing more of this lately and have been approached by a handful of marketing agencies trying to learn this space.

It might be a “red flag” if you’re considering a digital marketing firm that offers podcast services alongside a bunch of other non-related services.

What it means to specialize in podcast formats.

Generally speaking, there are a few different styles of podcasts you can produce:

1. Solo/Interview-based
2. Narrative/Story-driven
3. A mixture of the two 

Does the production company you are considering specialize in a style?
If so, what style and how do you know?

Try to find a company that has significant experience creating the style of show you are interested in making.

Watch out for language like “we can do that” or a lack of evidence for the desired show type. This is especially true for narrative shows. Narrative shows require a tremendous amount of planning, interviewing, scripting, editing, revising, more interviewing, more scripting, composing, and… you get the point.

Just because someone produced an interview-based podcast DOES NOT mean they can produce a narrative podcast.

Even professionals with experience in similar fields don’t always know what to do. I recently had a discovery session with an award-winning radio talent and a recognized movie director. They could outclass me in story development and execution, but neither could help you produce a podcast.

Content area or vertical specialization.

Another way podcast production companies specialize is by focusing on specific content or on a vertical. I know of agencies who specialize in real estate, business-to-business (B2B), and even farming.

Not kidding. We lost a bid for an agricultural podcast to a podcast agency that specializes in farming podcasts. Crazy times…

This can be a factor in who to hire, but I prefer to look at a company’s expertise. For example, we are currently producing podcasts for health care, real estate, media sales, massage therapy, air purification, home services, and executive leadership.

Do we need to be an expert in each one of those areas? Nope.

Our clients are experts in the content and help us with the nuances we should understand. We’re experts in helping them get results with their podcasts, and those principles are the same no matter the content.

3. Is the podcast producer actually an expert?

There are a decent amount of people and companies trying to get in on the podcast wave. I have an abundance mentality, and it is exciting to be a part of a growing industry. However, many of these newer and younger podcasters have no business saying they are experts and often give terrible advice.

For example, in researching this article, I came across one company that stated their CEO put together two popular podcasts so they knew the niche “inside and out.” Two podcasts and you’re experts now? Please, tell me more…

You have to vet the help you are considering. Get them on the phone or on a Zoom call. Ask them questions about how they work, what their favorite projects are, and what projects were the most difficult. Get them to send you examples and testimonials or case studies. If possible, talk to some of their clients.

Watch out for disconnects in what the website portrays and what the sales person says. It’s easy to fake expertise online.

For example, I know of one production company who word-for-word copy/pasted another production company’s homepage. It’s my friend’s company, and he found out because the thief was stupid enough to leave the hyperlinks that pinged back to the original website!

Don’t let yourself be duped by someone like this.

4. What systems and processes does the production company use?

Clear systems and processes are a sign of expertise. Processes take time to develop, document, follow, and refine. They make high-quality work consistent and easily repeatable. 

As noted earlier, we follow a 4-part process:

1. Plan 
2. Produce
3. Promote
4. Track Progress

We have Basecamp templates designed to spin up new projects with the press of a button, and a company wiki with corresponding how-tos for every step of producing a results-driven podcast. It makes it incredibly easy to get our team on the same page and is part of the reason our fulfillment flows so smoothly.

“Jeff and his team have been instrumental in taking our podcast to the next level. We were trying to do it all ourselves in-house, and bringing Jeff on was the best decision. He and his team have transformed our entire production process, including the equipment, recording, editing, marketing, and strategic direction.”

John Sweeney, CFA, COO at Park Madison Partners

Whoever you decide to work with should have tested and proven processes and systems.

5. Who will be working on your podcast?

This is an important factor to find out about when vetting companies.

Sometimes, it’s the person who sells you the service. Sometimes it’s not. Some companies keep service in-house, and others contract to editors from other countries. Some companies put dedicated individuals or teams on your show. Others put your episodes in a queue to be edited by whoever is available first.

For my team, we keep everything in-house (no random outsourcing) and we organize our team, so each project has a core team. You’ll likely talk to me for the sales call and if you decide to go with us, I’ll introduce you to your project manager, who runs the day-to-day. And in the rare occurrences when someone else needs to jump in and help because of emergencies or vacations, we have clear systems to keep your podcast consistent.

6. What are you actually paying for? 

The cost of podcast production services varies greatly. It can range from ten to thousands of dollars per episode. In most cases, the cost should be justified depending on what kind of show you’re producing and what kind of podcast services the product team is providing.

However, you should watch out for unnecessarily inflated costs. Some teams have physical locations and large offices. This creates higher overhead and business expenses that typically get factored into your quotes. Also, the teams who aren’t experts or don’t have systems in place (covered above) run inefficiently and thus have higher costs (or don’t know how to properly price, to begin with). Another area you may see this in is how the company handles things like episode revisions or out-of-scope work.

For us, our team is fully remote and distributed. We’ve been running it that way since we launched in 2014. We are intentional with the tools and software we invest in, and we run a tight and mighty team. The result? We are able to put the costs towards getting the work done well. We focus on what matters.

7. Where is the production team located? 

Similar to if the production company has a physical location, I’ve noticed many people search the phrases “podcast production in (specific city)” or “podcast production near me.”

It isn’t necessary to be near the production team you want to hire. With today’s technology, working fully remotely is completely acceptable and often preferred. My whole team and all of our clients are remote.

Only in special circumstances will you need to be in the same location. For example, if you want to rent studio space to record. However, even then, you don’t need a podcast studio. Most general audio recording studios are well-equipped (even better equipped) to help you record a podcast.

