Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Many of us believe that peopleâs attention spans are getting shorter. With this in mind, content should also be getting shorter. Otherwise, no one will sit around long enough to consume it, surely? But thatâs not necessarily true. After all, we binge-watch TV series, sit through live-streams, and read books â hours and hours can pass and weâre still hooked.
So, with these conflicting ideas circulating, how are we supposed to figure out the perfect podcast length? Or, perhaps more importantly, is there a perfect podcast length?
The numbersÂ
According to Acast, if you take an average of their top 100 podcasts, the average episode length is 38 minutes and 10 seconds (as of November 1st 2021).
A study by Dan Misener came to a similar conclusion â he analysed a whopping 19 million podcast episodes and found the median length to be 36 minutes and 34 seconds.Â
Dan also broke down median podcast episode lengths by category. Video game podcasts came out as the longest category, with a median length of 66.42 minutes, followed closely (and rather unexpectedly) by wrestling podcasts. On the other hand, the shortest episodes fell under the language learning category, with astronomy, news, and children-focussed categories following closely behind.
One size does not fit all
Podcasts differ in genres, hosts, formats, and so on. If we consider how much variation there is in the podcasting world, it seems illogical to think there would be a âperfect lengthâ that applies to all of them. It all comes down to context. If youâre making a news podcast aiming to give you a quick updates, you hardly want it to drag on for hours. But if youâre doing long, unfiltered, intimate interviews, these typically demand more time.
To determine how long your podcast should be, ask yourself a few questions:
- What is the story Iâm telling?Â
- How much time do I need to tell that story well? Donât make it longer for the sake of it, and donât cut it short because you think people are more likely to listen. Find a balance that allows you to craft a well-rounded episode.
- Understand your listener. Who exactly are you talking to with this podcast? Is it someone who is listening to podcasts while they cook all afternoon, or drive all day? Or are you talking to someone who can only listen during their short work commute?
- How often will you publish? If your podcast is a daily show but itâs 3 hours long, is that giving you enough time to edit it well, or for listeners to consume the last episode before the next one is out?
- Be consistent. Listeners will begin to expect a certain structure and pace for your podcast, so if you suddenly go from 3 minute episodes to 3 hour episodes youâre likely to put them off.
Once youâve answered those questions, play around with the edit and see what fits the content best.
The beauty of podcasting
The great thing about podcasts is that we donât need to obey the typical radio station or TV timetable. Weâre not restricted by the bounds of traditional media, so we can experiment with unconventional timings. Donât be afraid to âtry something differentâ if youâre doing it for a good reason.
Quality over quantity
While length is important, make sure you prioritise the content and quality of the show because thatâs what will keep people coming back for more regardless of the length.
