Commonly-Asked Questions about How to Create a Private Podcast

How to Create a Private Podcast

More companies are launching private podcasts now than ever before as the benefits are clear - pivoting from an email-based culture to audio will increase your ability to convey meaning by 500%. If you’ve never created a private enterprise podcast, you likely have questions about exactly what it is, how to do it, and why it’s the newest frontier when it comes to internal communications, sales enablement, and training and development.

Check out the following list of commonly asked questions about how to create a private podcast if you are interested in launching one for your own enterprise.

What’s the difference between a private podcast and public podcast?

A private podcast is a podcast that only a businesses’ employees, partners, or dedicated list of people can access. On the other hand, public podcasts are available to the general public.  Episodes are usually available online and in public directories such as Apple Podcasts.

How do I create a private podcast for my organization?

To create a private podcast, follow these steps:

1. Choose a Private Podcast Hosting Platform: Use a platform that supports private podcasting, such as uStudio, that allows secure content distribution and access control.
2. Set Up Authentication: Configure authentication options like password protection, Single Sign-On (SSO), or invite-only access to restrict podcast availability to authorized users.
3. Create Your Content: Record your podcast episodes and upload them to your hosting platform.
4. Distribute Securely: Use a private RSS feed or secure links to share episodes with your audience. Make sure these are not publicly accessible and use encryption if possible.
5. Manage User Access: Regularly review and manage who has access to your private podcast, ensuring that former employees or irrelevant members are removed.

How secure is a private podcast? 

A private podcast can offer great security benefits and uStudio’s solutions meet the most stringent IT requirements. Our unmatched media security has passed hundreds of enterprise security reviews. With our patented, multi-tier verification security model your private podcast will have security configuration optionality at each of the page, player, and stream levels. Even when offline, you can ensure the privacy of content downloads and offline consumption. Learn more about uStudio’s security model here.

What are common use cases for a private podcast?

There are many ways businesses could use and benefit from a private podcast. These include executive communications, sales enablement, employee onboarding and training, knowledge sharing, mobile and remote workforce enablement, channel and partner enablement and more.

• Corporate communications: Leadership updates, company announcements, or strategic discussions.
• Employee training: Onboarding materials, professional development courses, or regular training updates.
• Exclusive content for members: Clubs, communities, or membership-based organizations can share premium content like special interviews, insider news, or educational materials.
• Educational institutions: Course materials or lectures shared only with students enrolled in specific programs.

Unlike public podcasts, private podcasts focus on maintaining confidentiality, offering a higher level of security to ensure that sensitive or exclusive information is shared only with authorized listeners.

What are popular show concepts? 

Creating engaging content for your streaming program is easy, and you’ll likely find plenty of leadership and management who are excited to participate. Popular private podcast show concepts include the following:

• Meet the C-Suite
• Inspirational Brand Stories
• Diversity and Inclusion
• New Employee Onboarding
• Meet the Executive Team
• Stories from the Field
• Daily News
• Product and Service Updates
• Technical Deep Dives
• Sales and Customer Service Training
• And more!

What’s an RSS feed?

When people wonder how to create a private podcast, RSS typically comes up. Podcast platforms use RSS feeds, a type of web feed, to distribute frequently updated podcast information. For podcasting use cases, RSS feeds remove the need for users to manually upload new or updated content across each platform or directory, such as Apple Podcasts.

Many people initially consider starting a corporate podcast by distributing their content through an RSS feed, just like public-facing podcast creators do. Although an RSS feed can be password-protected, it still leaves your podcasts vulnerable to being shared outside your intended audience. 

Once a user enters their credentials to access the feed, you no longer have any control over what they do with that content, including who they share it with.  This is why uStudio recommends investing in a standalone secure private podcast app for delivering corporate podcast content to your defined audience. 

One of the unique capabilities of uStudio’s private podcast solution is its white-label mobile application, which can be customized with numerous channels, shows, episodes and targeted categories making it ideal for a number of enterprise use cases.

Can anyone start a podcast?

Yes! While creating a podcast might seem daunting at first, once you push through any initial concern, it can be quite simple and straightforward to deliver episodes your audience will get tremendous value from. Many of uStudio customers had never even listened to a podcast before starting a private podcast for their company. Luckily, uStudio offers many guided services and free educational resources to help you grow your program along the way. Whether podcasting in the enterprise is a new channel or uStudio is advancing an existing program, we will walk the journey to success together.

