Podcast FAQ

ideal podcast length

by Miss Cali Pfannerstill Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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The length of your podcast also depends on your subject, industry or genre. It could be that around 15-20 minutes perfect for your listeners. But maybe your specific audience wants more in-depth, exploratory information; in which case, 45-90 minutes would provide more value.

What is the typical length of a podcast?

How Long Should Podcast Episodes Be? Currently, the average podcast episode length is about 43 minutes. This is a good place to start if you're trying to cut down or ramp up your episode times. But keep in mind that this average isn't the best length for every show.

Is a 15 minute podcast too short?

No, it can't be too short. There is no definitive time which a podcast has to reach. Shorter podcasts leave you less time to deliver information, engage and entertain, but can work well if you have a lot of useful tips to share.

What is the minimum length for a podcast?

But the general theory of podcast episode lengths is simple. If you have 40 minutes of good, on-topic content, and your episode lasts 1 hour, then it's too long. If If you have 40 minutes of good, on-topic content, and your episode lasts 20 minutes, then it's too short.

What is a mini podcast called?

Short podcasts are shows with episode lengths that range anywhere from a minute to around 15 minutes. They've grown incredibly popular in the past few years – over 60 percent of podcasts hosted on Anchor are short podcasts.

Can a podcast be 10 minutes long?

Over the years, I've found podcasts with pocket-sized episodes under 10 minutes from a wide variety of genres that can appeal to just about anyone. They're not listed in any particular order; this is just a collection of podcasts that can do so much in so little time.

Can a podcast be 7 minutes?

Podcasters have a lot of freedom: no gatekeepers, fewer rules, and no broadcast schedule dictating how long or short each episode needs to be. As a result, podcasts range from as short as a minute to as long as 3+ hours.

How do I make my podcast longer?

7 Tips to Make More Time for Your PodcastRank Your Daily To-Do List. To avoid being overwhelmed by all the things you have to get done in a day, rank each item on your checklist from highest priority to lowest. ... Block Out Time. ... Avoid the Procrastination Monster. ... Don't Feel Guilty. ... Set Goals. ... Join a Group. ... Shorten Your Process.

Tips to Determine the Ideal Podcast Length

Keep these tips in mind if you want to know how long your podcast should be. When you find the perfect length, it would be easy for you to build a loyal audience and earn money through your passion.

Other Factors to Keep in Mind

When you are a podcaster, you can easily look at formats and structures from the world’s top podcasters. Unfortunately, you can’t simply copy the ideal podcast length of another podcaster since the statistics are all over the place. Here are more factors to keep in mind when deciding your podcast length.

Is There Anything Wrong with Overly Long Episodes?

Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History, one of the most successful podcasts in the world, has been downloaded more than a hundred million times , according to his website. His episodes are around 4 to 6 hours long. Considering this, there’s really nothing wrong with having a long podcast as long as the content is interesting.

What Do You Think Is Your Ideal Podcast Length?

There really is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to the ideal podcast length, and your journey in figuring out the best length for your podcast will be unique. We can help you in creating or improving your podcast! Submit your project now.

How long should I listen to a podcast?

If you want to know the optimum duration for a podcast, you might want to know how long “something else” is. For example, the average commuting timein the US is 26 minutes.

Why do podcasts exist?

A podcast exists to tell a story or convey an idea. Unlike radio or TV, it needn’t be any specific duration to fit a schedule. The selfish method. Some podcasters hit 'record’, do their podcast, and then, after hitting 'stop’ simply publish the result. It’s “as long as it needs to be”.

How long are podcasts in Nigeria?

A podcast survey in Nigeriaat the end of 2019 says that 54% of Nigerians prefer podcasts to be shorter than 40 minutes (so nearly half prefer them to be longer.) Perception is reality, though. Edison Research interviewed 1,000 Americans who were familiar with podcasts - but don’t listen to them.

Why is editing important for podcasts?

Recording is fun, editing can be boring and dull; but it’s important to do, they say, because your number one job as a podcast host is to delight your listeners. If you don’t, they’ll go away. So, according to many podcasters, editing is just as important as finding the right guests or the right content.

How long are YouTube commercials?

In August 2019, research showed that the most popular commercials on YouTube were just 6 seconds long. And in December 2019, RAIN Newswas comparing the total length of daily news podcasts with the amount of ads in them - and how long they took to get going.

Who said everything benefits from a bit of an edit?

Helen Zaltzman says: Everything benefits from a bit of an edit. Roman Mars says: If you have 100,000 listeners and you edit out one useless minute you are saving 100,000 wasted minutes in the world. You’re practically a hero.

What is the most important factor when deciding the length of a podcast?

Next to your episode frequency , the most important factor for deciding podcast length is the actual content of your podcast. In fact, the best length for your podcast is directly linked to the topics you’re covering in your podcast.

