Set your podcast up for success by establishing a realistic recording cadence and choosing a format that aligns with your goals. You'll need to balance consistency, production demands, and audience engagement.
Background
Consistency and structure are key elements for building a successful podcast. By setting a clear cadence for recording and releasing episodes, you create an experience your audience can rely on. A well-planned structure helps in managing production efficiently, while a reliable cadence ensures your audience anticipates and engages with new content.
Prerequisites
Before planning your cadence and structure, you should have completed these earlier steps:
Identified your target audience.
Established your podcast's name and overall theme.
Mapped out initial topics and potential guests for the show.
Step 1: Set a Realistic Cadence
Choose a recording and release schedule that aligns with your resources and goals. Some common cadences include:
Twice a week: Very demanding but possible with a strong production team.
Weekly: The standard for building regular audience engagement.
Biweekly: Provides breathing room for preparation while maintaining consistency.
Monthly: The slowest cadence recommended to keep your audience engaged.
Make sure your cadence is achievable over time. It's easier to increase frequency later than to decrease it, which can hurt momentum and audience trust.
Step 2: Define Your Podcast Structure
Select a format that complements your cadence and resonates with your audience. Common podcast structures include:
One-on-One Interviews: You host a guest for in-depth discussions on a single topic.
Roundtable Debates: A multi-guest format ideal for exploring diverse perspectives on a topic.
Free-Flow Conversations: Looser in structure, relying on lively personalities and topics.
Hosted News Show: A polished format providing industry updates, requiring extensive research.
Narrative or Audio Storytelling: Involves post-production work and is best suited for more sporadic release schedules.
Step 3: Match Structure with Cadence
Ensure the format you choose can be supported by your selected cadence. For example, a narrative podcast with heavy post-production might work best on a monthly release schedule, while a free-flow conversation could be more frequent due to minimal post-production needs.
Conclusion
Planning your cadence and structure is critical to maintaining a successful podcast. A well-thought-out schedule helps you stay consistent, and a defined structure ensures you meet production expectations. Starting small and scaling up as needed can help you sustain momentum and avoid overwhelming your team.