How To Create A Narrative Podcast (& Why You Should Try It)

Six weeks into this experiment and a handful of data analyses later, we discovered our narrative style episodes were driving the most engagement. More listeners were tuning in the first day the episode dropped and the passive listens over time continue pouring in.

212 people listened to Crafting The Narrative the day it was released.

Keeping our eyes on the growth prize, we committed to producing more content our audience showed us they want to hear. But creating a narrative podcast requires a bit more preparation and intention than a standard interview. So in this episode of Audience, we’re unveiling what goes into producing a narrative episode to craft the most engaging story.

To dip our toes into these new waters, we first need to understand what makes a narrative podcast different from other formats.

What Is A Narrative Podcast?

First things first, a definition. What is a narrative podcast? The Art Of Podcast defines it as an audio documentary that follows a story arch. Rather than including an interview in full, the episode is comprised of clips, scripted segments, and music to tell the story in a non-linear way.

When you think of narrative podcasts, you’re likely referencing a show produced by NPR or Gimlet Media. Both are the gold standards in this style of storytelling. If you close your eyes, you can probably hear Ira Glass or Jonathan Goldstein narrating an episode, cluing listeners into the most interesting parts of the interview.

Given the success of the shows produced by each of these powerhouse networks, narrative podcasts must be a lucrative way to engage an audience. But why?

Why Narrative Podcasts Engage An Audience

In 2014, The Harvard Business Review set out to figure out why storytelling is such a powerful way to convey information. Their research found “character-driven stories with emotional content result in a better understanding of the key points and enable better recall weeks later”.

We learned narrative storytelling follows a non-linear path, fleshing out characters and storylines. By ramping up the drama and suspense, the narrative format generates emotions in listeners, wiring them to connect more with the content. Their results mark a common thread between stories that produce engagement and narrative podcasts.

Even outside of the science, podcasters have found success with narrative episodes. As of this publication, 5 of the top 10 podcasts in the US follow this format. As listeners, we gravitate towards shows where hosts lead us through the three acts of their story, playing off our emotions every step of the way.

We think it’s safe say this style of storytelling is here to stay. To try your hand at this episode format, let’s get into how to create a narrative podcast.

How To Create A Narrative Podcast

Creating a narrative podcast happens at every stage of the process–before you start recording, when you’re actually recording the interview, and especia...