8 Business Podcasts Recommended by Experts

Since 2008, Edison Research reports that the listenership of podcasts has nearly doubled. The percentage of connected Americans who have listened to at least one podcast in the past month has risen from 9 percent to 17 percent, or an estimated 46 million people.

The proliferation of mobile devices and today's connected Americans are driving the newfound popularity of this somewhat old-school communication medium. Of the 2.6 billion podcasts downloaded in 2014, 64 percent were to mobile devices, according to Pew Research. That's part of why Skyword's Content Standard is predicting podcasting as the next "must have" to any marketer's content strategy.

Whether driving to work, at the gym or in between meetings, business podcasts offer listeners instant insight, news and commentary. These are some of the best podcasts recommended by brands who know business.

Small business podcasts

SmallBusinessBonfire.com offers the best small business news, tips and advice in the written form on a daily basis, and offers some of the best small business podcasts. With hundreds of podcasts, the site lists everything from entrepreneurial inspiration to actionable business tips. Here's some of their top listings:

1. Escape from Cubicle Nation
Escape from Cubicle Nation with Pam Slim offers "advice, support and encouragement to stop being a corporate prisoner and start your own business." The vast library of sessions include interviews with some small business greats like Guy Kawasaki, with archived podcasts dating back to 2006.

2. StartUpNation Radio
Hosted by the Sloan brothers and boasting the tagline, "Everything you need to build a business," StartUpNation Radio podcasts provide entrepreneurs and small business owners with actionable suggestions for launching and building a small business.

Podcasts for Entrepreneurs

Fluxe Digital compiled the 50 best business and entrepreneur podcasts, including:

3. The Ultimate Entrepreneur
In The Ultimate Enterpreneur, Jay Abraham talks with some of the biggest names in business like Mark Cuban, Tony Robbins and Ramit Sethi about everything related to growing a successful business.

4. The School of Greatness
School of Greatness shares inspiring stories not just from brilliant business minds, but world class athletes and influential celebrities, as well. All curated to help listeners find out what makes great people great.

Podcasts for Digital Marketers

Social media management platform provider, Hootsuite, has identified nine podcasts marketers need to follow to stay on top of the latest digital marketing trends and tools. Essential listening includes:

5. Social Media Marketing Happy Hour
Social Media Marketing Happy Hour is all social media, all the time. This series is billed as the podcast for the network marketer, small business owner, entrepreneur, and anyone else ready to learn the latest social media marketing tools and best practices. Each episode is 15 minutes of tactical advice for marketers.

Related: 4 Podcasts I Live By

6. SEO 101

The rules of SEO are constantly changing, so Webmaster Radio offers this podcast series as an efficient way to stay abreast of what you need to know. SEO 101 cuts through the jargon and complex concepts, delivering pithy commentary and advice to keep listeners up to snuff on the latest in search.

Podcasts for Enterprise Techies

Data protection provider Druva offers up eight podcasts for enterprise techies.

7. Speaking in Tech
Speaking in Tech is enterprise-centric podcast offers in-depth, relevant analysis between hosts and guests from big players like Intel, Cisco, EMC, Gallo, and many others.

8. In Tech We Trust
Called a series of rapid-fire, high-level, multi-pronged, tech talk mash-ups, In Tech We Trust keeps enterprise industry tabs on who's acquiring whom. Want to know who's innovating, and who's just putting out press releases? This podcast has your answer.