How long should a podcast episode be?

If you launch podcast episodes on a daily basis, aim for about 10-15 minutes in length. If your podcast episodes come out weekly, ...

Should podcast episodes be shorter?

For example, if you release podcast episodes daily or every other day, those episodes should be shorter. If you overwhelm your audience with episodes that come out extremely often and have a daunting length, you’re probably going to lose some listeners. After all, attention spans just keep getting shorter.

Can you expand your podcast?

If you decide to change formats eventually or release a super-sized special episode, then it’s okay to expand your length. But, in general, you should have a very good reason for any podcast episodes you release that diverge from your normal podcast length.

What happens if you don't give yourself enough time for podcasting?

If you do not give yourself enough time for audio editing after recording, then you will likely end up with a podcast that is not of the right quality for your show.

How long is a podcast?

The average podcast episode length on a Buzzsprout review is 38 minutes. 38 minutes and 42 seconds to be exact according to research. Keep in mind that people who have hours and hours to dedicate to podcast listening tend to be in the minority, which is why a lot of podcasts are between 20 minutes and 30 minutes while some get up to 60 minutes.

How long is the longest podcast?

The longest continuous podcast episode ever spanned 36 hours. Mike Russell of UK Podcasters gave up sleep to record continually for a day and a half. While this was a one-time endeavor, podcasts out there regularly record episodes that clock in at several hours long.

How long should a podcast episode be?

However, with that being said, many people enjoy consistency. If the average length of your podcast episodes is 60 minutes, but then you suddenly create one that is two hours, it may throw off your listeners. People like to know how much time they need to dedicate ...

How long does it take to listen to a podcast?

Some podcasts get across all the information they need to in just five minutes. In fact, this short time frame for episodes is actually a huge draw for on the go people who do not have much time to devote to listening to podcasts.

How long is Dan Carlin's podcast?

One such example is Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History. Nearly every episode of this podcast is longer than three hours. Some episodes even clock in at well over six hours. However, it has a huge following and is one of the most successful podcasts in existence.

Why is it important to get help on podcasts?

Getting help is a great way to reduce the burden on yourself. However, not every person has the resources to use help from others. If you are committed to your podcast show and want to make each episode the best you can, getting help may be the right move.

How many people listen to podcasts at home?

According to “ The Infinite Dial ” study (and “ The Podcast Consumer ” report), by Edison Research, 51% of Americans cite their home as the top place they consume podcasts most. That's followed by 22% in an automobile and 14% at work.

How long is No Agenda?

No Agenda is a twice-weekly, three-hour-long podcast that has huge success. I listen to it, myself, and I listen all the way through (except for the techno stuff at the end). I don't complain about the length because the episodes are entirely informative and entertaining.

How often does No Agenda publish?

In general, I recommend more frequent shows to be shorter and less frequent shows to be longer. But that's not a hard rule, either! No Agenda publishes twice a week and it's three hours long.

Is a 5 minute podcast too short?

Thus, you can probably imagine that a 5-minute podcast could be ideal for one audience, but too short for another. Inversely, a three-hour podcast could be ideal for one audience, but too long for another. Your listener is the most important person to your podcast (“Duh,” right?).

Is a 5 minute podcast good for one audience?

Agricultural workers may have many lonely hours away from the Internet, and they may be eager for something stimulating. Thus, you can probably imagine that a 5-minute podcast could be ideal for one audience, but too short for another.

Do new moms have time to listen?

For example: New moms may not have much listening time while caring for young children. Business executives may not have time to listen during business hours, but they want to continue their education away from the office. Kids may have a shorter attention span, especially for non-entertaining content.

Is it possible to share a subject in a few minutes?

And not all subjects are equal. Although it's possible that nearly any subject could be shared (to some degree) in a few minutes or in a few hours, some subjects may be better at different lengths. For example: Educational content depends on the depth of the information.

What happens if you listen to a 22 minute podcast?

Even if the attention is still there after the 22 minute recommended length, the retention drops significantly, giving the listener less value. If your audience is listening to your content but not registering the value, they are ultimately missing out.

How many minutes are in a podcast?

Obviously, there are exceptions to this. Serial, one of the most popular podcasts of all time, averages approximately 50 minutes per episode. The Tim Ferriss Show averages around 80 minutes per episode.

Why is attention span decreasing?

There are many theories about the decrease in our attention spans due to the increase in technology, specifically mobile devices . A study done by Microsoft revealed that in the year 2000, the average attention span was twelve seconds, and today it is only eight seconds, a full second less than that of a goldfish.

How to keep a podcast short?

2. Understand Your Audience.

How to make a podcast longer?

The “right” podcast length can vary from topic to topic, so Strategy #1 is to always keep in mind the point that you’re trying to share in each episode. Some topics might take longer to get through because they need a little more background information than others .

