Should Your B2B Brand Start a Podcast?

At last night’s Monthly Marketing Meetup, hosted by the Marketing Association and supported by Contagion, a panel of New Zealand’s most experienced podcast creators and storytellers tackled a timely question for B2B marketers: Is starting a podcast worth it for your business?

The panel didn’t sugar-coat the answer. Podcasting is hard work. But done well, it can be one of the most powerful tools for building authority, trust, and long-term commercial results.

Moderated by Zania Guy, the event brought together:

• Jay-Jay Feeney – Director, PodLab
  
• Dom Harvey – Co-founder, PodLab
  
• Simon Pound – Managing Partner, Previously Unavailable
  
• Zania Guy – Digital + Social Media Expert, Zaniaguy.com
  
• Ed McKnight & Andrew Nicol – Property Academy Podcast, Opes Partners
  
• Josh Comrie – Entrepreneur, Exit Advisory
  

Here’s what B2B marketers should take away from their discussion.

Podcasting Is a Brand Platform, Not Just a Content Tactic

A recurring theme of the night was that podcasting isn’t just a medium — it’s a positioning tool. For B2B brands, it can serve as:

• A trust-building engine with prospective clients
  
• A thought leadership platform for internal experts
  
• A differentiator in crowded markets
  
• A content hub to fuel blogs, newsletters, LinkedIn, and social
  

Ed McKnight put it bluntly: “If you’re selling a service, don’t make someone else the hero of your podcast. Make yourself the expert.”

It’s Not About Mass Reach. It’s About the Right Reach.

Unlike consumer brands chasing viral reach, B2B podcasts thrive in niches. A podcast with 300 engaged listeners in a highly specific industry vertical can deliver more impact than a TikTok video with 30,000 views.

Several panellists made this point with real examples—from niche investor audiences to highly specialised exit-planning content. The power lies in quality over quantity.

The Long Game Wins

If you're in B2B, you're already playing the long game. Podcasting is no different.

Your brand won’t see immediate ROI after five episodes. But stick with it—like the Property Academy Podcast did—and you could build a loyal listener base that trusts your expertise and eventually converts.

As Andrew Nicol shared: “The reason we’ve succeeded isn’t because we’re smarter or better looking. It’s because we’ve done it every day for five years.”

Should You Sponsor a Podcast or Start Your Own?

This question split the room. Sponsorship can work well, especially when the host has a trusted relationship with a niche audience. But for most B2B brands, the opportunity lies in ownership.

Owning the show means:

• You control the message and tone
  
• You build long-term equity
  
• You can speak directly to your audience’s needs
  
  

Simon Pound offered a good lens: “It’s not about reach. It’s about creating value and becoming a consistent voice in your space.”

What B2B Brands Need to Get Started

It’s easier than ever to start. But here’s what matters:

• Clarity on your audience and objectives
  
• A format that fits your brand and adds value
  
• Consistency — whether that’s weekly or fortnightly
  
• A solid production setup (either DIY or studio-supported)
  
• A plan for distribution across social, email, and platforms like LinkedIn and YouTube
  

Jay-Jay Feeney added: “You can start small. But if you want to grow, audio quality, smart editing, and platform-specific content all matter.”

Is It Worth It?

If you’re a B2B brand with deep expertise, a defined audience, and a long-term marketing vision, the answer is yes.

Podcasting won’t replace your demand gen but it can become a valuable brand channels: a place to own your story, elevate your experts, and stay top of mind with the people who matter most.

The podcasting space is far from saturated. The best B2B shows are still to come.

Resources Mentioned

Podcast Platforms & Hosting

• Acast – Podcast hosting, distribution, and dynamic ad insertion
• Buzzsprout – Easy podcast hosting platform
• Podbean – Hosting with monetisation features

Recording Gear & Studios

• Rodecaster Pro – All-in-one podcast production studio
• Rode Microphones – High-quality microphones for podcasting
• Rubber Monkey – NZ-based gear and tech supplier for creators
• PodLab – NZ-based podcast production studio and services provider

Distribution Channels

• Spotify for Podcasters
• Apple Podcasts
• YouTube – Now the world’s largest podcast consumption platform
• iHeartRadio – Additional distribution platform

Growth, Promotion & Marketing

• Via Digital – Digital marketing partner for podcast growth
• Patreon – Community-based monetisation platform for creators
• LinkedIn – Key B2B distribution platform for repurposed podcast clips

Content Tools & Strategy

• ChatGPT – For podcast format ideas, scripting, and creative brainstorming
• YouTube Coach (via the Netherlands) – Referenced as a strategy for growing YouTube reach
• Case Study: The Property Academy Podcast – A high-frequency, high-impact B2B content model
• Dynamic Ad Insertion – A feature offered by platforms like Acast for automated, targeted ads

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