How to Plan and Structure Your Podcast Episodes in 9 Simple Steps

Recording a podcast episode without a plan and structure is like driving across the country without a map or GPS. 

Will you eventually get to your final destination? Sure. But it would be much easier if you knew where you were going. 

Even if you’re an adventure-seeker and you like taking the path less traveled, your audience will have a tough time staying engaged if your podcast episodes are all over the place. Without structure, you’re more likely to ramble and lose some listeners in the process.

But a well-planned podcast episode helps keep your listeners engaged and ensures everything runs smoothly from start to finish.

Fortunately, planning and structuring your podcast episodes is easier than it sounds. 

Whether you’re new to podcasting or you’re just trying to improve the quality of your existing show, this guide is for you. I’ll teach you how to create a solid plan and structure with a repeatable formula that you can use for every new podcast episode.

Step #1 — Definite Your Goal

The first step to planning a podcast episode is defining a clear goal. Why are you recording this particular episode?

Some examples may include:

• Grow your audience
• Increase brand awareness
• Boost authority in your niche
• Promote a new product or service
• Build new relationships with industry leaders
• Establish yourself as a thought leader

There are hundreds of possible goals to consider for your show. But it’s important to stick with just one per show and use it as your north star to plan the episode. Here’s why.

The goal you define now will have a direct impact on the way you present content throughout the entire episode. Episodes with goals tied to demand generation should have different content than episodes where you’re trying to build relationships with industry experts. 

For example, it would be weird to invite a guest on your show for the sole purpose of promoting your new book or your new achievement. This type of content can be saved for another show. 

Step #2 — Choose the Right Podcast Format

Once you’ve established a goal, you can select the right podcast format that aligns with that objective. 

Some of the most popular podcast formats include:

• Solo monologues
• Interviews
• Guest panels
• Co-hosted
• Educational
• Narrative non-fiction
• Podcast theater
• Video podcasts

You’ll need to assess your time and resources as you’re going through this process. For example, let’s say your goal is to build relationships with industry experts. To this, you want to interview a special guest that will not only attract new listeners but also improve your own image. This format would obviously require you to identify the right guest, then reach out and get them to agree to join your show. 

In this case, you probably won’t be able to record this particular episode within the next day. So for the sake of creating content, you can always back-burner this idea until you’ve found the right guest and record other episodes in the meantime. 

I strongly recommend recording a video version of your podcast. Recent surveys suggest that the majority of podcast listeners prefer listening to episodes with videos. 

Beyond appealing to listener preferences, adding the video element to your podcast makes it easier for you to distribute on new mediums—like YouTube.

Most podcasts stick with just two or three different formats at most for all episodes. So this should be a fairly quick step, and the vast majority of you will likely be deciding between solo monologues, interviews, or co-hosted podcasts (and you can add a video to any of these).

Step #3 — Pick Your Primary Episode Theme

A theme goes beyond a main topic or idea for each episode. The topic is just the basic subject matter—or whatever you’re planning to talk about. 

But the theme involves high-level lessons or key takeaways that the podcaster (you) is conveying to the audience. Having an episode theme is crucial because it helps you build a storyline that captures the audience’s attention and creates an arc before ultimately landing on a resolution. 

You can use basic storytelling best practices to captivate your audience throughout the episode—while tying everything to your theme. 

For example, let’s say you’re hosting a self-help podcast. The topic of an episode might be starting a new business or side hustle, but the theme could be overcoming obstacles. If you’re hosting a meditation and mindfulness podcast, the episode topic might be morning meditation, but the theme could be positive visualization. 

Whenever you have a guest on the show, use something about the guest’s life or story to pick a theme. This will ultimately help guide the episode and interview in the right direction. 

Step #4 — Plan the Length of Your Episode

You don’t need to have your podcast episode planned to the exact minute. It’s not like a TV show where you’re bound by specific time restrictions.

That said, it’s a good idea to have a rough episode length in mind as you’re planning the show.

As a rough benchmark to consider, the average podcast episode is 30 to 42 minutes. But the format of your episode will also dictate the length. 

Generally speaking, interviews will be longer than a solo monologue. If you’re just reading off a script, like for narrative non-fiction or podcast theater episodes, then you’ll have a more accurate estimate of the show’s length based on the word count and your reading speed. 

If there’s more than one speaker on your episode, understand the pacing will be slightly off. As some co-hosts or guests might ramble longer, while others may stick to shorter responses. 

New podcasters can aim for around 30 minutes when they’re just getting started. As your experience grows, you can shoot for 45 minutes to an hour. But I wouldn’t recommend going longer than 90 minutes. 

Step #5 — Outline Key Talking Points

The key term here is outline.

