An internal company podcast is a great way to inform your employees and keep them up to date in an engaging way. However, for the podcast to be effective, it has to be the right length.
One of the first questions newer podcasters ask is, “How long should a podcast be?” If you want to start a corporate podcast for your company, you may be wondering about podcast length. If your podcast is too short, it may not provide enough information; too long, and it can run the risk of being boring.
So, what’s a good length for a podcast? Truthfully, there’s no quick answer to that. Read below to find out!
How long should a podcast episode be?
Podcast episodes can vary in length depending on a few factors, including the topic, niche, format, and target audience. There is no official rule on the best length for a podcast, but typically, most podcasts run for about 40 minutes.
Although this is a general trend, many successful podcasts fall outside this range. For example, the New York Times podcast, The Daily, has shorter episodes that run for about 20 to 25 minutes each with two million listeners. On the longer end, The Joe Rogan Experience has episodes between one to three hours each averaging at around 11 million listeners per episode.
Ultimately, the length of your podcast will depend upon your specific show and audience.
How to choose the best length for your podcast
As mentioned, the length of your podcast will depend on a few factors. For those wondering, “How long should a podcast be?” The first step to choosing the right podcast length is asking relevant questions.
Stick around for this next section as we delve into each question, getting you closer to drafting your first enterprise podcast script.
Who is your audience?
This question is good to cover during the early podcast planning stages. Consider your audience. Who will be tuning in to your show week in and week out?
If you’re starting an enterprise podcast, this may be a bit easier to determine since your employees are your target audience. Companies starting internal comms podcasts should consider why they want to start a podcast and how it will benefit their employees.
Your podcast should suit your company
Consider your company and the culture. Each demographic will have a preference for podcast length.
Do you have remote workers or do your employees commute? Are you a small agency looking to modernize communications and develop your company’s culture, or are you a large corporation with employees worldwide?
Remember, your workers are busy working for you! An enterprise podcast that runs for hours may not suit your audience.
If most of your employees are commuters, we’d recommend aiming for a podcast that’s between 20 to 30 minutes long. If you just need to post quick updates or company news, a 5 to 10 minute podcast will work. If you choose to air special episodes that are separate from your usual show, these can be longer, but make sure to give your audience a heads up at the beginning of the episode.
Ask your employees for input
If you’re not sure, ask! Your employees would love to feel included in the podcast planning process.
Run a quick survey to ask your team how long they could listen for and when. Employees may not give you an exact number, but having conversations may enlighten you to some habits and interests that would be good to take into consideration for publishing schedules and content.
What are you talking about and what’s the format?
If you’re asking, “How long should a podcast be?” It also depends on your topic! Your topic will help give you an idea of how long you need to cover all the necessary information. News and announcements-based podcasts tend to do best as shorter shows.
Similarly, monologue-style episodes are easier when they’re shorter unless the podcast host is incredibly charismatic and can keep listeners engaged without a co-host. Interviews, panel discussions, and informational deep dives will often require longer episodes.
Are you providing your employees with company-wide updates, or are you looking to feature the members of your workforce to find out more about each level of your company?
Once you’ve factored in all the information you need to include, you can then add any additional features and choose the format that will work best for your show. While you can alter the format a bit for special episodes, it’s usually best to stick to one.
How much time do you have?
Podcasts take work and a lot of it. Consider how much time you can allot to podcast production. Remember, the longer the episodes, the more time will be required at each stage. If you are short on time, a shorter podcast is best. Try using a format that allows you to get straight to the point but still be engaging.
Also, consider your team. A larger, more experienced team will be able to manage longer episodes. Smaller teams may want to opt for shorter, simpler ones.
What’s your budget like?
Ah yes, budget. Podcasts are not a super pricey venture, but it does take some money to produce professional-sounding episodes. You will need to get recording equipment and prepare a space to record your enterprise podcast.
If your company doesn’t have a physical location and rents out a recording place, factor this into your budget. Also if you’re outsourcing any of the work, longer episodes may be more costly.
So, how long should a podcast be?
To sum it all up, your podcast episode length will depend on the specific format, topic, and workforce. If you’re just starting, try producing your first episodes and see if it sticks. If it works as it is, perfect! If not, adjust it and try again.
Before choosing the length, companies starting an enterprise podcast should always consider what purpose they want their corporate podcast to serve. This will help dictate the direction of podcast planning.
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