Up to now decade, podcasts remodeled from a distinct segment medium to a preferred type of leisure on par with conventional media. Actually, 64% of People have listened to a podcast sooner or later, whereas 42% say they’ve listened to at the least one previously month. Podcast listening habits proceed to develop, and the accessibility of digital audio content material has made podcasts well-liked amongst each demographic.
For content material entrepreneurs, podcasts symbolize a enjoyable and interesting method to join with new viewers segments. The low barrier to entry of podcasting means nearly anybody with a microphone can distribute their concepts to a worldwide viewers.
By selecting podcast subjects that resonate with real-life experiences, manufacturers can entice a loyal podcast viewers searching for contemporary insights and genuine dialog, whether or not it’s a weekly podcast or a month-to-month sequence of thrilling podcast episodes.
How Do You Select a Podcast Format?
A key side of choosing the proper podcast format is to consider whether or not your viewers prefers brief snippets, deep dives or a mix of each types of audio content material. For those who’re undecided the place to start, begin by asking your self this query: What sort of content material does my viewers actually need?
Let the reply to this query information your preliminary planning. You may have a look at your web site and social media analytics to get a greater sense of the subjects your viewers enjoys studying about essentially the most. For instance, in case your viewers responds effectively to long-form blogs, you would possibly contemplate beginning a present in a format hosted by one essential speaker who delves deeply into business challenges.
In case your viewers prefers bite-sized takes on present occasions, a casual-style conversational podcast is likely to be extra participating for weekly podcast releases.
It could take a minute to wrap one’s head round advertising podcasts, so that you don’t should determine or have a transparent imaginative and prescient simply but. We’ll information you thru the most typical podcast format decisions so you’ll be able to see what’s attainable.
As you contemplate the precise varieties your ultimate podcast listeners would possibly take pleasure in, take into consideration whether or not your present would possibly profit from interviews, co-hosted discussions or fictional storytelling parts.
8 Kinds of Podcasts
Contemplating that there are about 2,625,932 “legitimate” podcasts out there for obtain on Apple Podcasts at this very second, we perceive if the market seems somewhat crowded to you. If there are such a lot of podcasts on the market, how are you presupposed to make a mark on the medium?
With cautious thought of frequent podcast format kinds — and by specializing in a extremely focused podcast viewers — it’s attainable to face out, even among the many hottest podcast codecs.
There’s no cause to sweat. Though the variety of podcast episodes and reveals is at all times rising, it doesn’t imply it’s a must to compete with all of them. With the proper technique, you’ll be able to at all times discover a area of interest viewers that’s ravenous on your content material podcast, regardless of how humdrum a common viewers would possibly discover your business.
Step one towards making a podcast that appeals to your ultimate viewers is to decide the proper podcast format, not essentially the most well-liked format. There’s at all times room to place your distinctive spin on these 8 main forms of podcasts:
- Interview Podcasts.
- Conversational Podcasts.
- Monologue Podcasts.
- Storytelling / Investigative Podcasts.
- Roundtable Podcasts.
- Theatrical Podcasts.
- Repurposed Content material Podcasts.
- Hybrid Podcasts.
1. Interview Podcasts
The interview podcast format often entails one or two hosts who communicate with a number of visitors every episode. On this format, the visitor gives distinctive experience or insights on a given subject, business or theme. You may really break this format additional into two podcast kinds:
- Knowledgeable interviews: In podcasts like Reid Hoffman’s Masters of Scale, the interviewer focuses on a selected subject during which the interviewee is taken into account a thought chief. For instance, a visitor like Invoice Gates would possibly share tales about his experiences as a know-how entrepreneur. Many viewers members take heed to one of these hosted podcast to be taught extra a few given business or achieve insights that may assist them in their very own careers.
- Leisure interviews: Leisure-style podcasts invite visitors to share attention-grabbing tales about their lives and real-life experiences. These reveals are sometimes hosted by comedians or leisure journalists. For instance, comic Sabrina Wu lately appeared as a visitor on fellow comic Carmen Esposito’s podcast, Queery, to debate gender identification, race and the way these have influenced their profession.
Interview format reveals can require fairly a little bit of analysis. On the identical time, the podcast host wants the proper expertise to attract out attention-grabbing tales from visitors. This frequent podcast format is a good way to supply a variety of opinions and viewpoints.
2. Conversational Podcasts
Conversational, co-hosted reveals are a very talked-about podcast style and are similar to conventional radio reveals. On this format, two podcast hosts have entertaining conversations about particular themes and subjects. Typically, co-hosts will talk about trending information tales and supply insightful — or humorous — commentary. This method permits for a extra spontaneous model of digital audio content material and might enchantment to a broad podcast viewers.
Conversational podcasts might embrace visitors, as effectively. For instance, the Adam Buxton Podcast, hosted by the British comic, places a comedic spin on this well-liked style. He’s typically joined by visitors who, for the higher a part of an hour, merely have a dialog with him.
