Are you planning on starting your Podcast? Looking for different ideas and formats to start with? Then you have come to the right place!
As Bernard Kelvin Clive says, “Podcasting has become one of the fastest and trusted tools/channels for building and promoting brands.”
We all know that Podcasts have become a part of our day-to-day life. With the massive increase in consumption of Podcast content, it has grown almost 200% Since 2016.
In 2020, 3 out of 10 Americans listened to podcasts every day, and an estimated 48 million podcast episodes were on the internet.
Podcasts are one of the fastest-growing media types, with almost 57% of Americans listening to a podcast in 2021.
7 types of Podcasts:
The growing popularity of Podcasts is mainly because of:
- User friendly: A podcast is just a click away. Pick up your phone and enter the world of podcasts.
- Easy to listen: You can listen to a podcast almost anywhere. It makes travel more enjoyable, workouts more exciting, and chores more bearable.
- Usually free: Well, most podcasts are a free source of entertainment, knowledge, and much more.
- Variety to choose from: You can listen to a podcast on almost any topic and any format you like.
You get so much to choose from that you often get confused, where to start? Here are the broad types of Podcasts, to sort you out!
1. Solo/Monologue podcast
This is one of the most common formats of podcasts. In Solo/ monologue format, there is a single host who speaks and manages the whole show. The Host speaks for the entire duration of the show on the topic of their choice. These podcasts are usually presented by an expert on a specific subject.
Many new podcasters begin with this format because it’s so easy to start with; all you need is a microphone and free editing tools.
If you go with this podcast format, it’s important to decide or set the duration of your episode.
Most podcasters can talk for 30 to 45 minutes.
2. Interview Podcast
An interview-style show has a host (or two) who interviews a different guest in each episode who adds to the episode with their own experience and skills.
After a quick introduction of the guests, the host takes over by asking questions to start the discussion around the episode’s topic to explore their stories and lessons. Because each guest is unique, it’s preferable to focus on a common theme to make your show cohesive.
This format helps you to make connections and opens your show to reach a wider audience base.
3. Conversational/Co-hosted Podcast
This format of the podcast is very similar to old-school radio shows. In this type, there are two hosts who engage in informative and entertaining chat and discussion on a topic or theme.
This style needs good chemistry and understanding between the hosts because it is easier to listen to an organic conversation rather than a scripted talk so, this format works best for hosts who can improvise on the go.
Because of the contrasting and unique viewpoint, you provide on your topics, a co-hosted type makes a fantastic podcast when it is done right.
It’s also a plus to have someone to share the workload of all that goes into creating a successful podcast.
4. The Panel/Roundtable Podcast
A panel or roundtable podcast is similar to an interview podcast, but with more people!
Each episode features a single host and a number of guests or a revolving group of hosts that give comments and discuss a variety of themes & topics. It’s as if your audience is listening to a casual chat between buddies.
This format reduces one person’s burden of speaking all the time and helps to run the show more smoothly for a longer duration.
The panel podcast can be hard to coordinate as you need to manage different people’s schedules and supervise each of them simultaneously. But if the show runs in coordination, it can be a great hit!
5. Non-fictional Storytelling Podcast
This podcast type has its episodes based on true events. You may investigate a series of murders or recreate a historical event; you can choose from anything to everything to educate your audience.
You can tell one story per episode or tell multiple stories throughout the course of a series.
Nonfiction podcasts may require a lot of research which is why you need to find a perfect balance between knowledge and entertainment to keep your audience hooked.
Because more planning and research work is involved, one needs to have a big team, which is why when first starting out, people don’t opt for this format as it needs more work than other simpler formats.
6. Theatre/ Fictional Storytelling Podcast
In this type, fictional stories are told in a series of episodes. Some are told by a single narrator, while others use a large number of voice actors, sound effects, etc.
This is an excellent format for those who enjoy creating characters, crafting plots, and narrating stories. It takes needs great imagination and skill to keep listeners engaged and intrigued.
While this format does not require as much research, a lot of technical work is needed.
If you enjoy writing novels or making films, this format could be ideal for you.
7. Repurposed Content Podcast
Repurposing literally means “to find a new use for an idea,” so when you repurpose content, you take something that already exists & modify it according to your need so that you can get more value out of it. Some bloggers simply repurpose previously written content into a podcast.
The podcast is easy to create because you already have the content. You only need to do some editing and Voila! Your podcast episode is ready.
This format is ideal for content creators in different mediums who want to reach new audiences while also establishing their specialized expertise and skill.
Now that you’ve learned about the most prevalent podcast formats, you’re probably thinking, “Which one is best for me and my show?”
Well, we suggest that you explore these three major points before deciding on which podcast format is best for your show.
Who are your Listeners and what are their listening habits?
How Do You Want Your Content To Be Presented?
Which Format Will Make Your Show Unique?
Which Format Suits Your Personality More?
Have something more to add? Or Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments below.
