Whats a good length for a podcast?

[mediamogul]

Hi all, Im working on my first podcast and I was wondering what an average length was. Whats considered too long?

Thanks for the help!

[phylaxis]

I would say it depends a lot on your content and intended audience. I keep mine under 20 mins and my listeners really appreciate the short format. The catch here is I summerize Apple news over the past two days and my listeners are mainly people who don't have time to surf the net to keep up on Apple news. They want a quick way to catch up without a lot of hassle. If I were doing a music or entertainment type show I would say it could be longer 30 - 60 mins.

Good Luck

[mediamogul]

Awesome thanks for info!

When I'm done with my mp3 file, do I load it to my server and does that need to be the same server as my blog or website? or do i just need to link it to there? thanks!

[cc_chapman]

As long as you link to it properly it doesn't matter where the file is.

As for the right lenght it totally depends on your content and the audience. I listen to podcasts ranging from a couple of minutes up to an hour, It just depends.

[mediamogul]

Awesome thanks for the help! By the way great name for your film company! FOO! :D

By the way did you need to know programming to make your blogs so nice?

[cc_chapman]

I'm a web guy by trade, but I haven't done anything besides basic HTML changes and style sheets edit with everything to make it work.

[Random]

Back to the original question, I want to inject the opinion that generally speaking, Short Is Good. If all else is equal and you can do, say, 10 minutes 3 times a week or 30 minutes once a week, I encourage the former. It's simply easier for the listener to fit in while walking or commuting or whatever the heck, and I think that probably accounts for a substantial part of podcatching (it certainly accounts for mine.)

Putting it another way, and continuing to assume everyone does what I do :), I only have room to listen to a few 30-40 minute podcasts, but I'm always game to try out another 5 minute podcast.

-R
whose only podcast show so far is 3-4 minutes long, 7 days per week

[mediamogul]

Great sage advice thanks!

[theFerf]

I think you guys did a really good job of explaing good ideas behind length of podcasts. I have to admit that I listen to all sorts of podcasts varying in great amounts of length.

there are shows like the manic minute (which is about 1 mintue long), great podcasts of all kinds like endurance radio and slashdot review that are about 10 minutes that catch my ear other days, and then when im going longer distances or at work, geek news central, daily source code and longer podcasts are good too.

I believe its mostly personal preference. most of the time i prefer short podcasts (about 10 min) that keep me intrigued the whole time. i would likely listen to a 10 minute podcast from someone every day as opposed to a longer show produced less often.

</rambling>