If you wish to select a extra casual construction whereas nonetheless integrating interviews, this can be a helpful format to discover. This kind of podcast requires a excessive stage of consolation and familiarity between the hosts. If the hosts don’t know one another effectively or don’t get alongside, the viewers will have the ability to inform.
As a result of you’ll be able to’t script a dialog — or at the least, you shouldn’t — this format is finest for hosts who can improvise on the spot. Such spontaneity typically retains podcast listeners engaged repetitively, particularly if the episodes keep an genuine really feel.
The conversational podcast might current distinctive technical challenges. For instance, if the hosts reside in separate cities, they’ll want particular podcast or audio recording software program to document the voice tracks independently after which splice them collectively. For those who’re eager about exploring one of the best practices for this, try our information on learn how to document a podcast remotely to make sure seamless manufacturing throughout distances.
3. Monologue Podcasts
Monologue podcasts, or solo monologue reveals, characteristic a single host who speaks for the whole lot of every episode. These solo podcasts often spotlight somebody who’s an knowledgeable in a given discipline. Viewers members tune in to find out about a selected subject or get an knowledgeable opinion on latest occasions, making this a favourite possibility for academic podcasts.
Many monologue-style or academic podcasts, corresponding to Philosophize This!, hosted by Stephen West, are prime examples. On this explicit sequence, West takes listeners on a journey by the historical past of world philosophy. Starting with pre-Socratic philosophy, West gives an outline of main actions in philosophic thought all through the ages.
This model of hosted podcast might be utilized to any subject — however hosts ought to have sufficient expertise and experience to fill many episodes. That mentioned, it’s attainable to provide a limited-run present that covers a single subject or situation, much like a serialized audiobook.
With a monologue format, you’re additionally in full management of pacing, which might be useful if you wish to create a weekly podcast schedule.
Subscribe to
The Content material Marketer
Get weekly insights, recommendation and opinions about all issues digital advertising.
Thanks for subscribing! Maintain an eye fixed out for a Welcome electronic mail from us shortly. For those who don’t see it come by, examine your spam folder and mark the e-mail as “not spam.”
The monologue format gives the benefit of not being depending on different folks. The host doesn’t must e book visitors or configure schedules with one other host. Nevertheless, this model nonetheless requires a good quantity of analysis, particularly if you wish to weave in real-world examples or reference business knowledge in every episode.
For those who plan to start out podcast manufacturing for a smaller, area of interest viewers, this may very well be your ultimate construction.
4. Storytelling / Investigative Podcasts
Podcast listeners take pleasure in storytelling podcasts and investigative podcasts for his or her immersive experiences. On this format, a number of hosts use every podcast episode to inform a whole story or a chapter of an ongoing story, permitting for a deep dive into attention-grabbing content material.
There are lots of totally different examples of non-fiction, story-based podcasts. On one finish of the spectrum is Dan Carlin’s Hardcore Historical past podcast. Carlin produces extraordinarily well-researched miniseries that take his podcast listeners by momentous durations of world historical past. Actually, his present entails a lot analysis that every miniseries takes months to provide.
On the opposite finish of the spectrum is My Favourite Homicide, hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Every episode covers a selected case in grotesque element. This present can also be closely researched however gives extra private commentary on every topic.
Non-fiction podcasts can require lots of assets. Podcasters who excel at this format mix glorious analysis expertise with a eager eye for leisure worth. The payoff might be enormous, particularly in niches the place curious podcast viewers members eagerly wait for brand new developments.
5. Roundtable Podcasts
Roundtable podcasts, or panel reveals, contain a constant or rotating group of hosts who present commentary and dialog round particular subjects. Typically, there’s a essential host who MCs every episode whereas co-hosts fill particular roles. For instance, some co-hosts might present extra comedic commentary, whereas others supply in-depth experience.
Panel reveals typically attempt to make their viewers members really feel like they’re a part of a non-public membership. As an illustration, long-time listeners will decide up on in-jokes and host persona quirks extra so than somebody tuning in for the primary time.
Roundtable podcasts take the stress off one individual by splitting the workload amongst a lot of totally different folks. For instance, on Conan O’Brien’s podcast, Conan O’Brien Wants a Good friend, the previous late-night host is commonly joined by co-hosts and quite a few visitors from across the leisure business.
This frequent podcast format is good if you happen to worth collaboration, a way of neighborhood and the power to discover all kinds of themes in every episode.
6. Theatrical Podcasts
The fiction podcasts, or theatrical podcasts, have been a rising development for years. Some theatrical podcasts encompass a single host who narrates a narrative in an analogous method to an audiobook. Different podcasts inside this format make the most of a whole solid of voice actors and sound engineers to create extra immersive experiences.
