As a podcaster, there’s lots you may be taught from the world’s prime reveals. However podcast episode size isn’t certainly one of them. They’re everywhere, from a couple of minutes to a couple hours. So, how lengthy ought to a podcast episode be, actually?
Effectively, that every one will depend on you, from the topic you’re covering to the format you follow, and it may be associated to the query: how often should I podcast?
The preferred podcast episode size is between 20-40 minutes. However how lengthy ought to YOUR podcast be? Let’s determine it out…
Content material Determines Preferrred Podcast Episode Size
Right here’s the underside line – in case your episode incorporates a strong 20 minutes of fine content material that delivers on its title and serves your viewers, then 20 minutes is the right podcast episode size.
Why stretch that out to an hour, or lower it down to fifteen minutes? That’s simply placing synthetic roadblocks in entrance of you in your quest to make the highest quality content material you’re able to.
Except you’re initially recording the present reside on a radio station, it isn’t like it is advisable to play by anybody else’s time schedule. You don’t have to be wrapped up on the hour to allow them to lower to the information.
Podcasting is on-demand content material, so take so long as it is advisable to create an incredible episode. However when you’ve achieved that, be conscious to not drag it out any longer.
What About Listening Habits & Common Commute Length?
Over time, I’ve heard folks attempt to reply the query of podcast episode size by referring to issues like common commuter occasions. Or the time it takes somebody to have a bathe.
I don’t purchase that these are related to podcast listening as a result of you may cease and begin listening to episodes wherever and everytime you like.
You may play 5 minutes of a present whereas making breakfast within the morning, one other 15 on the journey to work, after which take heed to the remaining on the way in which house. And even the following day or week.
It’s simply as straightforward to plug your automobile audio system into your telephone as a set of earbuds. And now, the syncing up of gadgets like good audio system implies that listening can proceed over a number of platforms all through the day.
There’s little or no want to complete an episode to hit cease, and I’ve encountered few listeners who really feel the necessity to eat in a single full sitting. I simply don’t suppose the common commute time is far of an element right here, in any respect.
Ought to All My Podcast Episodes Be the Similar Size?
The identical guidelines apply right here: you need to by no means stretch one thing out if it’s completed or lower it brief if it’s not.
There’s positively a profit to having some consistency right here, although. Loyal listeners will come to anticipate your episodes to be inside a sure size vary.
However you get into that place with a system, course of, and routine for placing your episodes collectively. They’re all related lengths as a result of that’s usually how lengthy it takes to current your podcast content material.
You may deviate from that every now and then if the content material dictates. However having completely no consistency in your episode lengths could possibly be jarring to your listeners and forestall you from rising your viewers.
It may simply give off the impression of disorganisation and poor planning. And that’s the alternative of what podcast listeners are in search of.
Publishing Schedule & Podcast Format Concerns
To dig just a little deeper, let’s discover what I imply by “content material ought to decide size” in podcasting.
One key issue is your podcast format. For instance, if you happen to’re placing collectively a posh audio drama or documentary-style episode that takes a very long time to edit and produce, the possibilities are that the episode isn’t going to be too massive. Whether it is, the time frames between episodes will get very lengthy.
This highlights one other issue to remember – your ultimate launch schedule. If you wish to publish every week, then overly-long episodes will take up a lot of your time. An much more excessive instance of this can be a each day present. The underside line is that the extra regularly you need to put out episodes, the shorter these episodes will possible get.
Interviews or discussions may lend themselves to longer codecs, however the longer the episode, the larger the enhancing and manufacturing time. So, solely go longer if you understand that your schedule can accommodate it. An hour-long episode doesn’t mean an hour of work. If something, you could possibly occasions that by three or 4.
Flash Briefings & Day by day Information
One cause to create short (sub 10 minute) episodes is if you wish to do a each day information or “flash briefing” present.
These shorter podcasts have gotten more and more common on good audio system, the place listeners are constructing playlists of reveals that may replace them on their areas of curiosity each day.
Reveals like this are brief and to the purpose by their very nature.
Nevertheless, the content material ought to dictate the creation of those podcasts. Their brief runtimes don’t imply they’re much less work to create – particularly if new episodes exit each day.
Case Research: Pocket-Sized Podcasting
Our present Pocket-Sized Podcasting provides listeners one brief, sharp tip each single day of the week. The episodes are, on common, solely about one minute lengthy.
Ought to I Keep away from Overly Lengthy Podcast Episodes?
Arguably, one of many greatest reveals on the planet is Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History Podcast.
The time period “greatest” works on two ranges. New episodes are downloaded thousands and thousands of occasions inside the first month of their launch.
On prime of that, although, these episodes are usually between 3 and 6 hours lengthy.
This size is ideal for the present’s content material, which suggests they’re by no means “too lengthy”.
But when any podcast runs over one and a half to 2 hours, there should be a superb cause for it.
Having a again catalogue of multi-hour-long episodes can put new listeners off checking your present out as a result of it looks as if such an enormous dedication.
However once more, you need to by no means really feel compelled to chop brief good content material only for the sake of it. If a dialogue or interview goes nice, and also you’re properly into the 2nd or third hour, simply cut up it into two or three episodes if the size of time considerations you.
