Spontaneity vs Structure

One of the best things about the podcasting medium is that there are no rules. As long as it’s audio that’s distributed via an RSS feed, it’s a podcast.

The good news is there’s no right or wrong way to make a podcast. The choices you make about each episode, its content, how it’s made, are entirely your own.

It all comes down to one question: how spontaneous or structured do you want to be?

Spontaneity can be great. We’ve all heard a free flowing episode that made us feel like we’re amongst friends having a meandering conversation that follows tangents. There’s an authenticity here that can’t be manufactured and no two episodes will be alike.

Your listeners might really enjoy this format. But there’s a risk that conversations could feel like a drag, episodes might sound unprofessional, and first time listeners won’t have much consistency to latch on to.

This is where a degree of structure acts as a counterweight to spontaneity. How much structure is up to you.

Maybe you have recurring segments in episodes, a consistent episode format but with varied content, or even just a script or talking points ready before recording to avoid rambling and taking too many tangents.,

Structure and consistency can make your podcast sound professional, concise, and polished. Your audience might love this as it makes your podcast a predictable part of their content diet.

Have a think about these parts of the podcasting process and if they'll benefit from a little more structure or spontaneity;

• Recording process
• Episode structures
• Release schedule

Remember, there’s no right or wrong amount of structure or spontaneity, only different degrees of each

It all depends on your podcast and your audience.