What are the steps to launch a private podcast on uStudio?

To launch a private podcast on uStudio, follow these simple steps:

1. Sign Up for uStudio: Start by selecting a plan that fits your organization’s needs.
2. Set Up Your Podcast Environment: Customize your podcast’s branding, including logo, colors, and episode artwork, within the uStudio platform.
3. Create Your First Episode: Record your podcast and upload the audio files to uStudio’s secure platform.
4. Configure Access Controls: Set up authentication, roles, and permissions to control who can access each episode or series.
5. Distribute Securely: Share your private podcast using secure links or through uStudio’s dedicated app, ensuring that only authorized listeners can access your content.
6. Monitor and Grow: Use uStudio’s analytics to track engagement and refine your content strategy over time.

uStudio provides all the tools and support you need to create and manage a secure, private podcast for your organization.

How can I get more listeners to listen to my private podcast?

The uStudio Enterprise Podcast has many promotional features already built into our app to help our podcast admins promote their content to their end users. These include mobile push notifications, promotional embeds and share links, podcast categories, and more. Other best practices we encourage for strong listenership is a solid publishing cadence to build listener habits and to constantly monitor your podcast analytics to adjust content toward audience preferences. For more creative ideas on how to boost new listeners, check out our blog here.

Does podcasting take a lot of time?

The amount of time required to manage a podcast program all depends on your end goals and current internal resources. There are many third-party companies, like Resonate Recordings, that will handle all post-production needs for a low cost and turnaround time, so all you need to focus on is creating new content.

Can private podcast content be embedded in other systems?

Yes. The uStudio Enterprise Podcast is built on top of the uStudio Media Management Platform and therefore can be easily embedded in other systems - LMS, CRM, etc. Our out-of-box media applications and analytics plug in easily to your existing infrastructure and other technology investments.

What equipment is needed to record a podcast? 

Recording a podcast can be as easy as using a computer program such as Skype or Zencastr, or as sophisticated as buying equipment to create a whole recording studio. Above all, we recommend podcasters own a trustworthy microphone and pair of headphones. Our favorite microphone at uStudio is the RODE NT-USB Mini or RODE NT-USB. Our free Gear Guide is a helpful outline of the items to consider buying at all different price points.

How is uStudio analytics different from most other podcast offerings? 

uStudio offers both content analytics and named user analytics. Named user analytics documents all individual users of the podcast application and each and every action they took inside the app. This lets you know which users consume which content, exactly how much they consumed, when they consume corporate podcasts, and more.  We also give you access to raw data and APIs to embed into your own systems. Because of this, businesses can seamlessly integrate with your business intelligence tool of choice for increased private podcast measurement.

How are private podcast applications customizable? 

uStudio offers a branded app experience that reflects your brand and your podcast content. Podcast customers have the ability to customize logos, colors, episode and show icons, and more within their podcast application.

How do I know my users will listen? 

Approximately eighty million Americans are now weekly podcast listeners, and 34% of them already listen to podcasts at work. With a private podcast, there will be no new behaviors to learn as you will tap into your employee’s existing familiarity with the medium. 

Luckily, uStudio also offers an intuitive, polished podcasting app with no training required, as it works similarly to the consumer podcasting apps your employees already know and love. Again, to learn the type of podcast content your employees are truly interested in, we recommend surveying their preferences and constantly monitoring uStudio’s analytics dashboards to adjust to their needs.

How can I promote my private podcast to employees?

There are 10 steps to successfully marketing your podcast to your workforce. We’ve written a blog about it, but in summary:

1. Launch your podcast the right way
2. Cross-promote your new show or program
3. Establish new discovery points for shows and episodes
4. Gamify promotion
5. Recruit internal streaming “Ambassadors”
6. Interview influential employees as guests
7. Interview influential external guests
8. Add an audience Q&A segment to episodes
9. Send your podcast as an internal newsletter
10. Make analytics your best frient.

Get Started with uStudio

Private podcasting is the best way to capture found time and communication beyond the workplace. Request a free personalized demo of our secure podcasting product today if you’re interested in creating a private podcast of your own.