Some Listener Information
In our podcast discoverability and listening habits survey, over half of respondents choose episodes to be between quarter-hour and one hour lengthy. 32% don’t have an episode size desire, 15% choose episodes to go longer than an hour, and no one had a desire for shorter (lower than 15 minute) episodes.
Does this imply you need to go for between 15 and 60 minutes and keep away from going shorter than quarter-hour in any respect prices? Completely not. Susceptible to sounding like a damaged report, your content material alone ought to dictate your podcast size. This information is attention-grabbing as a reference level, however it isn’t the ultimate say on how lengthy podcasts must be.
Podcast Size Information From Libsyn
While the size of anybody else’s podcast shouldn’t be related, you’re nonetheless possible interested in what others are as much as. With that in thoughts, right here’s some insightful information.
Firstly, Rob Walch of podcast internet hosting giants Libsyn introduced these stats on episode 188 of their official podcast, The Feed. In 2021, Rob analysed reveals within the prime 200 of Apple Podcasts (we are able to take into account these “Profitable podcasts”). He discovered that:
- 8% had a median podcast episode size of twenty-two minutes or much less
- 78% had a median podcast episode size of 40 minutes or extra
- 5.5% had a median podcast episode size of two hours or extra
He then defined that half of the episodes measured have been over one hour lengthy, and the opposite half have been below an hour. This additional backs up the purpose that no “good podcast episode size” exists.
Podcast Size Information From Pacific Content material
There was additionally some sensible information put collectively by Dan Misenser of Pacific Content again in 2019, suggesting that podcast episodes, on the entire, are getting shorter.
Primarily based on a pattern of 18,809,402 episodes revealed between June 2005 and November 2019 (representing 637,793 distinct podcast collection), the imply common episode size was 41 minutes and 31 seconds. That’s virtually two minutes shorter than the general imply common size I calculated final yr (2018).
Pacific Content material
However once more, this isn’t a cause so that you can go for shorter, purely due to an general pattern. As disclaimers on well being podcasts usually say, “That is for informational functions solely”.
Dan additionally discovered that, when analysing by class, Video Video games, Wrestling, and Video games had the longest common episode lengths, while Language Studying, Astronomy, and Day by day Information had the shortest.
Podcast Size Information From Buzzsprout
Like Libsyn, fellow internet hosting supplier Buzzsprout additionally releases their global stats frequently.
Measuring information from over 121,000 reveals in December 2024, listed below are the podcast episode size stats on Buzzsprout:
- Lower than 10 minutes 18%
- 10 – 20 minutes 15%
- 20 – 40 minutes 31%
- 40 – 60 minutes 21%
- Over 60 minutes 15%
Podcast Size Information From The Podcast Host
We have now a few of our personal information to throw into the combination, too. It comes through our free Podcast Planner tool, the place over 3,400 aspiring podcasters have laid out their plans. 52% take into account between 20-40 minutes to be that podcast size candy spot.
- 52% plan to run for 20-40 minutes
- 25% plan to run for 6-19 minutes
- 16% plan to run for 41-90 minutes
- 5% plan to run from 1-5 minutes
- 2% plan to run over 90 minutes
As an apart, 43% of these podcasters plan to opt for a solo format, too.
How Lengthy is a Podcast Season?
A podcast season is a set of episodes, often themed round a specific area of interest of your general podcasting subject. For instance, our present Podcraft teaches the how-to of podcasting – the principle subject – however now we have centered seasons on issues like podcast gear, promotion, and monetization.
So, how lengthy ought to a podcast season be?
Unsurprisingly, the reply is identical as how lengthy a podcast episode must be: how lengthy does it take to get the message throughout?
Some ballpark figures for common podcast size for seasons are 6, 8, or 12 episodes. It’s fairly just like seasons on the likes of Netflix or Prime. However if you happen to want 20 episodes to current all your data, then there’s your ultimate size. And, once more, if you happen to get the “too lengthy” considerations with stuff like this, simply have a mid-season break and cut up it!
Abstract: Podcast Episode Size
As ever, there’s no single reply right here as a result of everybody’s podcast is totally different. However the basic concept of podcast episode lengths is easy.
When you’ve got 40 minutes of fine, on-topic content material, and your episode lasts one hour, then it’s too lengthy.
When you’ve got 40 minutes of fine, on-topic content material, and your episode lasts 20 minutes, then it’s too brief.
And if you happen to’re constant and organised along with your content material, then it’s possible your episodes will fall inside a sure size vary general.
Content material shouldn’t be made to suit size. Size must be made to suit content material
So, the underside line is that the one factor dictating your podcast episodes’ “right” size is your content material!
Want Extra Podcast Questions Answered?
So now you’ve obtained your reply to the query, “How lengthy ought to a podcast be?”. Why not allow us to assist you to with just a few extra regularly requested questions?
Lastly, for extra tailor-made assist, you may be part of us within the Podcraft Academy, the place you’ll discover programs, instruments, sources, and a complete bunch of enthusiastic, passionate, and curious creators similar to your self.
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