Tag: podcast 101

Blog title Podcasting formats

Podcast Formats – Which One Should You Choose?

What is a podcast format?  When you choose to do a podcast you need to decide how you will configure your episodes. Your podcast format is the way you’ll present your information to your listener in each episode.

Below I will tell you about the 6 most common forms and give an example of a show with that format.

Solo Show.

You are the sole voice on your show. Your listeners will tune in each week to hear your take on whatever topic you’ve chosen in your niche. 

Pros: Simple to create 

Cons: Be careful not to speak in a mono-tone your listeners may get bored and not return 

Solo shows I’m enjoying at the moment are: Affirmation Pod. I have been a loyal listener for years!!

The Traveling Introvert

Interview

You talk to a different person in each episode. You ask questions and take them through a story that will either educate and/or entertain your audience.  

Pros. A popular format that is easy to set up.   A great tool to conduct interviews remotely is Squadcast. I wrote a how – to use guide here . If you want to try Squadcast you can sign up here. (Please read my affiliate statement at the bottom of this article.

Cons: Finding the right guests can take a little time, asking incisive questions is a skill that improves with time. Your first few interviews might be a little rough in terms of technique, it will get better. 

Visible at Work

Making Sense with Sam Harris

Roundtable : You host a discussion on a topic and debate it with a group of people

Example Sips of Truth 

Documentary.  Also called non-fiction storytelling, with this format, you will be telling a story that is based on facts. 

This American Life

Think about the sentence this film was based on real events, this bring us to the docu-drama

Docu-drama: A fact-based podcast mixed with elements of storytelling. Best example SERIAL

Audio Drama  A fiction story telling podcast

Past Due 

A podcast I’ve discovered recently that’s got 200, 000,000 downloads and is addictive We’re Alive

Hybrid : A mix of the formats above. The most common mix is interviews and solo-shows. 

Why you need to choose a style and how to do it

Choosing a format will help you create your content. Putting your ideas into a consistent format each week/fortnight/month will help you create structure around your podcast efforts.

 When you know what you need to do for each episode you will be able to create elements of your podcast in advance like your quick fire round if you do interviews or your different calls to action.  Need some help with these?

Would you rather have a visual for all this info ?

Podcast Formats

Heads up! My articles may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of my links you won’t pay more but I will get a small commission. Thanks.

Does Your Podcast Have A Call-To-Action (CTA)?

What is a CTA? 

Very basically this is when you ask your listeners to perform a specific task/activity. In this article, we’ll cover what you can say in your CTA and where you can place it in your podcast. 

If you are a new podcaster one of your goals will be to ensure that people who listen to your show will receive each episode as you release it. In fact, that’s every podcaster’s goal! We want to ensure listeners are also subscribers.  

A CTA you can use is “Please subscribe to the show in your podcast app”.  A lot of people are still asking listeners to subscribe in iTunes. This is wrong for two reasons. Firstly, Apple made some major changes last year and podcasts are now available on Apple Podcasts.  Secondly, not everyone has an Apple device, and you don’t want them to think that will be a problem. Make sure they know that they can subscribe to your podcast feed in whatever podcast app they use – tell them!   

Tip: Use the same CTA for 3-4 episodes then change it. People can be slow to take action or they simply forget. Repetition helps. 

A quick change to the example above is to tell listeners where they can find your podcast and ask them to subscribe. Let them know there is a platform they can listen on. 

“You can find the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Spreaker – please subscribe”. 

Make sure that your show is available in these directories. 

Podcasts are about connection and community, tell people how they can contact you. If you are prepared to commit the time you can start a FB group for your podcast. 

A connection CTA can be : 

“Please join the Facebook group for the (your podcast name) the link is in the shownotes”.

Or “Please send me an email with your thoughts and questions. I’d love to read some out on the show”.  Spell out the e-mail address if you use this CTA. 

With these connection CTA’s you are asking for more interaction. It will take some time for people to respond and contact you but keep asking and telling them how. 

Tip: It’s important to put any links from your CTA in your shownotes. People are more likely to click on a link than hunt for a Facebook page later in the day. Make it easy for your listeners. 

Where in your podcast should you place your CTA? 

This is up to you but as a listener, I prefer them midway or at the end.  If you have segments in your podcast, then between segments is a great place to put your CTA. 
Otherwise, put it at the end of your podcast – you can make it part of your outro, or just before. 

I did a very quick informal survey and most people stated that they prefer the CTA to be in the middle of the podcast or at the end. Very few liked to be asked to subscribe before hearing the content. 

Podcast 101 – The 5 Things You Need To Start A Podcast

Let’s make it simple, here’s what you need to start your podcast.

 

Clear creative ideas are the basis for a great podcast
Podcast 101: The 5 Things You Need To Start Your Podcast – A great idea

Let’s make it simple. This week I’m stripping it down to the bare basics, what you need to start a podcast. Yes, getting a fab looking mic is fun but it’s not necessary. So before buying anything, you need a plan. You need to be clear about what you want to podcast about. It doesn’t matter that someone else is doing it; you just have to be clear on:

 

  • What you want to talk about
  • Why you want to talk about it
  • Who you want to talk to (who is your podcast aimed at? Who do you want to listen to your podcast?)

“I don’t know” is sometimes a valid answer to this question, get started anyway and work it out along the way.

To summarise the first thing you need before you start a podcast is an idea and a plan.

 

2. A Microphone

The second thing you will need is a microphone. Please do your homework before running out and getting the most expensive mic you can find. As a general rule condenser mics (like the Blue Yeti) these are a lot more sensitive to the noise around you. The mic pictured is a dynamic mic and I can’t talk enough about the ATR2100.

Dynamic microphone with a pop filter
A good dynamic mic will take you a long way

It’s excellent, it’s tough and it does everything you need it too. I nearly forgot the round disc in front of the mic is a pop filter. Get one of these!!!! They are cheap and will save you a lot of time editing. We all make weird mouth noises this will minimise or eradicate them. If you just want to get started, use the Apple earbuds, they are good enough you will grow as you know more. Questions? Are you lost when thinking about what you need and what to do to get your podcast idea out of your head onto Apple Podcasts? Book a Discovery Call on the Contact Me Page