39. How Long Should a Podcast Episode Be?

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Welcome to Podcasting for Business Owners. If you’re thinking of launching a podcast

Laura: Welcome to Podcasting for Business Owners. I’m Your host, Laura McCrae, a podcast consultant, educator, and self confessed podcast nerd. If you’re thinking of launching a podcast or want to grow the one you have, you’re in the right place. Hold on to your headphones and let’s go. Hello and, welcome back to Podcasting for Business Owners, the podcast that helps you share your story, lead your industry, and grow your network through podcasting.

Today we’re talking about podcast episode length; there’s no perfect length

I’m your host, Laura McCrae, and today we’re talking about podcast episode length. Now, if I had a dollar for every time someone asked me this question, I’d be very rich. Seriously, I get asked this question all the time. How long should a, podcast episode be? And today I want to give you a straight answer, which is, there isn’t one. But stick with me because I’m going to walk you through how to figure out what’s right for you and your podcast. Now, I know that might sound a bit frustrating because you want the magic number, like, just tell me it’s 20 minutes. But the truth is, there’s no perfect episode length. Some shows work beautifully at five minutes, others at an hour or more. It. It all comes down to two your audience and the value you’re giving them.

Think about who your ideal listener is. Before you worry about what other podcasters are doing

So let’s talk about it. Before you worry about what other podcasters are doing, think about who your ideal listener is. Are they listening on the way home from dropping the kids off to school? If so, then under 10 minutes might be perfect. Are they tuning in on their morning walk? You’ve got a bit more breathing room then maybe 20 to 30 minutes. If your audience is made up of commuters with long train rides, 40 to 45 minutes could be good for you. The point is, your ideal listening length is the one that fits into their day. The easier you make it for someone to finish your episode, the more likely they’ll keep coming back. It’s so important to know who your ideal listener is. I spoke about how to work out your ideal listener back in episode three. I’ll put a link to that in the show notes.

One of the most helpful tools in figuring out your ideal episode length is your consumption rate

Let’s talk about consumption rate. Now, here’s where it gets really useful. One of the most helpful tools in figuring out your ideal episode length is your consumption rate. Are you thinking, wait, what’s that? Well, your consumption rate tells you what percentage of an episode your listeners are actually listening to. You can’t get this information at the moment from your podcast hosting platform, but you can get it from your Apple and Spotify accounts. So if you’ve linked your podcast to your Apple and Spotify accounts. You can find the consumption rate there within Apple and Spotify. You’ll click into each episode and it will tell you the different consumption rate for each individual episode. So the consumption rate is the average length that listeners listen to your individual episode. Here’s a general rule of a consumption rate of 70% or more is good. That means people are sticking around for most of your episode. If you’ve got an episode with a rate over 100%, that means people are actually coming back to re listen. How good is that? So if you’ve got a few 40 minute podcast episodes and people are only making it to 20 minutes in, that might be a sign to experiment with shorter episodes and see how they perform. Don’t be afraid to mix it up. You can try different podcast lengths and test try a few shorter episodes or try a longer one and then check the stats. See what your audience responds to best. You might be surprised. Podcasters tend to think about how they personally consume podcasts and don’t always think about how their audience listens. Keep your podcast as long as it needs to be. Please don’t stretch your episode just to hit a time target and don’t chop things out just to keep it under 15 minutes if the content is valuable. If you’ve made your point in seven minutes, great. Wrap it up. If you’re in a flowy, engaging 45 minute interview, then let it run. Just make sure you’re not adding fluff. Your audience’s time is valuable. It’s helpful to stick to a rough range. So if your listeners get used to 15 to 20 minute episodes and then suddenly you drop a 90 minute one, that might throw them off, but it doesn’t mean you can’t mix it up. Just try not to swing too far unless there’s a reason.

My podcast audit can help you grow your podcast and reach more listeners

Now if you’re sitting there thinking, ok, how do I know what’s working for my podcast? That’s where my podcast audit comes in. When I do a podcast audit, I take a deep look into your show, including your consumption rate, so that we can figure out what episode length is actually working for your audience. But it doesn’t stop there.

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I’ll also look at things like show structure, titles, descriptions, promotion strategy, and more. You’ll walk away with clear, actionable steps to grow your podcast, reach more of the right listeners, and feel confident about what you’re putting out there. So if your podcast feels a bit stuck or you’re second guessing your direction, this could be exactly what you need. Just head to the link in the show notes or DM me on Instagram podcast support services and we can chat about whether it’s the right fit for you.

How long should a podcast episode be? The answer is as long as it needs to be

So back to the big question. How long should a podcast episode be? The answer? As long as it needs to be. and no longer Think about your listener. Check your stats and give them value. That’s what keeps people coming back. And if this episode has made you feel more confident about figuring it out, I’d love to hear from you. Come and say hi over on Instagram and let me know what your ideal episode length is or what you’re trying next. Thanks for listening and I’ll catch you in the next episode. Have you found value in this podcast? Please leave. A five star rating and a review would be even better. Your support shows that this is a good show which will attract high profile guests and in turn deliver greater value to you. This podcast is produced and edited by me. Don’t waste your time on editing. Let me help you with your podcast. Check out the links in the show notes to get in touch.

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