Determining the length of your podcast recordings is going to be one of the first, yet most important boxes that should be checked before beginning to record. There are many factors that go into finding your ideal episode length. Ultimately, the length of the recording you decide on comes down to your personal preference as well as your listeners’ personal preference. In this blog post from Podcast Architects, we’ll explore this topic from multiple angles to help you make the best decision for the success of your podcast.
Advantages to Producing Shorter Podcasts (10-30 minutes)
- Easier to upload more frequently
- Higher likelihood of having higher engagement levels
- Post-production process (editing, creating captions, inserting timestamps, uploading, etc.) is much shorter
Advantages to Producing Longer Podcasts (45 minutes or longer)
- Ideal for in-depth discussions
- Valuable for informational or interview-style podcasts
- Enhances credibility as a thought leader and expert within industry
- Convenient for listeners that have a lengthy commute to work or school
What to Consider When Choosing Your Podcast’s Length
When determining your ideal episode length, it’s important to consider the topic you are covering and how often you plan to release episodes. Podcast episodes about topics like the news will often run significantly shorter than episodes such as interviews. Additionally, a more frequent release schedule is often associated with shorter episodes. It’s important to keep in mind that you want the podcast to remain as engaging as possible throughout the wholerecording. It is generally easier to maintain engagement when recording shorter episodes more frequently or longer episodes less frequently.
Our suggestion is if you are recording episodes on the shorter end, see what results and engagement you receive uploading once or twice a week. If you want to record longer-length episodes, change the uploading frequency to once a week or every other week. Try one method out for a few months and evaluate your audience engagement levels, analytics, and of course, personal enjoyment. Remember, podcasting should be enjoyable for both you and your audience.
At the end of the day, determining the length of your podcast episodes comes down to what both you and your audience prefer the most. A lot of factors can play into finding your ideal episode length such as the topic you are speaking about, whether you have guests on your show, and audience engagement analytics. A good starting point is to aim for 18-25 minutes per episode. This duration often strikes a balance where you can effectively cover your content while maintaining engagement. Avoid “fluff” in your episode just to fill time. Sometimes, less truly is more.
Be Mindful of Your Podcast Data
One of the most important aspects in deciding how long your podcast episodes should be is to upload episodes on a consistent basis at a consistent length and be mindful of the data that results. If needed, make minor adjustments after a few months of publishing, and look at the updated data over time.
Like with many things, some experimentation will be required to realize ultimate podcast fulfillment and success, but when you find your personal podcast sweet spot, it will be an incredibly rewarding experience.
