Podcast Content and Branding Guidelines

Purpose and Scope


WPI's podcast platform provides hosting infrastructure and distribution mechanisms for WPI community members to share their professional audio content. Rather than creating the podcast websites and distribution structures themselves, we are building a central place to host shows and episodes, establishing the technical foundation to distribute this content to major podcast platforms, and creating a dedicated space for listeners to engage with these podcasts directly on www.wpi.edu.

This platform serves two primary purposes:

  1. WPI-Produced Podcasts: Hosting and distribution of podcasts created by WPI faculty, staff, departments, and student organizations
     
  2. External Podcasts Featuring WPI Experts: Aggregating and promoting podcast episodes from external sources that feature WPI faculty, staff, and affiliates as guests or contributors
CONTACT
Location: Boynton Hall
Office Location: 3rd Floor
Phone: 508-831-5305

Podcast Production and Support | Types of Podcast Content | Getting Started with WPI-Produced Podcasts | Platform Details | Publishing and Distribution | Content - Branding and Creative Guidelines | Multimedia Content | Promotion Strategies | Future Enhancements | Support and Contact Information

Podcast Production and Support

Podcasts are emerging as a valuable communication channel at WPI, and we're working to integrate them strategically within our digital ecosystem. In a digital landscape where organic search visibility has become increasingly challenging, podcasts offer significant benefits including increased website traffic, deeper audience engagement, and enhanced visibility for WPI's expertise and thought leadership. By creating a dedicated home for podcasts on our website, we can leverage this growing medium to showcase our community's knowledge while building meaningful connections with our audience.

Podcast shows can be published to major podcast platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, and others. While the content creators maintain creative control over their shows, it's important that podcasts align with WPI's content and branding guidelines to ensure consistency and professionalism.

These guidelines are designed to support podcasters in producing high-quality content and to ensure proper distribution across WPI-owned channels, including the WPI Today email, social media, user profile pages in Drupal, university-level newsletters, expert database profiles and the Listen page  on www.wpi.edu.

Types of Podcast Content

WPI-Produced Podcasts

These are podcasts created and produced by WPI faculty, staff, departments, student organizations, or other WPI-affiliated entities. These podcasts and their web-based written descriptions:

  • Are fully produced and managed by WPI community members
  • Are hosted on WPI's podcast platform
  • Represent WPI directly and should follow all content and branding guidelines
  • Have complete episodes and feeds hosted and managed through WPI's Drupal system

External Podcasts Featuring WPI Experts

These are podcasts produced by external organizations or individuals that feature WPI faculty, staff, or affiliates as guests, interviewees, or contributors. These podcasts:

  • Are produced and managed by external entities
  • Can be promoted and linked to from WPI's podcast platform
  • Represent valuable exposure for WPI expertise
  • May have individual episodes featured on WPI's platform, with links to the original source

Getting Started with WPI-Produced Podcasts

Technical Requirements

Before creating your podcast, ensure you have:

  • Access to quality recording equipment (see Recording and Production section below)
  • A clear concept and format for your show (see Show Concept section below)
  • Artwork that meets platform specifications (see Artwork Guidelines below)
  • A consistent release schedule
  • A plan for content development
Artwork Guidelines

Show Cover Artwork

  • Dimensions: 3000px × 3000px (minimum 1400px × 1400px)
  • Format: JPG or PNG
  • Color Space: RGB
  • File Size: Under 512KB (recommended)
  • Requirements:
    • Square aspect ratio (1:1)
    • Must follow WPI's branding standards
    • Should be clear and legible when scaled down to small sizes
    • No blurry images or explicit content
    • Text should be minimal and readable

Marketing Communications is developing templates and instructions to simplify this process — these resources will be available soon online.

Preview

img of podcast branding example, with the wpi logo at the top, "Add a heading" in the middle, and podcast at the bottom

Preview

img of podcast branding example, with the wpi logo at the top, "Add a heading" in the middle, and podcast at the bottom

Episode Artwork (Optional)

  • Dimensions: 1400px × 1400px (minimum)
  • Format: JPG or PNG
  • Notes: While optional, episode-specific artwork enhances visibility on platforms that support it and provides visual variety for your audience.
Production Resources

Recording and Production

The Global Lab offers podcasters access to recording spaces at the Innovation Studio (https://www.wpi.edu/about/locations/innovation-studio). Users may book studio time and request recording support from Global Lab staff. Users may manage recording themselves or check out field recording equipment after completing training. The Global Lab also provides training in audio design and post-processing.

