I was once in a meeting with a marketing director who proudly played us his latest branded podcast. Good topic. Professional recording. After two minutes, he looked at me and said, “It sounds a bit like a meeting, doesn’t it?” He was right. It sounded exactly like it was made to sound: informative, proper, and, to be honest, a bit boring.
In my 25 years in the audio industry, I’ve seen that pattern play out time and again. And I recognize it, because we used to produce that kind of content ourselves. The lesson is always the same: information and storytelling are not the same thing. And sound design is exactly what sets them apart.
What exactly is sound design?
Sound design is not the same as audio engineering. Audio engineering ensures that the recorded signal is clean and clear. Sound design determines the overall feel of the piece. It’s the difference between a dry monologue and a listening experience that stays with you.
Think about pacing, deliberately placed silences, the musical transition between two sections, and the ambient sounds that add color to a scene. All these elements together build a world—not just for the ear, but for the senses.
The Anatomy of Boring Podcasts
We’ve all heard the boring kind. A voice that tells you exactly what you already know. An intro that sounds just like every other corporate podcast. An episode that feels like a meeting minutes with background music.
The problem is rarely technical. It’s in the approach. Many podcasts are based on theoretical information, written by people who know a lot about their field but less about how to tell a story. And what you don’t hear, you forget. By the end of an episode, 90% of the facts are gone. The names, the numbers, the techniques. Gone.
What remains? Emotion. And you don’t create emotion with information. You create it with stories.
The difference between information and a story
My father used to tell me stories about three circus animals. He made them up on the spot. But behind those simple stories lay the big themes: friendship, good and evil, adventure, love. I still remember those stories. The textbooks I read during that same period, not so much.
That principle applies to every podcast. What do you want the listener to remember once the episode is over? If the answer is “the right facts,” you’re creating an info dump. If the answer is “a feeling, an insight, a question,” you’re creating a podcast that people will want to keep listening to.
The best content creators work like TV screenwriters. They know how to structure a story in 45 minutes. They throw in an unexpected twist, have a guest say something you didn’t expect, and build up to a moment that sticks with you. That works in a TV series. And it works just as well in audio.
Pacing, silence, and sonic transitions
One of the most underrated elements in podcast audio is silence. Beginners tend to edit out every pause because it feels awkward. But a well-placed silence gives the listener space to let things sink in.
How well you pace a conversation helps determine how credible the speaker comes across. Editing too quickly creates tension. Editing too infrequently makes it feel clunky. And sonic transitions—the audio bridges between segments—ensure that an episode feels like a cohesive whole rather than a collection of disjointed pieces stitched together.
Sonic branding: this is what your brand sounds like
A good podcast has its own distinct sound. It’s not just about a recognizable intro, but a consistent vibe that carries through every episode. Sound is often the first interaction a listener has with your brand, even before they see your website or read the show notes.
What mood do you want to evoke? What suits your organization: professional and understated, warm and human, or energetic and dynamic? The choice of music, tempo, and voice already tells that story before the first sentence is spoken. Your sound design should support the story, not compete with it.
What We Learned from the Rijksmuseum
In 2012, we were invited by the Rijksmuseum to reimagine their audio tour. We started by conducting research. The conclusion was not surprising: most audio tours were boring. Just a voice, no storyline, no immersive experience, and sound quality that left a lot to be desired.
We pitched an approach that featured actors, custom-made soundscapes, and stories that actually had substance. Instead of simply reciting facts, we focused on evoking emotion. In audio, there’s no need to explain what you can simply let people hear. The museum chose this approach, and we became their preferred supplier for the 2013 reopening.
We apply that lesson to every podcast project. The context determines the sound, not the other way around. And sound is an emotional language that speaks directly to the subconscious.
When should you invest in sound design?
Not every podcast requires a fully developed sound design. An internal news update program has different requirements than a branded podcast that represents your brand to thousands of listeners.
But once your podcast becomes your organization’s calling card, that investment will pay off. Here are a few questions to ask yourself:
- Do you want listeners to recognize your podcast without looking at the title?
- Do you want the podcast to still sound professional three years from now?
- Does this sound represent your organization to the outside world?
If you answer “yes” to any of those questions, it’s definitely worth talking about sound design.
A good example from our own practice: Story Unknown.
“Unknown Stories” is about secrets, shame, and moments that changed everything—one voice, one true story every week. You won’t hear the polished version, but the honest story behind the snap judgments and quick opinions—told as if the person were sitting across from you in a corner of a café.
You can’t achieve that exact feeling with just a good microphone. That’s sound design. The fine editing, sound design, and music were handled by Rik Rensen, Jos Jansen, and Jonathan Steetskamp of Big Orange. The podcast was featured in the VPRO Podcast Guide and the NRC Podcast Club.
Want to hear how sound design supports a story without overpowering it? Listen to *Verhaal Onbekend*—and check out the project on our website.
In conclusion
Boring podcasts aren’t inevitable. Just as boring audio tours are becoming a thing of the past, we’re seeing a shift in the podcast world as well: from dry information delivery to authentic stories with a unique voice. And that’s exactly where we do our best work.
You can find us in Utrecht on Oudegracht, or in Amsterdam-Noord on Meeuwenlaan. We’d love to hear from you.
What story do you want to tell with your podcast, and what’s holding you back right now?