8 Varieties of Podcasts: The Full Information to Audio Content material Advertising (Infographic)

Previously decade, podcasts remodeled from a distinct segment medium to a preferred type of leisure on par with conventional media. In truth, 64% of Americans have listened to a podcast in some unspecified time in the future, whereas 42% say they’ve listened to no less than one prior to now month. Podcast listening habits proceed to develop, and the accessibility of digital audio content material has made podcasts widespread amongst each demographic.

For content material entrepreneurs, podcasts characterize a enjoyable and fascinating strategy to join with new viewers segments. The low barrier to entry of podcasting means nearly anybody with a microphone can distribute their concepts to a worldwide viewers. 

By selecting podcast matters that resonate with real-life experiences, manufacturers can appeal to a loyal podcast viewers looking for recent insights and genuine dialog, whether or not it’s a weekly podcast or a month-to-month sequence of thrilling podcast episodes.

How Do You Select a Podcast Format?

A key side of choosing the proper podcast format is to consider whether or not your viewers prefers brief snippets, deep dives or a mix of each types of audio content material. If you happen to’re unsure the place to start, begin by asking your self this query: What kind of content material does my viewers actually need? 

Let the reply to this query information your preliminary planning. You’ll be able to have a look at your web site and social media analytics to get a greater sense of the matters your viewers enjoys studying about probably the most. For instance, in case your viewers responds nicely to long-form blogs, you may contemplate beginning a present in a format hosted by one most important speaker who delves deeply into trade challenges. 

In case your viewers prefers bite-sized takes on present occasions, a casual-style conversational podcast may be extra participating for weekly podcast releases.

It could actually take a minute to wrap one’s head round advertising podcasts, so that you don’t need to resolve or have a transparent imaginative and prescient simply but. We’ll information you thru the most typical podcast format decisions so you’ll be able to see what’s potential. 

As you contemplate the precise sorts your preferrred podcast listeners may get pleasure from, take into consideration whether or not your present may profit from interviews, co-hosted discussions or fictional storytelling parts.

8 Varieties of Podcasts

Contemplating that there are about 2,625,932 “valid” podcasts accessible for obtain on Apple Podcasts at this very second, we perceive if the market appears a little bit crowded to you. If there are such a lot of podcasts on the market, how are you speculated to make a mark on the medium? 

With cautious thought of frequent podcast format types — and by specializing in a extremely focused podcast viewers — it’s potential to face out, even among the many hottest podcast codecs.

There’s no purpose to sweat. Though the variety of podcast episodes and reveals is all the time rising, it doesn’t imply it’s important to compete with all of them. With the correct technique, you’ll be able to all the time discover a area of interest viewers that’s ravenous in your content material podcast, regardless of how humdrum a basic viewers may discover your trade.

Step one towards creating a podcast that appeals to your preferrred viewers is to choose the correct podcast format, not essentially the most well-liked format. There’s all the time room to place your distinctive spin on these 8 main forms of podcasts:

• Interview Podcasts.
• Conversational Podcasts.
• Monologue Podcasts.
• Storytelling / Investigative Podcasts.
• Roundtable Podcasts.
• Theatrical Podcasts.
• Repurposed Content material Podcasts.
• Hybrid Podcasts.

1. Interview Podcasts

The interview podcast format often includes one or two hosts who communicate with a number of company every episode. On this format, the visitor offers distinctive experience or insights on a given matter, trade or theme. You’ll be able to really break this format additional into two podcast types:

• Professional interviews: In podcasts like Reid Hoffman’s Masters of Scale, the interviewer focuses on a selected matter through which the interviewee is taken into account a thought chief. For instance, a visitor like Invoice Gates may share tales about his experiences as a expertise entrepreneur. Many viewers members hearken to this sort of hosted podcast to study extra a few given trade or acquire insights that can assist them in their very own careers.
• Leisure interviews: Leisure-style podcasts invite company to share attention-grabbing tales about their lives and real-life experiences. These reveals are sometimes hosted by comedians or leisure journalists. For instance, comic Sabrina Wu lately appeared as a visitor on fellow comic Carmen Esposito’s podcast, Queery, to debate gender identification, race and the way these have influenced their profession.

Interview format reveals can require fairly a little bit of analysis. On the similar time, the podcast host wants the correct expertise to attract out attention-grabbing tales from company. This frequent podcast format is an effective way to offer a spread of opinions and viewpoints.

2. Conversational Podcasts

Conversational, co-hosted reveals are a very talked-about podcast style and are similar to conventional radio reveals. On this format, two podcast hosts have entertaining conversations about particular themes and matters. Typically, co-hosts will talk about trending information tales and supply insightful — or humorous — commentary. This method permits for a extra spontaneous model of digital audio content material and might enchantment to a broad podcast viewers.

