CH 5 - What Will Be the Format/Structure of My Podcast?

0:00 What will be the format or structure of my podcast? Once you know what you are going to pick as the subject of your podcast, you need to break it down to individual episodes.

0:11 Now, this is the thing that decides whether or not you can keep the interest of the listeners throughout the episode and also keep them coming back for more.

0:19 That's the format. There are some tried and tested ways that have worked for some of the best podcasts out there.

0:28 Interviews Conducting interviews is an interesting way of keeping the audience engaged. You are the host, and for the interview, you will pick an expert who will bring their unique point of view to the table.

0:39 This can be through lived experiences or expertise on the subject. And the good news is, it doesn't have to be one or the other.

0:47 You start the episode by introducing the subject of the episode. Then you introduce the guest and get started with the questions.

0:55 You want to make sure beforehand that your questions have a thread that will take forward the story your guest is about to tell.

1:02 This means you need to do some homework. Getting a guest also makes it easier to promote your podcast because, for certain topics, variety is the spice.

1:12 And if it is someone well-known, their brand value will help you out immensely. monologue Solo podcasts are also quite popular.

1:21 Hosts who have the expertise themselves will do it on their own. In fact, a lot of people come to listen to these podcasts because of that.

1:30 You don't need to work on any variables, it's all you. This is a simple and reliable format in many ways.

1:36 You just need some talking points, a mic, and a simple editing software. This format is also chosen because it is easy to do.

1:44 Planning the episodes is also easy because it depends entirely on you. You can write a script and stick to it entirely, or add lib, a little or a lot, and get away with it.

1:57 Conversations with a co-host The third popular format is to get a co-host who will have the conversation with you in every episode.

2:05 This has the advantage of breaking the monotony that comes with a monologue type of show. You can play with the chemistry you have with your co-host, which can be a great asset.

2:14 You also don't need to find someone every week, like you would have to for interview-based shows. Typically a well-planned podcast with a co-host has specific areas which each host is good at.

2:26 Storytelling And finally, you can try narrative storytelling, but this is more for nonfiction stories where you talk about events based on true stories.

2:35 you have to recreate that vibe and take the audience on a journey with you. There is also the option of just reading it out, but that's not all that exciting.

2:45 This format works very well for those who are interested in a certain topic or theme. It is also exciting because you have the option of adding audio clips from the actual incident whenever possible.

2:56 That breaks the monotony, and there is no dearth of research on a lot of these topics if you choose the niche wisely.

3:05 You