Podcast Agencies: 5 Types, How to Choose, & Recommendations

January 28, 2021

Podcast agencies come in all different shapes and sizes. For beginners, choosing between podcast agencies or hiring an in-house podcaster can be a lot to navigate.

That's why we've de-fluffed the process for you, starting with this pithy definition of a podcast agency:

What is a podcast agency? A podcast agency runs and manages your podcast, oftentimes assisting with hosting platforms and editing audio. A full-service podcast production agency offers services throughout the entire podcast journey -- everything from guest coordination to engineering the audio to developing marketing assets to promote your podcast.

This video 👆 gives a quick overview of what a full-service podcast agency can offer. Below, we're going to dig deeper into...

Let's jump in!

5 Types of Podcast Agencies

Like we said, podcast agencies can come in all different sizes and shapes. We've categorized podcast agencies into five main buckets to make it easier to find the podcasting services important to you.

[RELATED: Here are 7 podcasting services every company should consider.]

First up is the Podcast Production Agency.

1. Podcast Production Agency

A podcast production agency usually offers services related to podcast recording equipment and sound editing. Pre-production services might include...

Assistance with equipment setup and technical needs
Equipment recommendations
Recorded intros and outros
Assistance setting up your hosting platform

In regards to post-production services, a podcast production agency is likely to offer...

Sound mixing
Editing out mistakes and any uh's or um's
Adding in commercials or special audio segments
Adding in music or sound effects
Unwanted noise reduction
Uploading to your hosting site
Episodes made into transcripts

Every once in a while you'll find a podcast production agency that coaches you or your host on making the recording sound better. Normally, though, they leave the content planning and guest coordination/follow-up to you.

Podcast Production Agency Example: Podfly

[RELATED: Looking for a podcast hosting platform? Here are 34 of them and our top five.]

2. Podcast Booking Agency

Podcast booking agencies are pretty much what they sound like -- they work with podcasters and potential guests to fill up interview queues.

A podcast booking agency isn't going to necessarily help you with any post-production services. Most of their work is done at the front-end of podcast creation. Basically, they're talent agents for people who want to be on more podcasts.

In regards to services a podcast booking agency would offer creators, they could include...

Identifying guests who align with your show's subject matter
Scheduling relevant guests
Creating pitches to send to potential guests
Filling up your queue with guests
Following up with your guests after the interview
Building out your professional podcasting network

Podcast Booking Agency Example: Call for Content

3. Podcast Creative Agency

A podcast creative agency is about as close to a full-service podcast agency as you can get without actually going full-service.

Most podcast creative agencies help with content planning, show branding, and post-production. If you're set on doing a solo podcast (a show with no interviews/guests), a podcast creative agency could probably help your production in a lot of ways.

[RELATED: Here are 6 keys for a bang-up solo podcast format.]

Services you can expect to receive from a podcast creative agency include...

Audio branding
Podcast series planning
Sound mixing
Editing out mistakes
Recorded intros and outros
Storyboarding assistance
Talent sourcing for hosts
Scripting
Uploading to your podcast hosting platform

If you go the podcast creative agency route, you'll need to team up with a booking agency if you're planning on having guests.

Podcast Creative Agency Example: FieldCast

4. Podcast Advertising Agency

Podcast advertising agencies match advertisers with shows that align with their brands. Podcast advertising services are a relatively new form of marketing but can be extremely effective.

Partnering with a podcast advertising agency means that you're paying for them to identify engaged podcast audiences that match your company's targeted demographics. Services you should expect to receive include...

Identifying podcasts whose audiences match your ideal buyers
Podcast networking
Campaign planning
Creative collaboration
Professional ad recording
Sound mixing and editing
Ad scripting
Ad metrics

Pretty much anything ad-related in podcasting will be covered by a podcast advertising agency.

Podcast Advertising Agency Example: Adopter Media

5. Full-Service Podcast Agency

If you need the last four podcast agency types all mixed up into one, then go with a full-service podcast agency.

A real full-service podcast agency will offer you the following:

Podcast ideation and branding
Recording equipment sent to you
Equipment setup assistance
Show cover art creation
Ideal guest identification
Ideal guest outreach & coordination
Podcast networking & promotion
Guest prep before the interview
Resources for hosts & tips on interviewing
Full & detail-oriented audio engineering
Intro, outro, and advertisement recording
Professional voiceovers
Show notes for each episode
Publishing & distribution of all episodes
Marketing assets such as videos, social media updates, blog posts, etc. for every episode.
A dedicated producer
Guest follow-up

Basically, you get everything and a bag of chips. If they call themselves a full-service podcast agency, they should be providing everything from creative to production to promotion and beyond.

Full-Service Podcast Agency Example: Sweet Fish Media

There you have it: five types of podcast agencies. Now let's get into choosing the best podcast agency.

How to Choose a Podcast Agency

Picking the right podcast agency for your show is about as important as choosing the right size of hiking boots. You could live with the wrong size for a little while, but once you're out of the parking lot, it's game over.

So, now that we understand the different types of podcast agencies, it's time to differentiate the exceptional from the "they look cool, but kind of crunch up my toes."