You shouldn’t be writing an entire script for each episode. But start with five to ten bullets of key talking points, and you can ultimately expand on this later on. 

The purpose of this step is simply to give you a point of reference. If you’re a thought leader in a particular category, you don’t need a script to expand on a subject. The bullets are just to refresh your memory about what to mention so you don’t go blank during a recording and forget what to say. 

Examples of key talking points might include:

• Introduction to [episode topic]
• Importance of [episode theme]
• Personal story about [topic/theme]
• Case study on [something related]
• Steps needed to [listener takeaway of episode]

You should write your key talking points in the order in which you’ll present them. Ideally, the order will also follow the commonly used three-act structure for storytelling.

Using the three-act structure as a reference is really helpful when you’re thinking about where to place certain talking points on your outline.

There’s really no right or wrong way to do this. Just write a few words or one sentence at most for the highlights of your episode. 

Step #6 — Do Your Research

For some episodes, the research process might be really quick. Others might take hours or even days. 

For any subject, it’s really helpful to have statistics or stories to back up your claims. Some good stats can really resonate with your audience and add value to the show. 

Even if you’re trying to be a thought leader on a subject, it’s important that you’re up to date on the latest developments or trends within your industry. So a quick scroll through some high-authority new sites in your niche might be sufficient for certain topics.

If you’re having a guest on the show, the research will be a bit more labor-intensive. I won’t get into the details of finding the right guest for your show (that’s enough research on its own), but prepping for a guest may require you to read the guest’s book or watch their appearances on other podcasts. 

You wouldn’t want to repeat the exact same questions that the guest was asked on a podcast that just aired. Or you wouldn’t want to bring up a subject that the guest was noticeably upset about on another show. 

So taking the time to conduct thorough research ahead of time can save you from an uncomfortable situation. 

Step #7 — Write a Short Introduction

The introduction should be the only scripted part of your show. This is crucial, as it sets up the entire episode. 

• Introduce yourself and show
• Introduce the topic
• Introduce the theme
• Introduce your guest

Here’s a simple example.

Welcome! This is John McDougall, your host of Talk Marketing Made Easy. Today we’re talking about the challenges of publishing books on Amazon and how authors can overcome them. I’m joined today by my special guest, Daniel Fernandez. Daniel is the founder and CEO of AMZ Clever, and he’s going to share his secrets to success in this space.

The goal of the introduction is to inform the listener on what to expect and hook them for the remainder of the episode. 

Step #8 — Outline the Main Content

After the introduction is done, you can take your key talking points and use them to expand an outline for your main content. 

Here’s an example of what these might look like:

Key Talking Point One [5 minutes]

• Why it’s important
• How it’s related to your theme
• Another note

Key Talking Point Two [10 minutes]

• Statistic one
• Statistic two
• Case study

The rough time duration for each talking point should align with the episode length you’ve planned for back in step #4. It’s a good way to keep you focused and ensure you’re not getting off-track. 

Repeat this same basic for all of your key talking points. This is another good time to revisit the order in which you’re presenting things.

You should also keep in mind that it’s ok to break the order of your main content if the topic or conversation of the episode dictates that.

Let’s say your guest or co-host brings up a highly relevant topic that you were planning to address later in the episode. This could be a natural transition for you to discuss a particular story or talking point. 

I like to have a pencil with me so I can make quick notes or cross things off my outline during an episode, which makes things easier if you make adjustments on the fly. 

Step #9 — Summarize and Finish With a Strong CTA

Every episode should end with an ultra-quick summary of the show. 

Don’t just recap everything you’ve discussed. Instead, position it with two or three key takeaways before ultimately ending with an action step for your audience. 

• Go buy this book
• Make sure to sign up for this service
• Get your free results
• Go practice this method
• Share this episode with a friend
• Start journaling tonight

Again, there are endless options to consider here. But make sure CTA is directly related to the goal you defined back in the first step. This is your opportunity to come full circle. 

Final Thoughts

“Just winging it” doesn’t really work for a podcast. Your episodes will be much better if you start with a plan and follow a solid structure. 

Don’t overthink this process. Begin with an intro, transition into the main content, and finish with a strong ending. 

Aside from a few spots, it’s best to avoid scripts. Instead, just use a bullet list for key talking points to organize your thoughts. You can always add specific notes, like statistics, studies, or reminders about your guests—like their newest book or the name of their spouse. 

It’s also worth noting that your podcast structure can be flexible. You may decide to make some changes to your next plan based on your personal preferences and how the episode turned out. Some of you may ultimately prefer to have more notes at your disposal, while others may feel like less is more. 

Either way, you can use this guide as a blueprint for getting started. Let me know how it works out for you, and feel free to share any feedback!