Whether or not you’re a novice podcaster or a seasoned skilled, you probably wish to know what’s going to encourage your listeners to tune in. The reality is that there aren’t any one-size-fits-all options in terms of what works finest for any given podcast episode. The primary query individuals wish to know is: how lengthy ought to a podcast be?
If you end up fretting over episode lengths and are anxious that you will have fewer listeners engaged, we will break down the best podcast episode size in your present.
Let’s take a better look.
Common Podcast Episode Size
The common podcast episode size relies on so many alternative components, however there’s some analysis on the market that factors to finest practices. Some episodes are solely fifteen minutes lengthy, whereas others are inclined to favor longer episodes. Dan Misener with Pacific Content material appeared on the common episode size and revealed some shocking figures that you’ll want to take into accout.
In his 2019 research of greater than 18 million podcast episodes, Misener discovered that the typical size was 41 minutes and 31 seconds.
In fact, averages must consider episodes which might be each a lot shorter and for much longer than the typical. With these outliers taken out of the image, you would possibly discover that the best podcast size is definitely even shorter. The identical research discovered that the median episode size was simply 36 minutes and 34 seconds.
On the entire, these figures exhibit that the best podcast size is steadily shrinking. Each the typical and the median are about two minutes shorter than they have been the earlier time Misener carried out his research.
Remember that podcast software tools may also help you develop your viewers and monitor analytics as effectively!
Questions & Components in Podcast Episode Size
In fact, this takes under consideration all podcast episodes with out making any allowances for niches that sometimes run longer or shorter. The common size offers you a great guideline, however there are extra particular knowledge factors you would possibly wish to use to find out podcast size.
How lengthy ought to a podcast be? Let’s check out a few of these questions that will help you navigate the right size.
What Sort of Podcast Episode Are You Making?
The very first thing it is advisable contemplate is the kind of podcast episode you wish to commit to creating. If you’re operating a one-man present, you could not want the size that somebody conducting interviews tends to have. Which codecs ought to characteristic longer episodes?
Solo podcasters probably wish to persist with shorter episodes. With out the dynamic banter between you, a co-host, or an interviewed visitor, you’ll probably discover that you just run out of issues to say shortly. It is much better to have a shorter podcast episode than to attempt to stretch it out with filler content material to hit some imaginary “very best” minimal.
However, your podcast episodes is perhaps longer when you have a couple of particular person concerned. This enables your podcast listeners to listen to from everybody and permits for the back-and-forth of a dialog to succeed in a logical conclusion.
What Niches Permit Longer Episodes?
Chances are you’ll discover that some niches are inclined to have an extended common podcast size, so understanding what your listeners anticipate might be extraordinarily useful. Apple Podcasts breaks down the matters and niches into very detailed classes. How lengthy ought to a podcast be in among the prime classes?
The very first thing to think about is your podcast format. In case you intend to create bite-sized episodes with fast day by day briefings within the space of leisure or information, you may want a shorter episode. Instructional or in-depth episodes are usually somewhat longer.
Some niches that have a tendency to permit for longer podcast episodes embrace:
- Gaming
- Sports activities
- Movie or leisure
- Comedy
- Faith
- Music
- Leisure
Nearly all of those matters are available in with a mean episode size that could be a little greater than the median. Contemplate your area of interest and episode construction while you determine to create a brand new episode.
How Lengthy Can You Maintain an Viewers’s Consideration?
That is one other key level that may assist you pinpoint the precise episode size. One of the crucial fashionable instances to pay attention is throughout a morning or night commute to work. The podcast business is taking discover of this dominant pattern. That is why a podcast host would possibly select to maintain their podcast beneath the typical commute time (27.6 minutes, each way).
To not point out, individuals have a shorter consideration span than ever earlier than. Particularly if you’re a solo host, there’s solely so lengthy that one voice can maintain curiosity. You may want your episode to be only a few minutes with extra frequent episodes as a substitute of longer.
Can You Preserve Up with Your Publishing Schedule?
Final however not least, you must contemplate your publishing schedule. How lengthy are you able to make your episodes whereas delivering high quality content material usually? Listeners should interact with you, however you additionally want to make sure you can ship again and again.
Shorter podcasts could also be simpler to provide for those who intend to drop new episodes a number of instances every week. If you’re decided to host lengthy episodes, you would possibly wish to contemplate backing down in your publishing schedule to only a few times every week to keep up high-quality content material.
Ought to All Podcast Episodes Be the Similar Size?
Typically, it’d make sense so that you can submit a shorter podcast or an extended one, relying in your subject. The best size is no matter feels proper to assist listeners interact, however ought to all episodes be roughly the identical?