On this format, podcast hosts attempt to create fictional worlds that entertain their listeners. It calls for a stage of creativity and expertise to maintain listeners engaged. Whereas this format doesn’t require as a lot analysis as others on this checklist, it nonetheless entails lots of work. On the identical time, that implies that the competitors is excessive. Not solely do these podcasts compete with one another, but additionally with different types of leisure like TV reveals, video podcasts, audiobooks and motion pictures.
If fiction is your jam, look no additional than the sci-fi analogy podcast sequence, DUST, for inspiration. Equally, you would possibly contemplate a theatrical-style method for tales that mix dramatization and actuality, making a form of “docudrama” expertise.
7. Repurposed Content material Podcasts
At Brafton, we love repurposing content material with clear content material methods and objectives in thoughts. The method of repurposing present content material gives a number of advantages, from boosting viewers engagement to serving totally different wants alongside the gross sales funnel.
Plus, repurposing content material can provide the respiratory room you could create contemporary, attention-grabbing materials on a schedule that fits you. That mentioned, repurposed content material for a podcast also can fill gaps between main releases if you happen to want additional time to provide large-scale tasks.
A key a part of this course of is optimizing content material to make it extra refined and related. Instruments like a reword textual content generator simplify this course of by making the present textual content contemporary and attention-grabbing.
Information applications are among the many commonest on this class. The identical story can seem in print, video podcasts and audio. This format works effectively for manufacturers that already produce lots of materials for the online. For instance, if your online business has a strong backlog of weblog content material, you could possibly flip every submit into its personal podcast episode.
That will successfully offer you double the amount of content material and let you attain a phase of your audience that prefers podcast audio over written textual content. You can even re-cut present episodes into smaller “bite-sized” clips if you happen to’re trying to create a weekly podcast schedule with out ranging from scratch each single time.
8. Hybrid Podcasts
Podcasts are a extremely versatile medium. You may combine and match the essential codecs from this checklist to create your personal model. For instance, a podcaster with experience in a given topic space would possibly host a monologue-style podcast and sometimes interview visitors. Likewise, a panel present would possibly cut up every episode into segments, together with an area for the principle host to current a solo monologue.
A fantastic instance of a hybrid present is The New York Instances’ podcast known as The Each day. Hosted by Michael Barbaro and Sabrina Tavernise, every episode contains monologues and interviews with among the world’s finest journalists.
Or, you would possibly provide you with a podcast format that’s nothing like the rest on this checklist! That’s one of many nice issues concerning the medium. The barrier to entry is sort of low in comparison with beginning a radio present or TV program. There are even free internet hosting choices that let you document podcasts remotely, produce episodes and submit them to main distribution channels, all instantly out of your smartphone.
Video podcast diversifications are actually more and more well-liked, too, providing you with the possibility to seize each audio and visible engagement.
Fast Ideas for Beginning a Podcast
Feeling impressed to start out podcast manufacturing on your personal model? Listed here are some fast tricks to get began, no matter which sort of podcast format you in the end decide:
What Tools Do You Want To Begin a Podcast?
On the very least, you’ll want a smartphone to start out recording a podcast. Your cellphone has a microphone and an web connection, which is all you could document and distribute your podcast. Nevertheless, podcasts recorded on cellular gadgets can sound tinny and unprofessional when in comparison with a extra skilled setup.
The subsequent finest setup is equally easy: A pc and a microphone. You should utilize free (or very inexpensive) software program to watch your vocal ranges and produce a present that sounds almost skilled. This set of apparatus will assist create content material podcast episodes that your podcast viewers will need to come again to many times.
If you need the complete Joe Rogan expertise, you’ll must spend fairly a bit extra on skilled gear, together with:
- Stand microphones.
- Acoustic foam.
- Audio mixers.
- Pop filters.
- Enhancing software program.
After all, you’ll additionally want someplace to document. A quiet workplace area is often a great place to start out. Marc Maron famously began recording his podcast, WTF, in his storage and even interviewed former President Barack Obama there. So don’t fear if you happen to don’t have entry to a recording studio. As you develop and repeatedly launch new podcast episodes, you’ll be able to at all times improve your setup and even enterprise into video podcasts to achieve a broader viewers.
How A lot Cash Does It Take To Begin a Profitable Podcast?
The price of producing a podcast can fluctuate drastically relying on a lot of elements. For those who plan on making a solo podcast with minimal gear, this may be as little as $0 in expenditure. Nevertheless, most podcasters pay for podcast internet hosting and web site options (see some examples). Distribution networks like Spotify and Apple Podcasts don’t host your precise podcast information. For that, you’ll want to make use of a service like Buzzsprout, Anchor, SoundCloud or Captivate.
For those who’re beginning a podcast from scratch, with none gear, you’ll be able to count on to spend anyplace from $50 to $500 to launch your present. However bear in mind: Many individuals have began a podcast with little greater than a smartphone and a dream.
Be somewhat daring and experiment with this rising advertising medium, and begin testing new milestones with the ability of audio storytelling and podcasts.
Editor’s Be aware: Up to date October 2025.
