Podcast Examples: Most Common Podcast Formats. Which One Should You Choose?

Want to start a podcast?

Before you start your own podcast, you need to decide what kind of show you want to make and choose a format. If you want to attract listeners, you must choose a perfect podcast format before creating cover artwork and uploading a podcast. Right?

Currently, interview shows are one of the most popular podcast examples out there but there are various other podcast formats to make your podcast stand out and bring great value to your audience.

Today I am here to break down the most common podcast examples that will suit your podcast content best with more listeners for your podcast episodes. Before we start with an example, let us have an idea of what is a podcast format and why it is important to choose a podcast format.

Also, Read Best Website Builder For Podcasts.

What Is A Podcast Format

A Detailed Explanation Of Podcast Formats

Podcast Formats
Common Podcast Formats

Podcast formats can be described as ways you can deliver your podcast show to your audience. Choosing the right format, will keep content grouped and reachable to your targeted listeners.

Moreover, a perfect podcast format also creates harmony for your listeners and they can have an idea of what type of content they will open before they click on the play button. Imagine you as a listener, and think a podcast show features a solo monologue a week, a serious interview another week, and a comedic discussion in the next podcast show. Is not it messy?

Most of the podcasters, face a hard time holding listeners in this way. If you want to make your podcast show successful, you need a good amount of podcast listeners to promote your podcast show, and consistency is important.

The most important fact is, you need to stick to a single format if you want to plan simpler for your content and better know how to shape your podcast topics. Consistency is a must in your podcast show format and also helps you get new listeners and stabilize your content production through personal recommendations.

There are various types of podcasts, and you can choose which one to choose your type of podcast content. Here, I have listed the 10 best examples of podcast scripts that will definitely bring value to your audience.

Recommended Article: 7 Ways For Hiring Podcast Voiceover Services

See below the following list of podcast examples, and ask yourself which podcast types suit your content:

10 Most Popular Podcast Examples:

  • Interview Podcast Format
  • Solo/Monologue Podcast Format
  • Conversational Podcast Format
  • Panel Podcast Format
  • Non-fictional Story Telling Podcast Format
  • Hybrid Podcast Format
  • Podcast Theatre Podcast Format
  • Repurposed Content Podcast Format
  • Educational Podcast Format
  • Your Own Podcast Format

List Of Popular Podcast Formats

1. Interview Podcast Format:

Interview Podcast Format

The most common example for podcasts is an Interview-style show where a host interviews new guests in each episode. This gives the audience a chance to get to know interesting people and learn from their experience and skills. In this podcast formats, you need a microphone and an internet connection which are the two basic things you need to publish a podcast.

After a brief guest introduction, the host keeps on asking questions to cover the episode’s topic and get to know everything about their expertise and lessons. Moreover, you must have skills to interview people, organizational skills and, maintain consistency to publish your content regularly. You must have some skills to make your guests connect with your audience and create interesting useful content for your audience.

Examples of Interview Podcast- StartUp Podcast, The Laptop Lifestyle, Lead Singer Syndrome etc.

Positive
  • Minimal editing is required
  • Guests do most of the talking
  • Listeners avoid little mistakes
  • Introduce your show to new audience
  • Show gets a variety of viewpoints and opinions
Negatives
  • Need to struggle struggle to stand out
  • Finding a new guest every time is time taking
  • Have to do deep research on your guest
  • Interviewing skill is mandatory

2. Solo/Monologue Podcast Format:

Solo Podcast Format

The solo podcast format is another common podcast examples where people share specific kinds of expertise on a topic that seems to be important according to the creator. This type of podcasts episode simply based on the creator’s own experience that may of any content such as comedy-based or advice-based content. Most of the new podcasters start with this format, where you can easily start with a microphone or you need to have some free editing software.

With Solo podcast types, you have to decide how much you want to plan a podcast script. If you are new to podcasting, then you may face a hard time to speak for more than 40 minutes, whereas some podcasters may feel relaxed to speak a few notes without being unrehearsed.

Examples of Solo Podcast- Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History, Flash Forward, Portrait of a Freelancer, etc.

Positive
  • No more dependence on anyone’s help
  • Builds a deep relationship with audience
  • Editing is much easier with one voice
  • Simply cut out the mistakes if taken place
Negatives
  • Takes a lot of talking
  • Don’t have anyone to bounce of ideas
  • Need to have great confidence before recording

3. Conversational Podcast Format

Conversational Podcast Formats

Conversational Podcast is another podcast example, who will convey a straightforward conversation and generally, there is great chemistry between them. Unlike other podcast formats, these types of podcasts generally have multiple hosts and may have discussions on any random topic such as lifestyle, technology.

This type of podcast is very easy to record and doesn’t last longer more than 1 hour. More importantly, listeners feel more connected to this kind of conversational podcast format as they get more attached to the host personalities. Both the host have specific points to discuss, one might talk about comedy while the other may share about their personal life experience.

Examples of Conversational Podcast- The Boagworld UX Show, Errthang Show, The Fantasy Footballers, etc.

Positive
  • Need less time for planning episode
  • Hosts create friendly environment
  • Easy to record and listen
  • There is someone to bounce off things, if you run out
Negatives
  • Chances of conflict
  • Hard to edit two voices
  • Have to choose similar topics
  • No more scripting can be done

4. Panel Podcast Format

Panel Podcast Format

A Panel Podcast is similar to an interview podcast and each episode has a single host with a group of guests. Unlike interview podcasts, this podcast also attracts your listeners as the whole conversation is done in a friendly way.

In this podcast formats, you need to have a microphone to record several sources of sound. Moreover, if the relationship between the panel members is strong, then listeners feel very overwhelmed by this kind of entertaining conversation.

