When it comes to podcasting, rule #1 is that there are no rules. This is not television or radio where you are restricted to a set program length with a certain number of commercial breaks for ad spots. In fact, who says that you must have commercials at all? The choice is yours.
What’s the ideal episode length for a podcast? I’ve heard it said, “Your podcast should be as long as it needs to be and not a minute more.” One of the many beautiful attributes of podcasting is that you have the freedom to publish a 2-hour episode, followed by a 5-minute episode the next. Your job is to create great content at any length.
In my view, here are the rules of podcasting:
- There are no rules.
- Serve your audience.
- See Rules #1 and #2.
That’s it. As you do your research, you will read many opinions about the ideal podcast length, format, and recipe for success. Don’t get overwhelmed. Stick to these simple rules whether your audience is 100 million or just 1, and you’ll be headed in the right direction.
