Maybe a better question is: What are you trying to accomplish with your podcast?
Podcasts come in all shapes and sizes
Podcasts range the gamut from a minute to several hours in length. So, the main question is what type of content will you be recording?
If your episodes lend themselves to bite size content – then aim for 5 to 10 minutes.
If you want to chat with a co-host – determine how long each chat will be (and make sure you actually have something to say, not just rambling nonsense) then stick to that length.
Are you making a story episode? Many story type podcasts roll in at about an hour.
Long form interviews and deep dives? There are several that are an hour plus – up to 3–4 hours.
What matters is: You have something to say
Here’s a recipe for disaster: Just turning on the microphone and making it up as you go.
Early in my radio career I had a boss who drilled into my head: “Be On, Be Good, Be Gone.”
- Be On
Meaning: Be prepared to open the mic and be interesting. Have a determined outcome and be ready to handle anything unexpected that might come your way.
- Be Good
Meaning: When you Open the mic, your audience has an expectation that you will provide them something fun, exciting, entertaining, inspiring or informational that will keep them listening. You need to deliver.
- Be Gone
Meaning: Don’t wear out your welcome. When you have done what you have accomplished – get out of dodge. (Most of us are NOT Joe Rogan)
Radio Coach Tommy Kramer says it like this: “Take as long as you need, but be as brief as you can.”
Know your Audience
As you create your episodes, you will learn what your audience enjoys and expects from you by the way they respond to your material.
Make sure you are surveying your audience, giving them an opportunity to contact you via email, and build community with your new listenters. It also gives you an avenue to ask them questions.
This is the best way to determine how to improve and adjust the length of your episodes.
Deliver on your promise
Once you have several episodes under your belt and you are beginning to get in the groove of producing your shows and are starting real conversations with your audience – you need to remain consistent.
Audiences aren’t going to rake you over the coals if you have a Twenty minute podcast and you run 25 minutes.
BUT.
If they expect 20 minutes and all of a sudden you run an hour – that might run some people off.
Here’s what James Cridland Says at Podnews.net:
A podcast should be as long as it needs to be: but not a second longer.