Are you thinking of starting a podcast, but don't know where to start? In this episode, I share a few tips to help you decide what format is best for your podcast and also break down the six types of formats for you to consider. Read on to learn how to create a podcast that’s right for you.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- The six types of podcast formats you should consider
- The pros and cons of each podcast format
- Four things that should form part of your decision-making process
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Reasons why you should have a trailer for your podcast
There are four things I recommend you think about before getting started.
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- What aligns with your goals?
- What's your personal style?
- What kind of show would you enjoy doing? Yes, a podcast is for your audience, but at the same time, you want to do something that you're going to enjoy because you will be investing a lot of your time, money and effort.
- Do you have the time to dedicate to the format that you choose?
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Jot down your answers to those questions before reading more about the six most popular podcast formats that entrepreneurs adopt.
The pros and cons of six podcast formats for you to consider
Solo
Pros
This format is a great way for you, as a beginner, to find your feet. You are able to share your knowledge with a wider audience and it helps you be seen as an expert and authority in your field. On a practical level, editing is a lot easier and quicker as it's just one voice to edit. Your content can be informed by questions that your ideal audience has and on the tech side, all you need is your mic, headphones and recording software.
Solo episodes can be around 15-20 minutes in length. This will differ depending on the show but don’t feel you need to fill an hour slot just for the sake of it. Think about your audience, when they might be listening and how much time they may have. Providing valuable content is much better than waffling unnecessarily.
Cons
Everything falls to you. Of course, you can outsource as much or as little as you want but if that isn’t an option for you starting out, it’s important that you manage your time well.
Guest interviews
Pros
This format is perfect if you love chatting with people and you’d like to offer your audience a different perspective or point of view. Having guests on your show is a great way to expand your network and build relationships. Interviewing is a skill within itself and will take some time to learn. Keep things fun and light and make your guest feel comfortable. Have a list of questions but don’t be afraid to deviate from them if your guest says something that you’d like to delve deeper into. Let the conversation flow naturally.
Solo episodes can be around 15-20 minutes in length. This will differ depending on the show but don’t feel you need to fill an hour slot just for the sake of it. Think about your audience, when they might be listening and how much time they may have. Providing valuable content is much better than waffling unnecessarily.
Cons
Guest management is a time-consuming process. There are so many steps that need to be taken, including finding the guest and contacting them about appearing on your show before booking their interview; conducting research, creating and sharing social media graphics...and not forgetting following up after everything has been completed! This adds another layer to your workflow than just doing a solo show and I would highly recommend that you automate as much of this process as possible to save yourself time.
Co-host
Pros
This format is usually made up of two, sometimes three people, hosting the show. If this is something you are considering, you might want to team up with a friend or a like-minded person in your network that you know you get on well with. This format brings a different vibe to the show, especially if you bounce off each other quite well and can play to each other’s strengths. There’s a much more natural conversation as it’s likely to be unscripted. It’s light, fun and full of banter. Hosting with someone else means that the responsibilities for your podcast can be split equally. When choosing a co-host, do your due diligence and make sure they’re the right fit for you and your show.
Cons
Editing will take more time depending on how many people there are.
TOP TIP: It takes two to four times the length of the episode to edit two voices.
Panel or roundtable
Pros
This format is slightly different from the other formats we’ve spoken about. It’s usually one or two hosts with any number of guests - think morning talk show vibe. It will definitely ne an interesting show to listen to as there will be many different opinions and insights but needs to be handled well. You’ll want to avoid people speaking over each other or one person monopolising the entire conversation. Clear responsibilities should be set from the beginning. For example, who’s taking the lead, who’s second lead etc.
Cons
The more people involved, the more challenging scheduling your recording sessions will be. I recommend sending a Doodle poll or similar software so that everyone can add their availability and schedule your recording sessions as far our as possible. Batching will work extremely well for this format.
Storytelling
Cons
This format will require quite a bit of prep beforehand to ensure the different parts of the story weave well together. Unless storytelling is your jam, I wouldn’t recommend starting out with this one. It might be a bit more onerous.
Video
Pros
Video has really taken off in 2021, with a number of podcasters marketing their podcast on YouTube, whether it’s the actual video recording or the audio with a cover image. It’s important to consider that people consume content in different ways and video is definitely a great way to get more eyes (or ears) on your show. It’s really easy to record your video. You can use the same platform that you use to record your podcast or set up your phone on a tripod nearby to record your solo episode.
Video content is great for repurposing as well. For example, you can download a Facebook Live, strip the audio, transcribe it, and you're able to pull social media posts for a week. You can create a blog or an email newsletter - the options are endless.
Cons
Video podcasting takes a bit more effort. I mean, let’s be honest, you could record your podcast in your pyjamas and headscarf and feel totally at ease. But with video, you’ve got to be camera-ready. Like I said - effort.
CONCLUSION
So, there you have it! Six types of podcast formats to consider for your business and the pros and cons of each. Hopefully, this information has been helpful as you make the decision about what format will work best for you. Keep in mind that no one format is right for everyone and what might work great for one podcaster could be a disaster for another. When making your decision, think about things like target audience, content, style, and your own strengths and weaknesses. And don’t forget to factor in things like time commitment and budget – all of these factors will play into which format is best for you. Ready to get started? Podcasting can be a lot of fun – but it also takes a lot of hard work. Are you up for the challenge?
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
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