On your way to making THE next greatest podcast, you need to figure out how to structure your episodes so that listeners will stay engaged. By keeping a structure to your podcast, you give your audience consistency which lends to your authoritative voice. So, in order to help you gain maximum engagement with your audience, here are a few tips:
1. Start with a strong hook.
The first few minutes of your podcast are crucial. You have to grab your audience's attention immediately. This is your chance to hook listeners and make them want to keep listening. So start with something interesting or attention-grabbing. This could be a question, a story, or even a joke. I might even suggest using a test audience (friends & family) to help focus on what works best for you.
Related Article: How To Hook Your Audience
2. Have a clear purpose for each episode.
What do you want listeners to learn or take away from each episode? Once you know your purpose, you can structure your episode around it. For example, if you're teaching a skill, you might want to start with an overview of the skill, then break it down into smaller steps, and finally give listeners a chance to practice. There’s that magical word ‘structure’ again! Give yourself an outline for each episode, a checklist that you can check off and make sure you hit each and every point.
3. Keep your episodes concise.
People have short attention spans, so it's important to keep your episodes concise. Aim for 30 minutes or less per episode. If you have a lot of content to cover, you can break it up into multiple episodes. Joe Rogan is not the end-all-be-all in podcasting–ok, that didn’t come out quite right. He is amazing in long form. He gives his guests and audience 3 hours of just chatting. He is the GOAT, the end-all-be-all. He is the exception, not the rule. (Yes, I know I said there are no hard and fast rules…but really, keep it short to start!)
4. Use a variety of formats.
There are many different ways to structure a podcast episode. You can interview guests, tell stories, read listener emails, or even do a live show. Experiment with different formats to find what works best for you and your audience. Is your podcast strictly audio, or will you be streaming video? Are you going live on Twitch or Spaces on X (formerly Twitter)? By knowing your audience you will discover which are your best options.
5. End with a call to action.
Tell listeners what you want them to do after they've listened to your episode. This could be anything from subscribing to your podcast to visiting your website. A clear call to action will help you keep listeners engaged and coming back for more. Don’t be shy, spell it out in a clean and concise way. Subscribe for more information. You already have them listening to one, make sure they know you will have more for their enjoyment too!
Here are a few additional tips for independent podcast producers:
Get feedback from listeners. Ask your listeners what they like and dislike about your podcast episodes. This will help you improve your structure and make your show more engaging. Use social media polling. (I’m about to put one up–don’t forget to vote!)
Use a podcast hosting service. A podcast hosting service will help you distribute your episodes to listeners. Some popular podcast hosting services include Buzzsprout, Podbean, and SoundCloud.
Promote your podcast. Once you've created your podcast episodes, you need to promote them so that people will find them. Share your episodes on social media, submit them to directories, and run ads.
By following these tips, you can structure your podcast episodes for maximum engagement.
If you're thinking about creating a podcast, MW Studio Services can help you with all aspects of your podcast, including structuring your episodes. We have a team of experienced podcast producers who can help you create engaging and informative episodes that will keep your listeners coming back for more.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you with your podcast.
We're here to help you make your podcast a success!
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