DIY vs. Done-for-You: When to Hire a B2B Podcast Production Agency

You've decided to launch a B2B podcast, and you've already had the big idea. 

Now comes a critical question: should your team handle everything in-house, or is it better to partner with a B2B podcast production agency? 

This isn't a simple choice, and the right answer depends entirely on your business's resources, goals, and capacity.

Both options have their merits. To make the best decision for your business, let's look at the true costs and benefits of each approach.

The Case for a DIY Podcast

Running your podcast in-house gives you full creative control. 

You get to manage every detail, from the interview style to the final edit, ensuring the finished product perfectly matches your vision. 

This approach can be ideal if you have a team member with a passion for podcasting who is looking to develop new skills. 

It also keeps your production budget close to zero, which is a major benefit for businesses that are still small or are in the early stages of a marketing initiative.

However, the perceived "free" cost of a DIY show is a bit of a myth. The reality is that your team’s time is a very real cost. 

A single, well-produced podcast episode can take anywhere from 8 to 10 hours of work. 

This includes everything from guest outreach and scheduling to the actual recording, editing, writing show notes, and promoting the final product. 

For a weekly show, that's a full day of work every single week. 

This heavy time commitment is the leading cause of “podfade,” when a show's release schedule becomes erratic and eventually stops altogether.

The Case for a Done-for-You Agency

For most B2B professionals, time is a far more valuable asset than a few hundred dollars. 

This is where a B2B podcast production agency becomes a strategic investment. 

By outsourcing production, you buy back hours for executives and subject matter experts who can focus on what they do best: building relationships and growing the business.

An agency provides guaranteed professional quality. Their team of specialists, including audio engineers, video editors, and project managers, ensures that every episode sounds and looks polished, reflecting a high level of professionalism. 

An agency also provides strategic consistency. They have proven systems for guest booking, content planning, and promotion that protect your show from burnout and ensure it stays on a consistent schedule. 

You get access to a team with experience producing dozens or even hundreds of shows, who can offer valuable advice and help you avoid common mistakes.

Ultimately, an agency’s job is to remove all the headaches of production. 

They handle the scheduling, the editing, the clip-making, and the project management, allowing your team to focus solely on the most important part of the process: having the conversations that matter.

Making the Right Decision for Your Business

To figure out which path is right for you, do a quick cost-benefit analysis.

• Tally the True Cost: Calculate the hourly rate of the person who will be producing the show and multiply it by 8-10 hours per week. Compare that number to an agency’s flat monthly rate. You may find that the "free" option is actually a lot more expensive.

• Define Your Goal: Is the goal to simply have a podcast, or is it to have a strategic asset that consistently drives leads, builds authority, and creates new revenue streams?

The best decision is the one that allows you to focus on what truly matters. 

Whether you choose to go it alone or bring in a partner, the goal is to consistently produce a high-quality show that serves your business goals.

Ready to Partner With a B2B Podcast Production Agency?

The decision to DIY or partner with an agency comes down to a simple trade-off between time, quality, and budget. 

The right choice is the one that best serves your business’s long-term goals. 

If you've decided that a done-for-you solution is the right path to guarantee consistency and quality, contact Westport Studios to discuss how we can help!