PODCAST AT THE SPEED OF SOUND

STEVE HART HAS BEEN PODCASTING SINCE 2009 AND HELPS BUSINESSES GET TO GRIPS WITH THIS EMERGING MEDIUM. ONE OF THE MOST COMMON QUESTIONS HE GETS ASKED IS 'HOW LONG SHOULD A PODCAST BE?'

Last week a company called me wanting some advice about making their first podcast.

I like calls like this because it helps me get an insight into what other people are thinking and doing in the world of podcasts.

I listened as they told me they wanted to make a series of six episodes, each one running for 90 minutes.

Ninety minutes you say?

Yes.

I asked what research they had done about current trends in podcasts. The answer was a predictable “none”.

The duration of podcasts has been a hot topic of late with research squarely pointing out that shorter podcasts do better than longer ones. The theory being that people are time poor and so they will listen to all of a short podcast but won't always get to the end of a longer one.

So how long should an episode of a podcast run for?

I believe the content should decide the duration – to a point. Some weeks you may record a ten minute podcast, other weeks half an hour.

To keep people’s attention for half an hour or more means the content has to be pretty compelling. Think about it – how long do you actively listen to the radio before your mind wanders or you go and do something else? That is your personal yardstick.

And consider this, the average commute time is between 15 and 25 minutes.

The beauty of podcasts is that people frequently listen to them while on the move. The smartphone is the new portable radio, and Internet access in cars is becoming standardised with in- car entertainment systems now able to access Internet radio and podcast sites.

Because people don’t generally have an hour to spare, I believe the optimum duration of a podcast is between five and 20 minutes.

And while podcasts can offer pure entertainment, some of it very funny and hosted by well-known names, the podcasts I am most interested in feature information that people can use.

And if you can share it quickly, then do so – your listeners will thank you for it.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR THE LISTENER?

When I listen to a podcast I need to know ‘what’s in it for me?’ What am I being offered that I can’t get anywhere else, and how much time do I have to give away to get it?

Making a short podcast is a lot easier than a long one – obvious I know. So start as you mean to go on. Shorter is easier.

Shorter podcasts can be quick to produce, edit and prepare for distribution.

The competition for people’s ears is fierce. The shorter your podcast, the greater chance it has of being listened to, the greater chance you have of developing a following of people who subscribe to your show and listen every week.

Time is money, so cut the waffle, delete the chit chat, stick to the facts (but keep it engaging), and give your audience a true breath of fresh air.