A podcast is a popular medium to engage and connect with millions of people globally. But before you reach that place, there are several things you need to consider and understand about this platform. The first thing is deciding your podcast format and how you can explore other podcast formats into your show.
There are many popular podcast formats out there that you can use on your show. Your goal should be to have a unique style, no matter the format, so you can connect with your audience. Sometimes podcasts include different genres and formats, but having a key theme will help you create episodes for the right audience.
Now that you have decided to start your own podcast, here are some of the most popular formats that you will find online:
Interview Format
An interview podcast is one of the most popular formats where the host interviews a new guest in every episode. This type of format is trendy amongst celebrities, allowing them to interact and engage with other well-known people worldwide. But it is not just limited to the famous; you will also find podcasts focusing on specific topics where experts come and give their opinions and insights.
Whether it is medical, technological, scientific, etc., you will find a variety of interview genres out there that you can tap into. If you are looking for a platform to start your interview podcast, these are recommended softwares for recording podcast interviews by Wired Clip that you should check out.
Solo Format
As the name suggests, a solo podcast format is when the host is not dependent on other people. The host is the only person speaking, which is one of the most common formats. In a solo format, the host can talk about topics within a specific genre as they share insights, expertise, and other relative information with their users.
This one-sided conversation tends to be non-scripted as the host’s share information, stories, and so on. In this type of format, you will always notice a more candid approach which is often well-received by their listeners and allows them to engage even better.
Co-Hosted Format
The podcast is hosted by two people in this format, similar to radio shows. It is also called a conversational podcast because the two people discuss a number of topics, and themes, explore stories, and so much more. It feels more like a discussion with your friends than the usual humorous commentary.
The conversations are extremely entertaining because they are mostly informal, allowing the listeners to relate to the stories or news you are talking about. It is widely popular amongst celebrities, especially those who love to improvise.
Panel Show Format
The panel show is similar to the interview format but involves many more people on the channel. You will often see panel shows with more than one guest commenting or conversing on specific topics.
Whether it is a movie, story, news, or even an educational point, you will notice a great dynamic that enhances the content’s quality in a panel show. Being part of a group discussion will also allow audiences to feel they belong to a club and feel part of the conversation. The discussion can be clear and smooth if you structure and plan your show well.
Repurposed Content Format
One of the best things about this podcast is that you have little to no work to upload these episodes. The advantage of the repurposed content format is to extract audio from blogs, vlogs, webinars, creative videos, and so on and then publish them on your podcast platform.
Reusing content is relatively easy; you need to edit portions that won’t add value to your listeners, enhance the sound quality, and add an intro and outro to your episodes. Even though you will require some editing for your present content, it is much quicker than creating a new episode from scratch.
Hybrid Format
Last on our list is the hybrid format, where the host uses a combination of different podcast formats to entertain their listeners. Some hosts stick to a particular format throughout their channel, but in hybrid, you can mix and match according to your style and preference. One of the biggest advantages of this format is that it can keep your listeners more engaged because you have so many different types of content and information.
The downfall of this format is that the combinations of these styles are time-consuming, and it can be challenging to develop a consistent show for your audience. But again, it all depends on what type of content you want to share, as it will allow you to be more creative.
These are just 6 of the many podcast formats out there, but by utilizing any of these formats, you will be able to build an audience. Above all, ensure that you have a clear focus and structure for your podcast, as it will help you create relevant content for your audience.