Consistency is king in terms of the size of a podcast. Most podcasts discover that they’ve higher success reaching their viewers when their podcasts fall primarily into the identical timeframes.
Folks get used to their listening habits, so it makes extra sense to maintain your episodes constant.
As a common rule, you might need one episode that acts as an outlier in your library, however you must purpose to maintain the size of your podcast as constant as potential.
How Lengthy Ought to a Podcast Be? Tricks to Select the Common Size
When you find yourself able to host your personal present, it is advisable decide for your self how lengthy your podcast ought to be. Listed below are a number of of our prime tricks to get your podcast found within the post-production section when it’s prepared for the world.
Reduce Up Longer Episodes
Suppose that you just host an extended interview that exceeds your common podcast size. Perhaps it is two hours lengthy, and your content material is often 30 to 45 minutes. Many podcasts would wish to submit the total interview suddenly, but it surely is perhaps problematic for his or her listeners who’re accustomed to shorter podcasts.
As an alternative, you possibly can minimize up these longer interviews into a lot smaller segments. You would possibly be capable to get two to 3 episodes out of a single marathon recording session. Then, all it’s important to do is edit it down, discover a logical stopping level, and incorporate your intro and outro.
Collect Client Suggestions
One factor you are able to do to ensure you are hitting the most effective size in your viewers is to ask your loyal listeners for instant suggestions. Direct them to a survey, a ballot, or one thing else that permits them to give you suggestions on the size of your episode.
A number of viewers questions you would possibly wish to pose embrace:
- Do you want the episode was longer?
- What time or throughout what actions do you take heed to our episodes?
- Would you favor shorter episodes?
- How typically do you tune into our podcasts?
- What day is finest so that you can take heed to podcasts?
If you accumulate suggestions, ensure to take the time to overview it fastidiously. This may give you large perception into getting your message successfully out to your neighborhood in regards to the podcast episodes.
Preserve Intro and Outro Quick
Likelihood is that your episode would not simply launch instantly into speaking. You probably have an intro and outro recorded to heat individuals as much as the podcast. The important thing right here is that you do not need your recorded bits to be so lengthy that they set off individuals to click on away out of your podcast.
Particularly when you have shorter episodes (and even episodes of various lengths), then it is advisable be certain that your intro and outro are snappy, to the purpose, and intensely transient. Listeners get extra worth out of your precise content material, so do not distract them with theatrics.
Issue within the Format
Remember that the format of your episode is perhaps an indicator of how lengthy podcasts ought to be. Generally, viewers members count on a solo host to have shorter episodes in comparison with an interview or panel-style format. You’ll have to study to efficiently strike a stability along with your listeners.
Advantages of Longer Podcast Episodes
Podcasting for longer episodes might show to be a extra useful technique than slicing them up into short-form content material. Listed below are a number of advantages of preserving your content material lengthy.
Extra Income from Fewer Listens
Among the best methods to interact with listeners is to satisfy them on different platforms. Contemplate posting the recording of your podcast episode on YouTube in its full format versus small soundbites and snippets with Shorts or reels on social media. The distinction in your earnings could possibly be substantial.
In keeping with this video, 70,000 views of a long-form video would web you a similar quantity of income as 70 million short-form views. You possibly can do it, but it surely’s loads riskier!
Get Extra In-Depth
One of many advantages of internet hosting longer episodes is you can give your viewers what they actually need: a chance to get in-depth on the matters that matter. Folks wish to study and develop, so why not permit them to do exactly that with you by way of long-form content material?
Quick podcasts are nice for sound bites and fast briefs, however you by no means actually get to a deeper degree along with your viewers. The people who find themselves dedicated to listening to an hour-long podcast episode are way more more likely to be loyal followers than somebody who solely tunes in for a half-hour every week. It builds neighborhood.
Reduce Again on Frequency of Publishing Schedule
If you’re posting long-form content material in your podcast viewers, they may not count on that you’ll submit simply as many episodes as somebody doing short-form content material. This is usually a nice technique when you have restricted time to undergo the manufacturing course of every week, as you possibly can make the most of only one recording to create your content material.
Remaining Ideas: How Lengthy Ought to a Podcast Be?
There aren’t any fast and simple solutions about how lengthy your podcast ought to be. Listeners will point out to you whether or not they’re prepared to pay attention for fifteen minutes, one hour, or probably even longer. Preserve a few of these prime ideas in thoughts to make your podcasting extra partaking and profitable!
For extra data in your podcast analytics and the way they may also help you select the precise episode size, see our full information right here!
