3 Types of Podcasts: The Complete Guide to Audio Content Marketing

In the past decade, podcasts transformed from a niche medium to a popular form of entertainment on par with traditional media. In fact, over 55% of Americans have listened to a podcast, and 37% listen to podcasts monthly.

For content marketers, podcasts represent a fun and engaging way to connect with new audience segments. The low barrier to entry of podcasting means just about anyone with a microphone can distribute their ideas to a global audience.

How Do You Choose a Podcast Format?

If you’re not sure where to begin, start by asking yourself this question: What type of content does my audience want?

Let the answer to this question guide your initial planning. You can look at your website and social media analytics to get a better sense of the topics your audience enjoys learning about the most. For example, if your audience responds well to long-form blogs, you might consider starting a podcast that dives deep into industry challenges. If your audience prefers bite-sized takes on current events, a conversational podcast might be more engaging.

You don’t have to decide just yet. We’ll guide you through the most common podcast formats so you can see what’s possible.

8 Types of Podcasts

Considering that there are more than 850,000 active podcasts available for download at this very moment, we understand if the market looks a little crowded to you. If there are so many podcasts out there, how are you supposed to make a mark on the medium?

There’s really no reason to sweat. Although the number of podcasts is always growing, it doesn’t mean you have to compete with all of them. With the right strategy, you can always find a niche audience that is ravenous for your content, no matter how humdrum a general audience might find your industry.

The first step toward creating a podcast that appeals to your ideal audience is to pick the right podcast format. There’s always room to put your unique spin on these 8 major types of podcasts:

1. Interview Podcasts

An interview podcast usually involves one or two hosts who speak with one or more guests each episode. In this format, the guest provides unique expertise or insights on a given topic, industry or theme. You can actually break this format further into two podcast styles:

Expert interviews: In podcasts like Reid Hoffman’s Masters of Scale, the interviewer focuses on a specific topic in which the interviewee is considered a thought leader. For example, a guest like Bill Gates might share stories about his experiences as a technology entrepreneur. Many audience members listen to this type of podcast to learn more about a given industry or gain insights that will help them in their own careers.
Entertainment interviews: Entertainment-style podcasts invite guests to share interesting stories about their lives. These shows are often hosted by comedians or entertainment journalists. For example, showrunner Noelle Stevenson recently appeared as a guest on comedian Carmen Esposito’s podcast Queery to discuss her experiences in the entertainment industry.

Interview-style podcasts can require quite a bit of research. At the same time, the podcast host needs the right skills to draw out interesting stories from guests. This format is a great way to provide a range of opinions and viewpoints.

2. Conversational Podcasts

Conversational, co-hosted podcasts are very similar to traditional radio shows. In this format, two podcast hosts have entertaining conversations about specific themes and topics. Often, co-hosts will discuss trending news stories and provide insightful — or humorous — commentary.

Conversational podcasts may include guests, as well. For example, Brafton’s Above the Fold podcast, co-hosted by Francis Ma and Jeff Baker, often features guests from around the world of content marketing.

This type of podcast requires a high level of comfort and familiarity between the hosts. If the hosts don’t know each other well or don’t get along, the audience will be able to tell. Because you can’t script a conversation — or at least, you shouldn’t — this format is best for hosts who can improvise on the spot.

The conversational podcast may present unique technical challenges. For example, if the hosts reside in separate cities, they’ll need special software to record the voice tracks independently and then splice them together.

3. Monologue Podcasts

In the monologue style of podcast, a single host speaks for the entirety of each episode. These podcasts are usually hosted by someone who is an expert in a given field. Audience members tune in to learn about a specific topic or get an informed opinion on recent events.

For example, in the Philosophize This! podcast, host Stephen West takes listeners on a journey through the history of world philosophy. Beginning with presocratic philosophy, West provides an overview of major movements in philosophic thought throughout the ages.

This style of podcast can be applied to any topic — but hosts should have enough experience and expertise to fill many episodes. That said, it’s possible to produce a limited-run podcast that covers a single topic or issue, similar to a serialized audiobook.

The monologue format provides the advantage of not being dependent on other people. The host doesn’t need to book guests or configure schedules with another host. However, this style still requires a fair amount of research.

Search This Blog

RISE TV