6 popular podcast formats to try for your show

Chances are you already listen to podcasts. A third of adults in the UK listen to one every month. You probably have your favourite. It might be a long running interview series, a panel show or an investigative documentary podcast. But when it comes to choosing the right format for your own podcast, it can be difficult to decide which option would suit you best. So we’ve pulled together six popular podcast formats for you to try for your show.

What is a podcast?

A podcast is a digital audio file you can download or listen to via the internet. They are a hugely popular form of audio entertainment, listened to by millions across the world. Unlike traditional radio, podcasts are an accessible way for brands, creators and organisations to reach and connect with audiences. 

Typically a podcast is made up from a series of spoken-word audio episodes which follow a similar format and cover a specific theme or topic area. This might be the latest sports analysis with expert pundits or a murder mystery series where the narrator tells a fictional story. The possibilities are endless!

What is a podcast format?

Like any content you consume, be that on TV, radio or online, all digital media follows a particular format or structure. It’s the same for podcasts. There are many different formats a podcast could adopt, but some of the more popular options include interview, panel show and narrative (we explain more details about these below).

It’s important to choose the right format for your show before you get started because this will define how you go about conveying information or telling a story to your audience which will enable you to structure each of your episodes. As your podcast grows, the podcast format will be one of the factors that keeps listeners coming back for more, because they know that next time you’ll be interviewing a guest for an hour in a certain style.

6 podcast formats for your show

1. Interview

An interview style podcast is led by a host (or hosts) who interviews a different guest about a particular topic or theme each episode. This often involves introducing the guest and establishing their credentials or background before then diving into an interview about a chosen topic. 

It’s down to the host to guide the conversation, using research they have conducted ahead of time and by asking the guest follow up questions to encourage them to elaborate on particular areas.

Unlike a traditional radio programme, podcasts offer the opportunity to interview a guest for an unlimited length of time. However interviews usually don’t last longer than an hour.

Interview podcasts are incredibly popular, with many often taking the top spots in leaderboards across different platforms. However, this means that if you’re just starting out it can be harder to set yourself apart from the already established interview led podcast series. So it’s important to consider how your podcast will be different and what it will offer listeners that they can’t already get elsewhere.

2. Panel show or roundtable

A panel show or roundtable is similar to an interview podcast, in that a host is asking people questions, but this format allows for more people to join the conversation. Like all of these formats, how you structure your podcast is completely flexible. You could have one or two hosts who are then joined by a handful of guests or regular pundits.

The podcast is led by the host(s) and allows for a group conversation, with multiple voices engaging in the discussion at the same time. For listeners this can make it sound  organic and more natural than other formats, like a group of friends or colleagues having a chat about something.

If you choose to have different guests joining the discussion for each episode, this can require more work. You’ll need to coordinate multiple schedules and ideally get everyone in the same space at once. Also, whilst virtual panel shows can work, you will achieve a better dynamic between guests if they can meet and record in person. Eye contact and gestures are key in a group discussion.

3. Solo narration

A solo narrator podcast is probably the simplest format you could adopt. It’s often used by podcasters who have expertise or knowledge in a particular subject area which they are confident talking about without input from other contributors or voices.

But before jumping into producing a solo narration podcast, consider how you are going to plan each episode. Some hosts will feel confident improvising around a few talking points or bullet points, using existing knowledge or research they have done. Others might prefer to script the entire episode, but be careful that you don’t lose your listeners interest by sounding robotic or monotone in your delivery as you read each line.

4. Documentary or investigative 

Most similar to a radio news documentary, this format sees a host or narrator take you on a journey as they investigate a specific topic, issue or story. Like a TV documentary you will hear from guests with lived experience, experts with in-depth knowledge and key actors which help build a clear picture around a story.

This podcast format will probably take the longest to produce because of the pre and post production work required. Research will have to be conducted and fact checked. Guests will need to be interviewed. Atmos or Foley sound (those are the natural sound effects we hear around us like rain, an engine starting or a door opening) will need to be captured. A script for the narrator will need to be written and recorded. Finally everything will need to be crafted together into a final audio piece which weaves all the elements together into one.

5. Co-hosts

A co-host format involves two people having a conversation with one another. They might investigate stories, discuss topical themes or chat to guests. But each episode is led by the same two voices.

For a podcast of this format to work successfully, you have to find two hosts who have great chemistry together and are able to sustain a natural conversation which is engaging to listeners. They might already be friends or you might know of two people who would be great co-hosts together. 

It might also work well to have two co-hosts with different expertise or knowledge. One might be the expert and the other the novice for example. The expert host can then help guide the episodes whilst the novice grounds the conversation so it’s more easily accessible to the audience. 

6. Narrative

A narrative podcast is simply someone telling a story. It could be fact or fiction and will often be told over a series of episodes, it might use sound effects, music and sometimes voice actors to create an immersive experience and bring a story to life. In this format one narrator, or host, will tell the entire story or part of a story, making it sound a little like listening to an audio book.

This format would lend itself well to retelling the story of a particular time in history either from a third or first person perspective. Perhaps you’re planning to make a podcast about the Romans or Second World War, this format would be a good fit if you would like to just tell the story of what happened rather than analyse or discuss it. Another option could be telling a fictional story with the help of voice actors and sound effects.

We’re Sheeran Media

You might have reached the end of this article and thought that you’d like some help from the professionals to create your podcast. 

We’re Sheeran Media. An all in one content creation company with expertise in video, podcasts, animation and design. If you have a podcast you need support with, then get in touch. We’d love to help!