5 Considerations for Assessing Podcast Agencies

There are a handful of questions we recommend considering when comparing podcast agencies.

How many people will they have working on your show?

This is one of the simpler questions to ask a potential podcast partner, but also one of the most revealing. Being in the podcasting game for almost a decade now, we've learned that it takes more than 2-3 people to produce a podcast worth listening to.

Whether or not you're going with a full-service podcast agency, there's a wide array of skills that go into making a five-star show. At the very least, the podcast agency you choose should have each of the following people working on your show (not exclusively, of course):

Producer
Guest talent coordinator
Audio engineer
Writer
Graphic designer

A full-service agency should also have a videographer and digital promotion specialist. Just sayin'.

Will they be sending you all the appropriate equipment, or will you need to purchase that separately?

You're hiring a podcast agency to help you make a podcast -- honestly, it should include the equipment. An even doper podcast agency would help you set it all up.

[RELATED: Check out how we set up all of the equipment needed for a business podcast.]

Picking the right agency means they pick out the right gear for you. They should know what works the best for your needs, right? Besides, you can always upgrade later if you want to.

Will they be repurposing the episodes into video, graphics, and blog content?

If they're calling themselves a full-service podcast agency, they should be doing that and more. Launching your own podcast gives way to a gazillion opportunities for repurposing content.

Each episode's content can be turned into...

Long-form videos for YouTube
Micro-videos for social media & easy sharing
Graphics w/ quotes
Slide decks on LinkedIn
SEO-friendly blog posts
Engaging email campaigns

The possibilities are endless. Don't settle for an agency that settles.

Will they be handling the guest prospecting and outreach to ensure a full guest queue?

Obviously, a podcast booking agency should be doing this. But so should a full-service podcast agency. Finding guests, scheduling them, prepping them, and following up with them is not for the faint of heart.

Finding guests for a consistent stream of episodes is a lot of work, even for just one show. When you're searching for the right podcast agency, make sure they offer guest prospecting and outreach. You should be spending your time on the content, anyway.

Pre-production processes take time. Time that -- if you had it -- you shouldn't be using on finding guests when you're already paying an agency to do it.

Will they help you plan content that's optimized to rank for specific keywords?

Any podcast agency should be helping their customers plan out relevant content that will grow their audiences.

[RELATED: 14 Ways to Grow a Podcast Audience]

Particularly, if they're going to repurpose the episodes into written assets, SEO planning should be included. What's the point of creating content that your ideal buyers aren't going to see, let alone find relevant?

Make sure that the podcast agency you choose offers content planning focused in SEO.

Top 10 Recommended Podcast Agencies

At this point, we understand what all of the different types of podcast agencies offer and how to pick the right one. Now, we're going to look at 10 highly recommended podcast agencies out there today.

1. Resonate

Podcast Agency Type: Podcast Creative Agency

Resonate is a team of audio engineers, software developers, and branding creatives that offer a wide range of services and technology. There are several packages that customers can choose from, including services for both pre-production and post-production.

Through your Resonate account, you can upload all of your recordings and video files for editing and even distribute podcast episodes through Resonate Hosting.

In their Enterprise package, Resonate provides the following B2B podcasting services:

Customized equipment recommendations
Artwork creation
Voiceovers & music
YouTube channel setup
Website hosting & development
Branded intro & outros
Season planning & storyboarding
Content creation & collaboration
Scriptwriting
Marketing assets
Video production

Resonate's Enterprise package pretty much offers it all besides guest coordination. Their less comprehensive packages are mixable and matchable.

2. Podigy

Podcast Agency Type: Podcast Production Agency

Podigy offers creators two service categories: Audio editing at $145/episode and audio editing & show notes at $185/episode. Their audio engineers pride themselves on their top-tier sound quality and consistency across the board.

In addition to podcast production, Podigy offers a free guide on podcast editing. They've found what they're good at and stick to it.

In all, Podigy offers the following services:

Audio editing
Individual track processing
Intro, outro, & ad insertion
Sound mixing
SEO-friendly show notes
Episode publishing to your hosting site

If you're looking for baseline, quality podcast production services, Podigy has what you need.

3. Audiation

Podcast Agency Type: Podcast Creative Agency

Founded by Spotify's Original Content department creator, Sandy Smallens, Audiation is a premier podcast creative agency. Audiation teams up with brands, agencies, and indie creators to conceptualize, produce, and market their shows.

Normally, Audiation handles the recording process in studios and offices. However, their team now offers remote consultations and what they call "studio in a box" packages.

Other services Audiation provides include...

Creative conception
Sound design
Sound mixing
Studio recording
Episode distribution
Scriptwriting
Show notes & descriptions

Audiation offers highly artistic, enterprise-level podcast creation.

4. Podfly

Podcast Agency Type: Podcast Production Agency

Podfly helps organizations and entrepreneurs produce podcasts in line with their brands. Plans including pre and post-production services start at $525/month.

Podfly has partnered with dozens of brands, governments, nonprofits, and educational institutions to create branded podcasts. While the Podfly team offers some pre-production services like content conceptualization and equipment recommendations, they really shine on the post-production side.