Equipment and training requests can be made through the following links:

Show Concept, Naming, and Format

Developing a strong concept and format is crucial for a successful podcast. Consider the following elements:

Show Concept

  • Target Audience: Define who your podcast is for (students, faculty, prospective students, industry professionals, etc.)
  • Distribution Strategy: Identify where your target audience consumes podcast content (e.g., Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube) and develop a plan to reach them on these platforms
  • Unique Value Proposition: Clearly articulate what makes your podcast different from others in similar areas and why your target audience should care enough to listen. Focus on the specific benefits, insights, or experiences listeners will gain that they can't get elsewhere
  • Core Topics: Determine 3-5 main themes your podcast will cover consistently
  • Show Title: Choose a clear, memorable title that reflects your content
  • Episode Length: Decide on a consistent duration that serves your content (see Length Recommendations below)

Naming Conventions

Show Title Guidelines
  • University Branding:Always use "Worcester Polytechnic Institute" rather than "WPI" in your show title (e.g., "Worcester Polytechnic Institute Tech Talks" or "Worcester Polytechnic Institute Innovation Series"). This full name usage is critical for brand recognition, discoverability, and SEO purposes.
  • Clarity: Choose a title that clearly communicates your podcast's focus
  • Brevity: Keep titles concise (ideally 4-6 words) for better discoverability
  • Searchability: Include relevant keywords that potential listeners might search for
  • Consistency: Once chosen, maintain the same title across all platforms and materials
Episode Naming Guidelines
  • Numbering Format: Include the episode number at the beginning (e.g., "Episode 5:" or "E05:")
  • Descriptive Titles: Create clear, specific titles that describe the content
  • Guest Inclusion: When featuring guests, include their names in the episode title
  • Length: Keep episode titles under 60 characters for optimal display on all platforms
  • Series Identifiers: For episodes that are part of a series, use consistent identifiers (e.g., "Technology Series: [Topic]")
  • Avoid Dates: Unless time-sensitive, avoid including dates in episode titles for evergreen content

Example format: "E12: Advancing Robotics in Healthcare with Professor Jane Smith"

These naming conventions ensure consistency across WPI podcasts and improve discoverability and professional appearance.

Format Options
  • Interview Style: Conversations with guests, experts, or notable figures in your field
  • Panel Discussion: Regular contributors discussing topics from multiple perspectives (limit to two guests; more than two can make it challenging for listeners to differentiate between speakers)
  • Solo Commentary: Single-host expert insights or storytelling
  • Narrative Documentary: Researched stories with multiple sources and sound design
  • Educational Series: Structured learning content with clear takeaways
  • Case Study Analysis: In-depth examination of specific examples, research, or projects
  • Roundtable: Group discussion with rotating participants around a central theme
Series Structure
  • Seasonal Approach: Grouping episodes into themed seasons with breaks between
  • Ongoing Weekly/Biweekly: Continuous publication without seasonal divisions
  • Limited Series: Finite number of episodes covering a specific topic or project
  • Hybrid Approach: Combining different formats (e.g., alternating between interviews and solo episodes)
Content Development and Best Practices

Generating Podcast Ideas

To develop engaging content, we recommend leveraging AI tools like OpenAI or Co-Pilot. These tools can help you brainstorm fresh ideas, structure your episodes, and refine your scripts. You can use them to:

  • Generate Topic Ideas: Ask for suggestions tailored to your audience or area of interest.
  • Create Episode Outlines: Use AI to organize your thoughts and structure your episodes effectively.
  • Refine Scripts: Improve the flow and clarity of your content by generating or enhancing podcast scripts.

Using AI in this way can inspire creativity and help streamline the podcast creation process.

