Influential Voices of Authority Interview Or Solo Show? – PTC 345
As you create your podcast, is it better to do an interview or a solo show? You might consider co-hosts. Should you have segment contributors? It all comes down to preference. There are benefits to each. We will cover those today.
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STRUCTUREThere are various ways you can structure your podcast. A few ways include a solo show, an interview, co-hosts, and crowdsourced.
Let's talk about each one to identify the benefits and drawbacks of each.
SOLO SHOWBenefits include …
- Easy to schedule
- Easy to edit
- Less preparation
- You have full control over the content
Drawbacks include …
- More difficult to grow, because there is no guest to co-promote
- The content is all on you
Benefits include …
- Guest helps create the content
- You don't need to be the expert on everything
- You have another person to promote your show
- Interview swaps are possible
- There is someone to talk to on the show
Drawbacks include …
- Need to find guests that fit
- More difficult to schedule
- Lots of solicitation from potential guests that don't fit your audience
- It is tricky to find ways to promote yourself when you are interviewing others
Benefits include …
- Someone to talk to
- There are two people to do the work and share the duties
- Content ideas come from multiple people
- Easier to be engaging with someone in front of you
Drawbacks include …
- You need different personalities
- Difficult to schedule
- Balance of duties
- Who owns the show if you split
Benefits include …
- Much more engaging with differing points of view
- Highly entertaining when produced correctly
- Sounds like a top notch show with the variety of audio
Drawbacks include …
- Takes time to find material
- If you solicit your audience for content, you need to get people to submit
- Requires more time to edit
Those are just four of the ways you can structure your podcast. You could have episodes where guest contributors appear for a segment offering additional content. Repurposing your live presentations is another option.
The best part is that you don't have to pick just one. You can use a consistent format and then drop in others when it makes sense.
On this show, I typically bring you a solo show. However, there are times when I have a guest here for an interview. It isn't one size fits all.
Dave Jackson at School of Podcasting typically does a solo show. There are times when he does an interview. He also does a crowdsourced show once a month.
Dan Miller at 48 Days Podcast is usually a solo show answering listener questions. But there are times when he brings on a guest for a very special interview.
Pick the flavor that works for you. Then, change it when the time is right.
If you don't have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way, go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply, click the button and apply to have a chat with me. We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.