According to a recent study by Riverside.fm, most podcasts are between 30-45 minutes long, but what is the right length for your content, and what are the factors that can help you determine the optimal duration?
Ultimately, podcast length varies, and few podcasters stick to a set duration consistently–most work within a range. But, there is usually a certain length that will both work best for you and will see the most engagement from listeners.
Let's dive into all the considerations so you can figure out the ideal podcast episode length for your content!
Three lengths: Which one is most appropriate for your content?
There are three main episode ranges most podcasters use. We’ve broken down each category and which types of podcasts work best within that duration.
Short Podcasts (15-20 minutes)
Example: Up First, The Indicator
Best for:
- Quick tips
- Short stories
- News
- Q&A formats
Short podcast episodes lend themselves best to bite-sized content. This would be ideal for podcasters who make daily content or release episodes multiple times per week. It probably isn't ideal for interview podcasts that require more time to weave a coherent narrative.
Medium-Length Podcasts (20-45 minutes)
Example: Daily News
Best for:
- Detailed interviews
- In-depth analysis of topics
- Multi-episode series
- Longform storytelling
According to Buzzsprout's Global Stats, the average podcast episode length sits within this range at around 38 minutes. It's a great length for interviewing guests and discussing topics in a bit of depth without risking losing the attention of the audience. And if you have listeners who commute, this amount of time fits perfectly with the average commute of 26 minutes (one way), which could make you see higher levels of listener retention.
Long-Form Podcasts (over 45 minutes)
Examples: Dan Carlin's Hardcore History, Joe Rogan
Best for:
- Detailed interviews
- In-depth analysis of topics
- Multi-episode series
- Longform storytelling
This type of podcast length is great for taking a deep dive into topics, but it requires good execution and some planning to keep your audience engaged throughout the episode. Here are some tips for retaining listeners with longer-form content.
- Include a clear intro that gets listeners excited for the content ahead and builds suspense
- Create an episode script to stay on track (and reduce time spent editing)
- Ad breaks, pauses, and cliffhangers within the episode
When in doubt, aim to be more concise than necessary and always strive for quality over length.
Additional factors to consider
Here are some other factors to keep in mind to help you determine how long your podcast episodes should be!
- Publishing schedule: If you create daily content, your shows will likely need to be shorter in length. If you have longer shows, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly might be a better cadence.
- Pacing. If you are sharing a lot of information or covering many topics, it can help to spread out the content throughout a longer episode and release episodes farther apart. Less content can be released more frequently and be shorter in length.
- Audience feedback and data: Consult your podcast reviews to see if you see multiple comments on episode length in any direction. You should also keep an eye on your episode analytics to track listener retention. If listeners are dropping off halfway, through-you can improve listener drop-off by either making your content more engaging or creating shorter, punchier episodes.
You'll probably hear people say that consistency is key when it comes to the length of your podcast. But it isn't necessary that your episodes be the same length. The truth is, it isn’t the length of your podcast episodes that matters. It’s how much value you deliver in the amount of time you have that counts the most in getting new listeners and turning them into loyal supporters of your show.
While it is important to stay within a consistent range (not creating 10-minute episodes, then 90-minute episodes, for instance), the most important thing is to make sure that each episode brings value.
Summary and takeaways
Podcast episodes can be anywhere from ten minutes to three hours long. Don't stress about finding the optimal episode length--again, focus on finding the balance between engagement, consistency, and delivering quality content. And above all, make your content as long as it needs to be to effectively get your point across-but no longer!
Just starting your podcast? Take a look at our free How to Start a Podcast guide to help guide you through the process!