Examples of Panel Podcast-Political Gabfest, The Beancast, Slate’s Mom And Dad are fighting etc.

Positive
  • Each episode is unique and interesting
  • No pressure on the host
  • Very entertaining to listen
  • Responsibility is distributed equally between panel members
Negatives
  • Technical hurdles occur to record different sounds
  • Finding one new guest is a challenge
  • Have to learn how to cut off people and keep your show ongoing

5. Non-fictional Story Telling Podcast Format

Non-fictional story telling podcast format

Another popular podcast examples, is Non-fictional Story Telling and this type of podcast reprises real-life experiences and observations. Non-fiction narrative is an excellent podcast format where you can recreate any kind of historical event or share your real-life events.

This is an excellent example of a podcast script, who wants to learn many hidden stories of the world. And you have the opportunity to share new ideas, concepts, and events with your listeners.Mostly, this kind of podcast script is dominated by journalism but this kind of content is king in podcasting.

Creating a non-fictional story telling podcast, takes a lot of time and one must be proud to create this kind of format and make their audience feel more interested.

Examples of Non-fictional Story Telling Podcast- This American Life, Radiolab, S-Town etc.

Positive
  • Highly addictive podcast format
  • Enhance the episode with audio elements such as movie-clips, news broadcasts
  • Unlimited stories to choose from
Negatives
  • Time-consuming
  • Hard to maintain consistency in publishing
  • Most challenging podcast format
  • Need to talk precisely

6. Hybrid Podcast Format

This is one of the most interesting podcast examples out there! There are no hard and fast rules where you have to stick to one podcast format, right? You can play with your episodes by mixing them!

There are various podcasters who have combined different formats to create their show in a more challenging way. With Hybrid Podcast Format, you can start your show with solo commentary and then you move into an interview or panel discussion session. Here you create shows like traditional television programs.

Examples of Hybrid Podcast Format- WTF with Mark Maron, Slate’s The Gist, etc

Positive
  • Combine different podcast formats
  • Create distinct segments like radio and TV programs
Negatives
  • Difficult to find new guest each time
  • Must have interviewing skills

7. Podcast Theatre Podcast Format

Podcast Theatre Podcast Format

If you are interested in fictional stories then this podcast format would be the right choice for you. Podcast Theatre is nothing but fictional episodes that are told in a similar way just like dramatic television episodes. This is a successful podcast example, where the entire episode is narrated in a single voice or you can add multiple voices, sound effects, and other elements.

This is a great podcast formats for creative types who like to create characters, weave plots, and build fictional worlds. If you are a fictional writer, then this would be a perfect choice to release them as new podcast episodes.

Examples- Welcome To Nightvale, We Are Alive, Limetown, etc.

Positive
  • Audiences are highly sticky, with more interest
  • Competition is less compared to other podcasts
  • Less worry about factual accuracy
Negatives
  • Unusual format
  • Greater competition with other source of drama including TV
  • Poor format for non-creative people

8. Repurposed Content Podcast Format

Repurposed Content Podcast Format

This is another most widely used podcast formats, where you get an existing content and transform it into a podcast episode to get more value out of it. This type of podcasting is mainly used when you need to create a podcast episode from any already created content.

Most of the bloggers, take already written content and transform it into a podcast for an audio experience. Such as a speaker can record and release his lectures, or a comedian may publish episodes from their existing stand up routines.

Examples of Repurposed Content Podcast Format- TED Radio Hour, The Moth, The Rachel Maddow Show ,etc.

Positive
  • Easy to produce
  • Budget-friendly
Negatives
  • Audience may feel disturbed if any show of hands is asked during the podcast show
  • There are some ways of getting the exact same content

9. Educational Podcast Format

Educational Podcast Format

Educational Podcast Format is another podcast example, where there are multiple episodes to listen to and are more structured compared to Conversational podcasts. These podcast types, are great if you want to create, run and sell your podcast episodes.

This is one of the most successful podcast examples, where the episodes will feature a specific lesson and the listeners will learn about the topic anytime they want. Learning by listening is a great way and can be listened at any time whether walking, doing dishes! Creating educational shows is like creating evergreen content and can be consumed for years.

Examplef of Educational Podcast Format- The Femtrepreneur Show Mariah Coz and Megan Minns, etc.

Positive
  • Valuable information will retain your audience
  • Easy to create content
  • Get your audience involved on multiple levels
Negatives
  • Some topics can be heard to teach without visuals

10. Your Own Podcast Format

Make Your Own Podcast Format

Creating your own podcast format is nothing hard! Podcasting is dynamic in nature, like writing your own content or creating a video content by your own. You have full opportunity to stand out and build your audience level.

If you are comfortable with the traditional podcast examples, then you can experiment with your own podcast episode and mix several podcast formats to create something very unique like never before!

Conclusion

Final Words On Podcast Examples

Hope, now you have a clear idea what are the top podcast examples that will convey your topic’s information! But the question is ”Which one is right for you”? Good question!

Look, there are no laws that you have to choose from the above-mentioned podcast types, better you think twice about which format will help your show stand out from the crowd? And which format aligns with your style? The choice is entirely yours!

I have listed the examples of podcasts, to guide you on how to create content, who to invite as guests, and how to record and publish your episodes! There is no reason, your podcast will not be popular! But make sure, you choose a podcast format that makes you happy!

Thank you for being a part of this article! Don’t feel trapped by this list. Instead, let this article inspire you to create the format that will best suit your show needs. Have any suggestions for creating great podcast episodes? Let me know in the comment section below!

We will be happy to hear your thoughts

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