How long is a one way commute?

FUN FACT: Statistics show the average length of a one-way commute in America is 27.1 minutes, which gives you a solid figure, and a number of options to consider when deciding on your ultimate average episode length. On the other hand, if your audience typically listens at night, just before going to sleep, then your episodes could be substantially ...

Why do you go back to your audience?

This is simply because an audience is the life source of a podcast. Your episode length is just another aspect of your show that should also be specifically designed ...

What happens when you record an episode?

During recording, you may become lost in your own thoughts, go off on a tangent, or simply just want to show that you’ve really researched a topic, but the result is that your episode becomes an exhibition of your talents, rather than something of value to the audience. #5 Keep to the point.

Is there a one size fits all rule for podcasts?

Closing Thoughts. What should be clear from all of the above is that there is no “one size fits all” rule in terms of the length of your podcast, and so figuring out what’s best for your show and your audience will be an equation unique to your podcast, and in some cases, unique to each episode.

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A Quick Clarification on Podcast Length

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There’s a bit of mixed terminology in podcasting where some folks refer to podcast episodes as “podcasts” whereas others see “a podcast” as the entire series. However, if you’ve landed here asking “how long should a podcast be?” or “how long should a podcast episode be?” then I’m going to assume you mean the same thin…
See more on thepodcasthost.com

What About Listening Habits?

  • Over the years I’ve heard people try to answer the question of podcast episode length by referring to things like average commuter times. Or the time it takes someone to have a shower. I don’t buy that these are relevant to podcast listening, because you can stop and start listening to episodes wherever and whenever you like. You can play 5 minutes of a show whilst making your breakfas…
See more on thepodcasthost.com

Should All My Podcast Episodes Be The Same length?

  • The same rules apply here: you should never stretch something out if it’s finished, or cut it short if it’s not. There’s definitely a benefit to having some consistency here though. Loyal listeners will come to expect your episodes to be within a certain length range. But you get into that position by having a system, process, and routine in place for putting your episodes together. They’re all sim…
See more on thepodcasthost.com

Flash Briefings & Daily News

  • One reason to create short (sub 10 minute) episodes is if you want to do a daily news or “flash briefing” show. These are becoming increasingly popular on smart speakers, where listeners are building playlists of shows that can update them on their areas of interest on a daily basis. These shows, by their very nature, are short and to the point. But it’s the content that should dictate the …
See more on thepodcasthost.com

Should I Avoid Overly Long Podcast Episodes?

  • Arguably, one of the biggest shows on the planet is Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History. The term “biggest” works on two levels. New episodes of the series are downloaded millions of times within the first month of their release. On top of that though, these episodes tend to be between 3 and 6 hourslong. This length is perfect for the show’s content, which means they are in no way “too lon…
See more on thepodcasthost.com

Summary: Podcast Episode Length

  • As ever, there’s no single one answer here, because everyone’s podcast is different. But the general theory of podcast episode lengths is simple. If you have 40 minutes of good, on-topic content, and your episode lasts 1 hour, then it’s too long. If If you have 40 minutes of good, on-topic content, and your episode lasts 20 minutes, then it’s too short. And if you’re consistent an…
See more on thepodcasthost.com

Need More Podcast Questions answered?

  • So now you’ve got your answer to the question “how long should a podcast be?”. Why not let us help you with a few more frequently asked questions? 1. What’s a Good Number of Downloads for a Podcast? 2. How Do I Upload a Podcast? 3. What’s the Best Podcast Editing Software? 4. What Music Can I Use in My Podcast? 5. How Loud Should a Podcast Be? If you’re a fan of our free co…
See more on thepodcasthost.com

Tips to Determine The Ideal Podcast Length

  • Keep these tips in mind if you want to know how long your podcast should be. When you find the perfect length, it would be easy for you to build a loyal audience and earn money through your passion.
See more on bunnystudio.com

Other Factors to Keep in Mind

  • When you are a podcaster, you can easily look at formats and structures from the world’s top podcasters. Unfortunately, you can’t simply copy the ideal podcast length of another podcaster since the statistics are all over the place. Here are more factors to keep in mind when deciding your podcast length.
See more on bunnystudio.com

Is There Anything Wrong with Overly Long Episodes?

  • Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History, one of the most successful podcasts in the world, has been downloaded more than a hundred million times, according to his website. His episodes are around 4 to 6 hours long. Considering this, there’s really nothing wrong with having a long podcast as long as the content is interesting. If you plan on making your episo...
See more on bunnystudio.com

What Do You Think Is Your Ideal Podcast length?

  • There really is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to the ideal podcast length, and your journey in figuring out the best length for your podcast will be unique. We can help you in creating or improving your podcast! Submit your project now.
See more on bunnystudio.com

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