8. What are the company’s values?

This one is extremely important, but difficult to judge. Many companies haven’t thought about their values (especially if they are young) or they have values they don’t practice.

Values are the way companies do business. They act as a guide for how a company conducts itself. Every company has them, it’s just nice to know what they actually are before entering into an agreement.

Our values became very clear when we started using the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) to run our business in 2019. EOS is a simple system that has had a huge (positive) impact on our business.

We have four values that guide everything we do: charity, expertise, intentionality, and integrity (you can read how we define them on our About page). They guide how the team is held accountable, how we conduct ourselves in business, and how we plan for the future.

9. Do you get along?

This is an often underrated yet seriously influential piece of success. Podcasting is a longtail move. We’ve been working with some of our clients for over four years. Other clients have come back to work with us more than once. Long term relationships don’t work if you aren’t committed and enjoy the company of the other person. 

Again, talk to the team you will be working with. Listen to your gut and choose the company that can do the job and who you want to work with. 

Watch out for companies who say yes to everyone. Not everyone is a good fit. We turn away prospects for a variety of reasons, and that’s ok. We love what we do and want to continue loving what we do while working with amazing clients! 
Also, watch out for companies that treat you as a number. You can usually tell this if they talk more about themselves, what they can do, and/or the sale. It’s a huge red flag if they aren’t asking you questions about your needs, or they aren’t listening in general. Companies like this typically don’t care, and you get nickel-and-dimed for it later.

“We chose Come Alive Creative over the competition because, in all sincerity, they cared more.”

Cheryl McRae, Former Director of Corporate Marketing at Scorpion

6 Recommendations of top podcast companies.

There is a lot to consider when hiring a podcast production company. Hopefully this article has given you insight into how to choose the right podcasting help for your goals and needs.

With that said, I want to offer a few suggestions of companies to consider.

You might be wondering, “Jeff, why are you suggesting your competition?!”

Because I really want you to find the best help.

I actually believe there is plenty of work to go around.

Podcasting is an amazing medium to work with, and it’s my hope you can find the perfect fit for your company.

A few notes:

• Tons of production teams exist.
• I know some of the following companies personally and others I don’t.
• No one has asked to be on the list (and for the love of all things holy, do not email me asking to include your company).
• I am not receiving affiliate sales or commissions for these recommendations.

These are just a few companies I appreciate and respect.

Come Alive

If you haven’t figured it out yet, that’s us. We offer full-service podcast production to B2B founders and marketers.

Our four-part process gives you everything you need to plan, produce, publish, and track your progress.

If you’re interested in working with us, you can book a discovery session with me (Jeff) or view our podcast production services to learn more.

Lower Street

Lower Street is a next-level podcast production agency for ambitious companies. It’s based in the UK and headed up by Harry Morton. Lower Street’s current ideal clients are 7 and 8 figure agencies and enterprise companies.

Despite “technically” being each other’s competition, Harry and I connect regularly to discuss challenges and success stories around running a podcast production company. Harry is a standup gent and I would absolutely trust him with my podcast.

“We partner with agencies and enterprise companies who want to produce the best podcast in their industry to drive thought leadership, brand awareness, or new business. Having created thousands of episodes with our clients, we’ve learned what it takes to produce a next-level show that stands out from the crowd to build a loyal, highly engaged audience.”

—Harry Morton, Lower Street

Solid Gold Studios

Solid Gold is a podcast studio based out of South Africa and led by Gavin Kennedy. They currently help the DIY, small business, and large corporations but are unique in that they offer studio space and production. 

I’ve only been able to chat with Gavin a few times, but I’m good friends with a few people who use his team for their podcast needs. Gavin knows his stuff, and the shows I’ve heard him produce are solid.

“To be understood, you must first be heard!”

—Gavin Kennedy, Solid Gold Studios

Cashflow Podcasting 

Cashflow is a podcast launch service and production company founded by Ben Krueger. Their target audience is coaching, consulting & personal brands looking to scale their audience and client base through high-value podcasting for their communities. 

I’ve had the opportunity to speak with Ben once and know someone from his team. While I’m not very familiar with the production of Cashflow’s shows, I respect the way Ben handles business and think his team has a good reputation. His team and my team service different target segments, so we often send each other prospects when they are a better fit with the other. 

“You be the topic expert and the host, and partner with a team of professionals to help you host a world-class podcast that gets you more clients.”

—Ben Krueger, Cashflow Podcasting

Heard Pods

Heard Pods is an audio/video production company that empowers entrepreneurs and executives, co-founded by Adam Vazquez. Heard is another company that I’m not as familiar with their production, but I have known Adam for a while. 

Adam is a smart and savvy businessman. He has been very intentional about the company he’s helping build and the clients he’s serving.

“We started Heard to embrace a hobby (audio + storytelling) but have since scaled by hiring incredibly talented producers and marketers to lead our clients’ shows.”

—Adam Vazquez, Heard Pods

Pacific Content

Pacific Content helps clients amplify their voices and connect with their audiences through originally branded audio content. They are working with big companies like Ford, Adobe, and Charles Schwab.

I haven’t interacted with Pacific Content directly, but I have a ton of respect for their team and the work they produce. I mostly follow Dan Misener and appreciate his insights on podcast development and the state of the industry (UPDATE: Dan has since left the company and started his own thing). If you’re looking for a thorough narrative-style production, check out Pacific Content.

In closing.

Thanks again for reading. Deciding on a podcast production company for your team can be difficult and confusing. Hopefully, this article will help you on your podcasting journey.

If you have any additional questions, reach out to me on LinkedIn, where I share podcasting tips, or sign up for our newsletter series to learn if having a podcast is right for your business.