Best Practices

  • Consistent Format: Maintain a recognizable structure for your episodes
  • Clear Audio: Ensure high-quality sound with minimal background noise
  • Engaging Intros: Hook listeners in the first 30 seconds
  • Show Notes: Provide detailed episode descriptions with timestamps for key topics
  • Transcripts: Consider offering transcripts for accessibility (not required but recommended)

Platform Details

Podcast Feed Generation

When a show is created in Drupal, a podcast feed (in XML format) will automatically be generated. This feed follows the technical specifications required by platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube Podcasts. The feed acts as a structured data file that tells these platforms when new episodes are available, along with details such as the episode title, description, audio file location, and artwork.

Distribution Options

To maintain consistency and house all WPI podcasts under a single, unified WPI profile on platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts, Marketing Communications will handle the submission of podcast feeds on behalf of podcasters. Once a show is created in Drupal, Marketing Communications will submit the feed to the appropriate platforms. After the feed is established, any new episodes added to Drupal under the show will automatically be included in the feed, updating the platforms and releasing the episode to the audience. This ensures that all WPI podcasts are discoverable under a single WPI-branded presence.

Publishing and Distribution

Episodes will be displayed on:

  • Drupal user profile pages (if guests are tagged)
  • Expert database profiles (show owner and if guests are tagged)
  • Topics pages (https://www.wpi.edu/topics)
  • Department or division pages (Drupal Groups)
  • The Listen page (https://www.wpi.edu/listen)
  • WPI Today email
  • Social media posts (at the discretion of Marketing Communications)
  • Newsletters and digital screens across campus (at the discretion of Marketing Communications)

This means that even if shows are distributed to external platforms, audiences will still be able to discover and listen to episodes directly on the WPI website.

Content - Branding and Creative Guidelines

To maintain a consistent and professional brand identity across all WPI podcasts, creators must adhere to the following guidelines: 

Verbal Branding
  • University Mention: All episodes must include "wpi.edu" at least once, preferably in both the introduction and conclusion to drive traffic to the university website.
  • Standard Introduction: Begin each episode with a consistent introduction that identifies the podcast as part of the WPI network (e.g., "Welcome to [Show Name], a podcast from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. I'm your host, [Name]...")
  • Standard Conclusion: End each episode with a call to action that directs listeners to WPI resources (e.g., "Thanks for listening to [Show Name]. Visit wpi.edu/[relevant page] to learn more about today's topic.")
  • Terminology Consistency: Use official names for WPI programs, departments, and initiatives. Refer to the university as "Worcester Polytechnic Institute" on first mention and "WPI" thereafter.
Audio Branding
  • Intro/Outro Music: Podcasters should source appropriate music through Getty, ensuring they have proper licensing for podcast use. Choose music that reflects your show's tone while maintaining professionalism.
  • Sound Quality: Ensure all audio meets professional standards with clean editing, balanced levels, and minimal background noise.
  • Voice and Tone: Maintain a conversational yet professional tone that reflects WPI's values of innovation, collaboration, and academic excellence. 
Examples of Effective Branding Elements
  • Sample Introduction Script: "Welcome to WPI Tech Innovations, a podcast from Worcester Polytechnic Institute where we explore cutting-edge research and its real-world applications. I'm Professor [Name] from the [Department] Department, and today we're discussing [topic] with our special guest, [Guest Name]."
  • Sample Transition to Break: "You're listening to WPI Tech Innovations. When we return, we'll dive deeper into [topic]. Stay with us."
  • Sample Conclusion Script: "That concludes today's episode of WPI Tech Innovations. To learn more about [topic] or to connect with our guest, visit wpi.edu/listen/tech-innovations. Our show notes include links to resources mentioned in today's discussion. This has been a production of Worcester Polytechnic Institute. I'm [Host Name], and I'll be back next [day] with another conversation at the intersection of technology and society." 

Department Reference Examples: 

  • Correct: "The Department of Computer Science at WPI" (first mention) 
  • Correct: "The CS Department" (subsequent mentions) 
  • Avoid: "The Computer Science Dept." or inconsistent abbreviations 

Program Reference Examples: 

  • Correct: "The Interactive Media & Game Development program" (first mention) 
  • Correct: "The IMGD program" (subsequent mentions) 
  • Avoid: Creating unofficial abbreviations or alterations to program names  
Content Standards and Academic Freedom

While podcasters have creative freedom, content should reflect WPI's values and maintain a professional tone. As a university, WPI upholds the principles of academic freedom — podcasters have the right to explore and discuss academic topics without fear of censorship, provided the content aligns with university policies and standards. 

