Breaking up your podcast with segments can make things interesting
Some people think there’s only one way to do a podcast…open the microphones and talk until you run out of things to say.
Chatting non-stop might seem like the easiest option when you’re new to podcasting. But just because you’re a beginner doesn’t mean you can’t think more creatively about how to deliver your content.
Breaking your show up into podcast segments can be a great way to keep it interesting and make hosting much easier.
Do podcast segments work for every show?
Not every podcast is going to benefit from the use of segments but it will work if you plan to talk about a bunch of different topics in each episode.
Putting a little musical breaker (or “sting”) in between each section or topic can be a great way to separate your content and keep things interesting for your audience.
It can also help you, as a host, because you don’t need to find a way to segue from one random topic to another. Instead, you can wrap up one train of thought and let the music do the hard work of transitioning people to the next piece of content.
These little stings can also be a great place to pop information about your show. For example, you could use them to point people to your social media pages or your website rather than having to list that stuff off at the end.
Be creative about your segment length
Varying up the length of each segment is a great way to keep things interesting. You can also use the length of your segments as a creative tool.
Below is a really short segment from my old podcast Paul and Rach. You obviously wouldn’t drop segments this short into your content all the time but in this moment we used it as a silly comedic device and to keep things moving…
Don’t overdo it
There’s a fine line between segments being an interesting way to divide up your content and being a distraction.
You want the stings to pop up in your show in a way that naturally moves your content from one topic to the other and not something that makes your listener feel like they’re being blasted with audio production every two seconds.
This is where having a mix of longer and shorter segments will help.
Ideally, you want the production in your show to support the content not distract from it and you want your audience to feel like they’re getting a smorgasbord of great content that’s supported by the music and production around it.
Got a burning podcasting question you’d like answered? Send me an email.
Want to start your own podcast but need a little help? Download my “How To Start A Podcast” guide or sign up for my online podcasting course, PodSchool.