Some services Podfly offer include...

Pre-production content coaching
Equipment recommendations
Recorded intros & outros w/ music
Help setting up hosting services
Sound mixing
Ad & special segment insertion
Noise reduction
Show notes

Like with most podcast production agencies, you won't find any guest coordination or robust marketing assets with Podfly; however, they know how to produce a high-quality branded show.

5. True Native Media

Podcast Agency Type: Podcast Advertising Agency

True Native Media is a boutique podcast representation agency that works exclusively in podcast advertising. Their team works to build close relationships with the podcasters they represent, as well as the brands and agencies they collaborate with.

True Native identifies the best advertisers for each of their customers to optimize revenue. Some of the best indie creators work with their team to monetize their shows.

Services True Native Media offers include...

Advertiser research
Negotiations
Campaign management
Identifying the best podcast/advertiser matches

If you haven't thought about monetizing your podcast, True Native Media is a good place to start.

6. FRQNCY

Podcast Agency Type: Full-Service Podcast Agency

FRQNCY does almost all of it, so we'll give it to 'em. This podcast agency offers plug-and-play packages as well as full-service production that smooshes them all together.

FRQNCY is a team of content strategists, sound designers, and marketers who help indie creators and businesses produce and distribute their shows. They provide end-to-end services and support to help creators achieve a professional sound.

More specifically, FRQNCY delivers on the following in their full-service package:

Content strategizing
Guest booking
Scriptwriting
Recording equipment & setup assistance
In-session directing
Editing & sound design
Show notes
Episode graphics
Cover art
Managed hosting

FRQNCY offers some post-production marketing assets, but doesn't repurpose the content into shareable social updates, engaging videos, or SEO-friendly blog posts. However, they do offer guest outreach and booking, so that's a plus.

[RELATED: Learn how to design a podcast "logo" (aka, cover art) that doesn't suck.]

7. Sweet Fish Media

Podcast Agency Type: Full-Service Podcast Agency

Oops! How'd this get in here?

JK. We're big enough to admit that we think we're one of the best. But it's only because our customers say so.

For real, we offer it all. And our team is working every day to perfect each one of the services we deliver to our kick-ass customers.

Some of those services our experienced pre and post-production teams deliver are...

Podcast conceptualization & branding
Content planning focused on SEO & UX
Top-tier recording gear sent directly to you
Equipment setup assistance
Podcast cover art ideation & creation
Launch strategy
Ideal guest identification
Guest outreach & coordination
Guest prep before the interview
Free monthly MasterMind classes
Resources & tips for hosts
Comprehensive audio engineering & sound mixing
Professional voiceovers
Engaging show notes for every episode
Marketing assets like SEO-friendly blog posts, shareable videos, social media updates, & audiograms
Hosting platform management
Guest follow-up
Thought leadership coaching

It's tough, but someone's gotta do it.

8. Sound Made Public

Podcast Agency Type: Podcast Creative Agency

Sound Made Public is a creative agency that focuses on audio experiences including podcasts. Their team has worked with brands such as AirBnB, BBC, and Intel.

This creative audio agency works on everything from live installations to ongoing educational series, like ClifCast for high-level runners. Sound Made Public's media relations and distribution channels help them bring the right partners together for every project.

Services Sound Made Public offers include...

Research & concept development
Production planning
Recording assistance
Sound editing & mixing
Launch strategy
Packaging & collateral
Media partnerships

Sound Made Public mixes its media relationships with creativity to make artistic and engaging audio experiences.

9. Midroll

Podcast Agency Type: Podcast Advertising Agency

Stitcher's advertising arm, Midroll, pairs advertisers with podcasts. Midroll helps brands get their messages across via their esteemed hosts.

Midroll allows podcasters to focus on what they do best: podcasting. Their team does all the work and creators have the final call on what ads will work best with their show.

Services Midroll provides include...

Podcast/advertiser matchmaking
Connections with the largest share of the U.S. podcast audience
Host-read ads
Natural-sounding endorsements from show hosts

If you're looking to monetize your podcast, Midroll is a great bet.

10. MatchMaker.fm

Podcast Agency Type: Podcast Booking Agency

MatchMaker.fm allows podcasters and potential guests alike to make a profile in minutes. Then, they do just what their name implies -- matchmake.

The podcast booking agency even has an app with a messenger function for podcasters and guests to chat. It's literally a dating app for podcasts and guests.

MatchMaker's Pro plan ($99/yr) provides potential guests with...

Unlimited conversations per month
Video profile pitch
Unlimited favorite lists
10 profile links
Verified podcast metrics
Priority listing in search results
Access to brand new app features on release

MatchMaker.fm is an easy and effective way to get booked on more podcasts.

The Takeaways

There's clearly a lot to consider when searching for the right podcast agency. Just keep these tips in mind:

Know which of the five podcast agency types you need.
Ask specific questions about the services agencies provide.
Don't get blinded by the brands an agency works with -- make sure they have what you need.

Any other questions about podcast agencies and services? Let's chat!