Podcasting: The Q&A Show Format

A good format for a podcast show is to have a Q&A session. This encourages having some structure to the podcast, with some defined topics. It’s a good format for videos or articles as well.

With the current shelter-in-place and social distancing that most people are participating in, podcasters have a few options for inviting guests on their show.

Simultaneous Recording

With a person at a remote location, it’s possible to have a phone interview and record both sides of the interview either by having the call on speakerphone and letting the host record from their end, or by having recording devices at both sides providing a higher quality recording.

For more on this topic read “How to make a high quality audio or video recording with two people in different locations.”

In general, this method requires combining the two audio recordings as two tracks of a single audio file. This can be done with editing software like GarageBand or Ferrite on an iPad.

Q&A – Listener Questions

A popular method used by YouTube content creators is to ask their followers to submit questions they’d like answered. Questions can be submitted in writing or in video format. With podcasts, followers could submit questions in writing or in audio format for the show.

Another similar format is for numerous listeners to submit some comments to be included in a show, or perhaps their own answers to questions posed by the host.

Q&A – Guest Interview

In addition to questions from listeners, it would be possible to produce a show that has the host asking questions and a guest answering those questions. Instead of a simultaneous recording as described above, the guest could simply record their answers to a series of questions and then submit them. Then the host could edit the show, so they would ask the questions and paste in the answers from the guest. The final product would seem like a simultaneous recording, but doesn’t require people to schedule a meeting together.

Conclusion

Trying out the above show formats and methods can help you create diverse content that followers will enjoy.

By Greg Johnson

Greg Johnson is a freelance writer in Iowa City and also the founder and Director of the ResourcesForLife.com website. He also manages IowaCityWebDesignArtist.com and many other topic specific websites. Learn more at AboutGregJohnson.com

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