Hey savvies! Welcome back to another episode of the podcast. In this episode, we are diving into the different types of podcast formats.
There are so many different types of podcast formats and since this is a podcast about podcasting for entrepreneurs I am only going to be covering the three formats that I think work for business owners so let’s dive in.
Interview Format:
Interview format is when you have a podcast that strictly interviews others about their expertise. You ask them questions and then they respond.
Pros:
Engaging and dynamic content // With interviews, your audience gets to connect with a variety of different people who bring new perspectives to the table.
You don’t have to think of new episode ideas as often //
One pro of this format is that you don’t have to worry about thinking of a topic each week. Make sure to get a guest application set up on your website because as your show becomes more well known, people will start reaching out to you to be on the show so that takes out some of the guesswork for you on finding people to interview for your show.
Interviewing people is fun and helps you continue to build connections with people in the online space // I am huge on collaborations and really enjoy guest interviews because it’s an easy (and fun) way to get to know others better and form long lasting collaborative relationships.
Ability to attract a larger audience // Having guests on your podcast can be beneficial because your guests can share their episode with their own audience and bring more people to your show which is a total win-win because who doesn’t want more listeners?
Cons:
Reliance on guest availability // With a solely guest interview based podcast, you are relying on getting other people on the show to produce new content and sometimes you might have a challenging time trying to fill a spot due to a last minute cancellation or something out of your control.
Less focus on you as the host // With an interview format, sure you can sort of show up as the expert in the midst of a conversation with your guests but it’s definitely harder for you to stand out as the host when you’re interviewing someone new each week. Your audience doesn’t really get to know you as much because you’re asking the guests questions instead of sharing your own expertise.
Less control over the content // Obviously you can craft the questions in advance but you don’t know how the guest is going to answer those questions which leads to you having less control over the content. However, since it is your podcast if an episode truly doesn’t meet your expectations in any way, you can choose to not air that episode.
Solo Format:
The second popular podcast format for entrepreneurs is doing strictly solo episodes. That means it’s 100% you behind the microphone with no guests whatsoever.
Pros:
Enhances your personal brand // With the solo format, the focus is 100% on you so it’s an amazing opportunity to grow your own brand and become the go-to expert in your niche.
Flexibility and convenience //
I don’t know about you but sometimes I record my podcast episodes at 8 pm in the evening and that is a lot harder to do when you’re working around other people’s schedules so the solo only format allows you to have more flexibility when it comes to your content, recording times, and more.
Increased efficiency // Solo episodes are much easier to handle in the post production process. There’s less room for errors and they’re also typically much shorter than guest episodes so your post production process will be much easier.
Cons:
It’s always you all the time and that can be a lot of pressure // Coming up with new episodes each week and always being the one having to be the behind the mic can be challenging.
Potential for burnout // When you’re the only one behind the mic, it can lead to burnout. I know that seems weird, but I feel like running a solo show can sometimes be more draining than a guest or hybrid show because the pressure is all on you.
Potential monotony // Of course, people show up to listen to your podcast to hear you every week but if there’s no variety, there is a potential for monotony.
You’re the only one marketing your episodes on a regular basis // When you don’t have guests on your show, you’re solely responsible for marketing your episodes. Now, I am definitely not saying that the only way to grow is to have guests on your show but it can certainly be helpful.
Hybrid Format:
This is where you have a mix of solo episodes and guest interviews. In my opinion, this is my favorite format because it gives you and your audience the best of both worlds.
Pros:
Gives your audience more variety // I don’t know about you but I am a big fan of variety especially when it comes to business focused podcasts so being able to hear both solo and guest episodes on the same show is very appealing and I’m probably not alone in this.
Allows you to build connections + a solid personal brand // Building connections by having guests + showcasing your own expertise in solo episodes? Count me in! No, but really, it’s really nice to have both.
More flexibility // I love being able to plug guest episodes in alongside my solo episodes. It takes some pressure off of me to always be thinking of new episodes but also makes it so I’m not having to worry about constantly finding new guests for the show.
Cons:
Potential for content overlap // I don’t really feel like this will be an issue for a lot of people, but since my own podcast is so niche there are only so many topics people can talk about so you may need to be careful here and make sure that your solo episodes and guest episodes are different enough so people aren’t getting the exact same content.
Increased workload compared to a strictly solo podcast // A strictly solo podcast is going to be a lot easier production wise than a hybrid format podcast so just keep that in mind because guest episodes require more editing, more promo creation, and more communication overall.
So I would love to know, which podcast format do you prefer? Let me know over on Instagram @podcastingforentrepreneurs. I’d love to hear from you.
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