After “should we have a podcast?” one of the first decisions you’re going to have to make is how often you want to release and how long you’re going to podcast for.
You’ve got options, and options within options—and it’s an important choice. Once you commit to a release cadence in your podcast, you should stick to it.
Tom Fox, The Compliance Evangelist and creator of the Compliance Podcast Network, says, “Your podcast is a promise to your audience,” and he’s absolutely right.
If you commit to and communicate that you’re going to start a weekly podcast, you should deliver a weekly podcast. It’s not just because it’s important to do what you say you’re going to do—inconsistent releases or a series of stops and starts just aren’t a great look for most brands.
Consistency is professional, and it should be table stakes, which sometimes means not biting off more than you can chew when it comes to your podcast.
That is it’s own challenge, because the reality is that more frequent releases means more and faster progress towards key business goals. So you’ve got to find the balance that works best for you, your team, and your business goals.
Here is some information that will help you make the choice. Listen below or continue reading the blog post!
Tune in to the full episode to learn about:
- Release strategy based on business goals
- Should you release in seasons?
- Types of podcast seasons
- Season topics that you can use
Don’t forget to join us for our free monthly strategy calls on the third Thursday of every month!
The Different Podcast Cadences and What They Mean for Your Business
1. Daily
Daily releases are the most challenging release cadence—when you say the word to most company podcasters, they look at you like you’ve sprouted a third ear on the forehead.
They are getting more popular among the top 100 podcasts, probably because they’re such an efficient way to grow reach and downloads, but most of them are very short.
One good use case for them is daily news commentary. If you’re in a field that has constant changes, like law, politics, technology, or entertainment, and growing downloads and reach is your highest priority, it might be something to consider.
2. Multiple Weekly Releases
This might be something like Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, or Tuesday and Sunday, or whatever days make sense for your workflow.
A twice-weekly cadence is often used by coaches and consultants who want to mix solo content with guest interviews, having one of each every week.
3. Weekly Releases
A weekly release cadence is the most common frequency, and for many companies, it strikes a good balance between the amount of work involved for you and your team members (or the price, if you’re working with a producer) and the benefits you’ll be getting from the show.
All things being equal, if you can manage a weekly cadence, this should be the option you consider the most seriously.
4. Bi-Weekly Releases
If weekly is off the table, maybe because you just don’t have room on your calendar for more recording, then bi-weekly can be a good compromise—or a good way to start your podcast.
Not having to make a major production and promotional lift every week can make it easier to get used to creating a show, and while you won’t build traction or make progress as when you release more frequently, episodes won’t be so far apart that things get stale.
5. Monthly Releases
I hesitated to even include this option here because, with a monthly release, it takes so long to make any meaningful progress towards your goals that I’d almost say it makes more sense to invest your time and money elsewhere.
There are shows that do this, but while there are shows that release every month, that cadence makes each episode almost a standalone project rather than part of a cohesive body of work.
Should you release in seasons?
Recurring Seasons
If you know that over the course of a year you have particularly busy and light periods, then organizing your production calendar into seasons can be a great way to batch your effort.
For example, if you know that you’re going to be nose down, have no breaks, and can’t stop being busy around year-end and tax time, but you have a more open schedule in the late spring and early fall:
You might want to run a 12- or 15-episode season twice a year when you have more time to create content.
This can let you take advantage of weekly releases or deeply explore a topic with related episodes without committing to every single week forever.
Limited Release Seasons
An option I often recommend people consider is a limited-release season.
Unlike an ongoing podcast (even one that is divided into multiple, recurring seasons for organization or convenience), a limited-release season has a pre-planned beginning and end.
Each season could stand alone and be complete in and of itself. They are typically between 6 and 12 episodes, focused around a specific theme, and have specific goals.
Themed Seasons Based on Business Goals
A season can also be a great way to test the waters of podcasting to see if 1) you like it, and 2) your audience and community are interested in hearing from you in this way.
If you have a specific goal for your business that a season can help you achieve, why not give it a go?
Some popular goals and season topics we see are:
- Book, Product, and Event Launches: These seasons work with your launch strategy to build up some excitement, get the word out, and keep your community engaged.
- Lead Nurturing Podcasts: These are seasons strategically created to educate potential clients about you and your company so they are excited to work with you.
- SEO and Content Development: This kind of season is designed to fill any gaps in your body of work and be a resource your audience can use again and again.
- Training Seasons: These seasons can be gated and work as opt-ins to drive list-building and community growth.
- Case Study Seasons: This type of season is a deep dive into your unique process or methodology, ideally with a client or two, that you can use in your marketing to demonstrate your services.
Conclusion
Ultimately, making the decision should come down to your goals; if you can accomplish everything you want to in a closed timeframe, go for it!
If you want a show that is going to be a part of your marketing on a permanent basis, then it’s got to be ongoing.
There’s no right answer—only right for your business.
We’ll See You Soon!
We’re going to be taking a short hiatus for the next 4 weeks while we work on something very, very exciting—One Stone Creative is writing a book!
You can expect all the details, how you can get a sneak peek, maybe a nifty bonus or two (who knows?)
We’ll be replaying some great episodes from the archive in the meantime; enjoy, and I’ll be talking to you in a few weeks!
Need A Podcast?
The Company Show was made possible by the team at One Stone Creative.
If you know a business owner that you think should have a podcast, do us a favor and send them to podcastingforbusiness.com!
Key Quotes
“A season can also be a great way to test the waters of podcasting to see if you like it and if your audience and community are interested in hearing from you in this way.” – Megan Dougherty
Resources
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Podcasting for Business Conference 2023 Recordings
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PFBCon 2023 Recordings
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