What Producing 60+ Podcast Projects Has Taught Us About Podcasting for Organisations

We’ve produced more than 60 podcast projects at MIC media.

That’s a lot of recording, a lot of editing and a LOT of brews.

We’ve worked with universities, charities, councils, NGO’s, social enterprises and other brilliant mission-led organisations using podcasting to share research, tell stories, engage communities, amplify voices and get important ideas out into the world.

And wonderfully, no two projects have been exactly the same.

We’ve recorded in libraries, offices, community centres and parks. We’ve recorded at football matches, online in people’s kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms. We’ve recorded at running clubs (while actually running) and we’ve even recorded people while they were riding bikes.

And somewhere amongst all that, we’ve recorded in a proper studio too.

We love that podcasts can happen pretty much anywhere.

We’ve worked with first-time hosts and experienced presenters, academics and students, children and parents, community members, marketing and comms teams, organisational big bosses, Olympians, police officers and even a Prime Minister.

Some couldn’t wait to get behind the mic, others would probably have preferred to be literally anywhere else. But getting the best out of all of them is part of our job.

So, after 60+ projects, we’ve learned a fair bit about what makes an organisational podcast work.

And you’ll be surprised to know, it’s not all about what microphones you use.

Here are some of the biggies.

1. Start With The Purpose, Not The Microphones

It’s very easy to start a podcast by thinking about the fun stuff.

Which microphones shall we buy? Should we film it? What should we call it? Do we need one of those fancy pants podcast studios with a neon sign on the wall?

Steady on, pal.

Before any of that, there are two much more important questions:

Why are you making this podcast? And who is it for?

That might sound obvious, but getting properly clear on those two things makes pretty much every decision afterwards easier.

We’ve worked with organisations that want to share research, reach people beyond physical events, give their communities a voice, engage stakeholders, showcase expertise or get people talking about an issue they care about.

Those are very different jobs for a podcast to do.

And that’s the point, there’s no single template for an organisational podcast because it depends entirely on what you’re trying to achieve.

Start there. You can think about the microphones once you’ve nailed this bit. 

2. The People Matter More Than The Tech

Good podcast production isn’t just about getting nice, clean audio.

It’s about people.

Over the years we’ve recorded with all sorts of people. Some of them see a microphone and can’t wait to start talking. Others see one and want to run away.

Both very normal!

One of the biggest things we’ve learned is that creating the right environment for a conversation matters just as much as the equipment you’re using to record it.

People need to feel comfortable and they need to know what’s happening. And, particularly when you’re asking people to share personal experiences or talk about difficult subjects, they need to feel that they’re in safe hands.

The same goes for choosing a host.

The person with the biggest job title isn’t automatically the person who should be behind the microphone.

A good host is curious. They listen and make people feel comfortable. They notice the interesting thing someone just said and aren’t afraid to wander off the list of questions. 

You can have the fanciest microphone in the world but it won’t make someone a great host!

3. Making The Podcast Is Only Half The Job

There’s a lot of focus on the recording and editing part of podcasting.

Understandably, that’s the bit that results in, well, a podcast.

But one of the things we’ve learned from working with organisations is just how much happens around the audio itself.

There are people to involve and time to find. There are decisions to make, often by more than one person. Which means there are episodes to listen to, feedback to gather and things to approve.

And then there’s the small matter of actually getting people to listen to the thing.

We’ve seen organisations put loads of energy into creating something brilliant and only start thinking about marketing when it’s ready to launch.

By then, you’ve missed a big trick. Who you’re trying to reach and how you’re going to reach them should be part of the thinking from the start, not something you bolt on at the end.

The same goes for budget.

Don’t just think about what it costs to record and edit your episodes. Think about the life of the podcast as a whole, including the time and resources you’ll need around it.

We’re not going to squeeze the whole subject of podcast planning, budgets and marketing into three paragraphs here – we’d be here all day and we’ve got podcasts to make!

But if you’re planning an organisational podcast, remember this:

Making the podcast and making the podcast work are two different things.

4. Success Doesn’t Always Look Like A Big Number

We’ll keep banging this drum until somebody takes the drum away from us and we throw a tantrum.

Podcast success isn’t just about downloads.

Of course you want people to listen.

But for organisations, who listens and what happens as a result can be far more interesting than chasing the biggest possible number.

A podcast might help research reach the people who can actually do something with it.

It might give people in your community a platform to tell their stories.

It could kick-start a conversation with a potential partner.

Perhaps it becomes a useful resource that your team keeps sharing long after the project itself has finished.

Sometimes reaching 100 of exactly the right people can be far more valuable than reaching 10,000 people who couldn’t give a monkey’s.

That’s why we encourage organisations to think about what success actually means for their podcast before they start making it.

We’ve written a whole separate piece about why podcast downloads aren’t the most important measure of success, read that here.

5. The Best Outcomes Aren’t Always The Ones You Planned

This might be our favourite lesson of the lot.

You set out to make a podcast and then other stuff starts happening. Someone who was nervous about being interviewed discovers they actually quite enjoyed it. A conversation happens that wouldn’t otherwise have happened, or a story comes out that nobody knew was there. Someone hears an episode and gets in touch. A team develops new skills. 

One piece of audio starts conversations, creates connections or opens doors that weren’t part of the original plan at all.

We’ve seen this ripple effect again and again. It’s one of the reasons we believe so strongly in giving people a microphone, particularly people whose voices and experiences aren’t always heard.

Of course, you need a strategy and objectives. You also need to know who you’re trying to reach and why (see point #1).

But you also need to leave a little bit of room for the unexpected, because sometimes the most interesting impact of a podcast is the bit you couldn’t have put in the project plan in the first place.

So, What Have 60+ Podcast Projects Taught Us?

Perhaps the biggest lesson is this:

Great organisational podcasts aren’t really about microphones.

They’re about people, purpose and making something that has a reason to exist.

The tech, good production and planning  – yes they all matter. But none of those things will rescue a podcast that doesn’t know who it’s for or what it’s trying to do.

Get those foundations right and you’ve got a much better chance of creating something people actually want to listen to.

And maybe creating a few unexpected ripples along the way.

That’s the bit that still gets us excited, even after 60+ projects.

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What Makes A Successful Podcast For An Organisation?

A successful organisational podcast starts with a clear purpose and a clear idea of who it’s for. Rather than starting with equipment or episode length, think about what you want the podcast to achieve and what you want your audience to think, feel or do after listening.

How Much Should An Organisation Budget For A Podcast?

There’s no one-size-fits-all podcast budget. The cost will depend on the format, number of episodes, how and where you’re recording and how much support you need. It’s also important to consider the wider costs around your podcast, including hosting, accessibility, marketing and your team’s time.

Do Organisational Podcasts Need Professional Production?

Not always. It really depends on what you’re trying to create, the skills and time available in your team and the expectations of your audience. Some organisations need full production support, while others benefit from team training or consultancy that helps them build their own podcasting skills.

How Should Organisations Measure Podcast Success?

Downloads are useful, but they’re only part of the picture. The right measures depend on why you’re making the podcast in the first place. Reaching a particular audience, engaging stakeholders, sparking conversations, sharing knowledge or creating opportunities can all be meaningful signs of success.

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