At first glance, all podcasts look exactly alike: a play button on your mobile phone or computer. But behind lies a great variety of content that radio broadcasting can only dream to achieve. Creative use of formats has become the main trademark of podcasting. And caught our attention in the second part of our series.
The clock radio from the movie Groundhog Day became legendary at this point. Every morning it plays I got you babe by Sonny and Cher. A catchy song, but which quickly starts to drive Bill Murray, who is stuck in a timeloop, crazy in his morning routine. Understandable, because although the day begins with radio or headphones for many, nobody wants to listen to the same thing over and over.
In the first part of our series we presented podcasts as a big game changer to the media landscape. Now we want to highlight what actually made podcasting huge in the first place: the strength and variety of formats and what content you can deliver by using them creatively. Because rigid structure and repetition lead to fatigue in media consumption as well as in Murray’s morning routine. But differently to movies we do not have to listen to the same song every morning…
Only one thing is settled with a podcast right from the start: it is all about audio content. So far so obvious. But everything above is a conceptual decision. Because the decision, which content is to be presented in which way is a fundamental issue and lays the groundwork for the future quality of the podcast. Two things everyone should be considering who wants to set up a podcast:
This guiding principle, which is often spoken of in a context of industrial design and architecture, has been adopted to other areas. In our context it means the following: the format of podcasts serves the purpose of the podcast. What purpose means exactly in this case, can have very individual answers, if solely information, entertainment, interaction with audiences or subscriptions to a blog. The way you choose to communicate has to be adapted to the goal. For example, a news update regarding events of one line of business can be very confusing if it’s done by three persons. A quick news flash by one person should be enough. Because every format sets its own focus and makes content to be either delivered easier or more complicated. But if you only care for the final result, you’ll fail to keep an eye on something very important:
While examining modern art and literature, this pair of words is always to be taken care of. It also seems to bring back endless hours of english class, but the concept is not hard to grasp at all. Because in every good piece of art the unity of form and creative content is an important thing. For example: Even when covering a topic in a podcast all by yourself can shed light on many different aspects, it is worth considering if a talk format wouldn’t do the same job a lot easier. A story never tells itself only by its content, its form always adds meaning, regardless if you intend to do so or not. And next to the format, say talk or radio drama, the situation of podcasting itself plays a very important role. The huge plus side of podcasts is their embedding in daily life. Why not take this into consideration during the conception?
The question which format you use for your podcast can’t be answered only by looking at “What’s trending?” and “What has always been working?”. Rather content and format have to form a perfect symbiotic relationship. Or even better: sound alike in perfect harmony.
We now introduce the top 5 of the most interesting and most common podcast formats. Where are their strengths and weaknesses? To whom are they talking? And how do I accomplish the best setting for interaction?
Why do I reach my target audience?
Nobody either has the time nor discipline to sit down in front of a TV screen or radio anymore. Rather than continuity and routine, constant accessibility and flexibility is what matters now. But not only a recap of daily news around the world can do the job: a weekly update on news about a specific line of business can be the most promising for the target audience. Just because the environment is specific, topicality can still play a major role.
Why do I reach my target audience?
Dialogue as a format relies on expertise, opinions and experiences. Based on intense preparation good conversations can be held even with people unexperienced in talking in a microphone. And this can add a pinch of authenticity as well. Additionally, a guest can help popularizing a podcast.
Why do I reach my target audience?
In his book „Podcasts in der Unternehmenskommunikation” author and media accountant Stephan Schreyer also analyzes podcast formats. He finds that most podcasts work with well known persons who already have media expertise. Podcasts often tend to be an “extension of the person or brand through a media offer”. An entertaining-conversational podcast presents a perfect example for this statement, here the moderators are the centre of the attention and hereby create a special atmosphere. Every style and topic is fine, but most importantly it has to be entertaining and sometimes instructive.
Why do I reach my target audience?
Becoming an expert never has been that easy! While your library card is collecting dust in a hidden corner, you can easily grab your smartphone to learn something new. In the media genre podcast, there has been a various offer of high quality content building up over the last years. Oftentimes it’s in the form of dialogues, short sound bits and news updates. In an increasingly competitive market, a good topic alone can become an USP. So be bold and jump right into the topic!
The format is like the corset of content. While working on the concept of a podcast, it is therefore highly important to adjust structure and content consequently to each other. But additionally adjusting to the audience is crucial if you want to spread your podcast. Some hints on how to define a target audience via personas you can find here. The question is: Is my audience primarily interested in content density, so that I have to pay less attention to progressive presentation? Or is the focus on entertainment and do I aim more for atmosphere and good association? This guide should have answered the most important questions. And there is one last tip:
Formats are made to break out of them, boundaries are drawn to cross them. The medium podcast is still relatively young and has only become a mass success through new ideas. Podcast shows are already by definition a genre mix, with the best elements of radio play, radio, TV and journalism. And the boundaries of podcast formats are also fluid. Is that why all this format definition was in vain? No, of course not. Because in order to test the limits, you have to know the basics. Success only comes to those who are inspired. And all ideas are needed for the most varied soundtrack of everyday life. Because every day listening to I got you babe wouldn't just get on Bill Murray's nerves.
In our third track we will sit down with a real podcast expert to ask him some questions about his main business.
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