Podcasts should avoid content that is: 

  • Discriminatory, defamatory, or offensive 
  • Politically partisan or commercially biased 
  • Misleading or factually inaccurate 

Podcasters are trusted to create professional content that reflects positively on WPI. 

Multimedia Content

Video Integration

While the platform currently supports audio-only content, YouTube videos can be embedded on episode pages in Drupal if podcasters produce a video version. Users will be able to embed the video of their episode using a Drupal Media block that can be added to the layout of the Drupal page. This is optional but can enhance the listener experience and provide additional visibility on video platforms.

Scheduling Recommendations

Podcasts should be released on a regular schedule to maintain audience engagement — ideally bi-weekly or monthly. Consistency helps build an audience and encourages listeners to return for new content.

Suggested episode length:
  • 20–45 minutes for general interest topics
  • Up to 60 minutes for in-depth or academic discussions
Compliance and Consent

Podcasters must agree to these guidelines before publishing an episode by checking a consent box when adding an episode in Drupal. This confirms that the producer understands and accepts WPI's content and branding standards.

All content must comply with WPI's general policies, including:

  • WPI Content Guidelines
  • WPI's academic and professional standards

Promotion Strategies

WPI is committed to helping podcasters reach a broad audience.

For WPI-Produced Podcasts

WPI is committed to helping podcasters reach a broad audience:

  • CMS users will have full control over creating and publishing their podcast episodes in Drupal; Marketing Communications will not create or publish content on their behalf.
  • Marketing Communications will handle distribution of podcast shows and episodes throughout the WPI digital ecosystem using:
    • The Drupal tagging system to display content on relevant department, topic, and expert pages
    • Featured placement on the Listen page (https://www.wpi.edu/listen)
    • Inclusion in WPI Today email, newsletters, and social media (at Marketing Communications' discretion)
    • Digital screens across campus (when appropriate)
    • Other promotional channels as determined by Marketing Communications
  • Podcasters are strongly encouraged to promote their own shows and episodes by:
    • Sharing the direct Drupal URLs to their shows and episodes on personal and professional social media
    • Including links in email signatures, presentations, and relevant publications
    • Encouraging guests to share episodes with their networks
    • Mentioning their podcast during relevant speaking engagements and classes
  • The podcast platform allows WPI to build a central repository of podcast content, improving discoverability and promoting shows across multiple channels.

For External Podcasts Featuring WPI Experts

Marketing Communications will support the promotion of external podcast appearances:

  • Selected episodes may be featured in WPI Today and social media
  • Episodes will be linked from relevant expert and department pages
  • Episodes will be included in the unified podcast directory on the Listen page

The podcast platform allows WPI to build a central repository of podcast content, improving content discoverability and helping to promote shows across multiple channels.

Future Enhancements

Additional resources for recording, editing, and promoting podcasts may  be added over time. We're continuously looking to improve our podcast platform and support for content creators.

Support and Contact Information

For questions or assistance with:

Podcast Recording and Production

Global Lab

 Location: Innovation Studio 

 

Global Lab website
Booking Global Lab space
Podcast Distribution and Marketing

Marketing Communications

 For questions about podcast promotion, distribution to external platforms, and marketing strategy.

Email Marketing Communications
Podcast Hosting and Content Management

CMS Help Team

 For assistance with adding shows and episodes to the WPI Drupal platform. Please ensure you have all required materials as described in this document before contacting.

Email CMS Help
Podcast Analytics and Reporting

Digital Operations

 

 For analytics reports on podcast performance including plays, pauses, listening duration, and engagement metrics where the audio player is embedded on Drupal episode pages.

 

Email Digital Operations
External Podcast Submissions and Content Ideas

Media Relations Team, Marketing Communications

For submitting external podcast appearances featuring WPI experts, suggesting research topics for possible podcast episodes, and proposing content ideas related to WPI expertise, innovations, and student/faculty/staff achievements.

Email the Media Relations Team