Conversational podcasts could embody company, as nicely. For instance, the Adam Buxton Podcast, hosted by the British comic, places a comedic spin on this widespread style. He’s typically joined by company who, for the higher a part of an hour, merely have a dialog with him. 

If you wish to select a extra casual construction whereas nonetheless integrating interviews, this can be a helpful format to discover. Any such podcast requires a excessive degree of consolation and familiarity between the hosts. If the hosts don’t know one another nicely or don’t get alongside, the viewers will be capable of inform. 

As a result of you’ll be able to’t script a dialog — or no less than, you shouldn’t — this format is greatest for hosts who can improvise on the spot. Such spontaneity typically retains podcast listeners engaged repetitively, particularly if the episodes preserve an genuine really feel.

The conversational podcast could current distinctive technical challenges. For instance, if the hosts reside in separate cities, they’ll want particular podcast or audio recording software program to document the voice tracks independently after which splice them collectively. If you happen to’re eager about exploring the very best practices for this, take a look at our information on how to record a podcast remotely to make sure seamless manufacturing throughout distances.

3. Monologue Podcasts

Monologue podcasts, or solo monologue reveals, function a single host who speaks for the whole thing of every episode. These solo podcasts often spotlight somebody who’s an skilled in a given discipline. Viewers members tune in to find out about a selected matter or get an knowledgeable opinion on current occasions, making this a favourite choice for academic podcasts.

Many monologue-style or academic podcasts, equivalent to Philosophize This!, hosted by Stephen West, are prime examples. On this specific sequence, West takes listeners on a journey via the historical past of world philosophy. Starting with pre-Socratic philosophy, West offers an outline of main actions in philosophic thought all through the ages.

This model of hosted podcast will be utilized to any matter — however hosts ought to have sufficient expertise and experience to fill many episodes. That stated, it’s potential to provide a limited-run present that covers a single matter or subject, just like a serialized audiobook. 

With a monologue format, you’re additionally in full management of pacing, which will be useful if you wish to create a weekly podcast schedule.

The monologue format offers the benefit of not being depending on different folks. The host doesn’t must ebook company or configure schedules with one other host. Nevertheless, this model nonetheless requires a good quantity of analysis, particularly if you wish to weave in real-world examples or reference trade knowledge in every episode. 

If you happen to plan to start out podcast manufacturing for a smaller, area of interest viewers, this might be your preferrred construction.

4. Storytelling / Investigative Podcasts

Podcast listeners get pleasure from storytelling podcasts and investigative podcasts for his or her immersive experiences. On this format, a number of hosts use every podcast episode to inform a complete story or a chapter of an ongoing story, permitting for a deep dive into attention-grabbing content material.

There are numerous totally different examples of non-fiction, story-based podcasts. On one finish of the spectrum is Dan Carlin’s Hardcore Historical past podcast. Carlin produces extraordinarily well-researched miniseries that take his podcast listeners via momentous durations of world historical past. In truth, his present includes a lot analysis that every miniseries takes months to provide.

On the opposite finish of the spectrum is My Favorite Murder, hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Every episode covers a selected case in grotesque element. This present can also be closely researched however offers extra private commentary on every topic.

Non-fiction podcasts can require a whole lot of sources. Podcasters who excel at this format mix glorious analysis expertise with a eager eye for leisure worth. The payoff will be enormous, particularly in niches the place curious podcast viewers members eagerly wait for brand new developments.

5. Roundtable Podcasts

Roundtable podcasts, or panel reveals, contain a constant or rotating group of hosts who present commentary and dialog round particular matters. Typically, there’s a most important host who MCs every episode whereas co-hosts fill particular roles. For instance, some co-hosts could present extra comedic commentary, whereas others supply in-depth experience.

Panel reveals typically attempt to make their viewers members really feel like they’re a part of a personal membership. As an example, long-time listeners will choose up on in-jokes and host persona quirks extra so than somebody tuning in for the primary time.

Roundtable podcasts take the stress off one particular person by splitting the workload amongst plenty of totally different folks. For instance, on Conan O’Brien’s podcast, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, the previous late-night host is usually joined by co-hosts and quite a few company from across the leisure trade. 

This frequent podcast format is right if you happen to worth collaboration, a way of group and the flexibility to discover all kinds of themes in every episode.

6. Theatrical Podcasts

The fiction podcasts, or theatrical podcasts, have been a rising development for years. Some theatrical podcasts encompass a single host who narrates a narrative in an analogous method to an audiobook. Different podcasts inside this format make the most of a complete forged of voice actors and sound engineers to create extra immersive experiences.

On this format, podcast hosts try to create fictional worlds that entertain their listeners. It calls for a degree of creativity and expertise to maintain listeners engaged. Whereas this format doesn’t require as a lot analysis as others on this record, it nonetheless includes a whole lot of work. On the similar time, that signifies that the competitors is excessive. Not solely do these podcasts compete with one another, but additionally with different types of leisure like TV reveals, video podcasts, audiobooks and movies.

If fiction is your jam, look no additional than the sci-fi analogy podcast sequence, DUST, for inspiration. Equally, you may contemplate a theatrical-style method for tales that mix dramatization and actuality, making a type of “docudrama” expertise.

7. Repurposed Content material Podcasts

At Brafton, we love repurposing content material with clear content material methods and targets in thoughts. The method of repurposing current content material offers a number of advantages, from boosting viewers engagement to serving totally different wants alongside the gross sales funnel. 

Plus, repurposing content material can provide the respiratory room it’s essential to create recent, attention-grabbing materials on a schedule that fits you. That stated, repurposed content material for a podcast can even fill gaps between main releases if you happen to want further time to provide large-scale tasks.

A key a part of this course of is optimizing content material to make it extra refined and related. Instruments like a reword text generator simplify this course of by making the present textual content recent and attention-grabbing.

Information applications are among the many most typical on this class. The identical story can seem in print, video podcasts and audio. This format works nicely for manufacturers that already produce a whole lot of materials for the online. For instance, if your corporation has a sturdy backlog of weblog content material, you possibly can flip every publish into its personal podcast episode. 

That might successfully provide you with double the amount of content material and will let you attain a section of your audience that prefers podcast audio over written textual content. It’s also possible to re-cut current episodes into smaller “bite-sized” clips if you happen to’re trying to create a weekly podcast schedule with out ranging from scratch each single time.

8. Hybrid Podcasts

Podcasts are a extremely versatile medium. You’ll be able to combine and match the fundamental codecs from this record to create your individual model. For instance, a podcaster with experience in a given topic space may host a monologue-style podcast and infrequently interview company. Likewise, a panel present may break up every episode into segments, together with an area for the principle host to current a solo monologue.

An incredible instance of a hybrid present is The New York Instances’ podcast known as The Daily. Hosted by Michael Barbaro and Sabrina Tavernise, every episode consists of monologues and interviews with a few of the world’s greatest journalists.

Or, you may give you a podcast format that’s nothing like the rest on this record! That’s one of many nice issues concerning the medium. The barrier to entry is kind of low in comparison with beginning a radio present or TV program. There are even free hosting options that will let you document podcasts remotely, produce episodes and publish them to main distribution channels, all instantly out of your smartphone. 

Video podcast diversifications at the moment are more and more widespread, too, providing you with the possibility to seize each audio and visible engagement.

Fast Suggestions for Beginning a Podcast

Feeling impressed to start out podcast manufacturing in your personal model? Listed here are some fast tricks to get began, no matter which kind of podcast format you in the end choose:

What Tools Do You Want To Begin a Podcast?

On the very least, you’ll want a smartphone to start out recording a podcast. Your cellphone has a microphone and an web connection, which is all it’s essential to document and distribute your podcast. Nevertheless, podcasts recorded on cellular gadgets can sound tinny and unprofessional when in comparison with a extra skilled setup.

The subsequent greatest setup is equally easy: A pc and a microphone. You should utilize free (or very reasonably priced) software program to watch your vocal ranges and produce a present that sounds practically skilled. This set of apparatus will assist create content material podcast episodes that your podcast viewers will need to come again to repeatedly.

If you’d like the total Joe Rogan expertise, you’ll must spend fairly a bit extra on skilled tools, together with:

• Stand microphones.
• Acoustic foam.
• Audio mixers.
• Pop filters.
• Modifying software program.

In fact, you’ll additionally want someplace to document. A quiet workplace area is often an excellent place to start out. Marc Maron famously began recording his podcast, WTF, in his storage and even interviewed former President Barack Obama there. So don’t fear if you happen to don’t have entry to a recording studio. As you develop and recurrently launch new podcast episodes, you’ll be able to all the time improve your setup and even enterprise into video podcasts to achieve a broader viewers.

How A lot Cash Does It Take To Begin a Profitable Podcast?

The price of producing a podcast can differ vastly relying on plenty of components. If you happen to plan on making a solo podcast with minimal tools, this may be as little as $0 in expenditure. Nevertheless, most podcasters pay for podcast internet hosting and web site options (see some examples). Distribution networks like Spotify and Apple Podcasts don’t host your precise podcast recordsdata. For that, you’ll want to make use of a service like Buzzsprout, Anchor, SoundCloud or Captivate.

If you happen to’re beginning a podcast from scratch, with none tools, you’ll be able to anticipate to spend anyplace from $50 to $500 to launch your present. However bear in mind: Many individuals have began a podcast with little greater than a smartphone and a dream.

Be a little bit daring and experiment with this rising advertising medium, and begin testing new milestones with the ability of audio storytelling and podcasts.

Editor’s Word: Up to date October 2025.