Podcast post-production
Types of podcast: the formats that exist, examples and which to choose for your project
Updated October 28, 2026
The most common types of podcast are the interview, the conversation between hosts, the solo show, the narrative or documentary, the educational show and the panel. You choose based on what you have: guests, a voice with something to say, a story to tell or a subject to teach. On video, each format also needs a different set.
Why the format comes before everything else
When someone tells us "I want to make a podcast", the first question is not which microphone to buy but what type of podcast it will be. The format decides almost everything else: how many people sit at the table, how much each episode takes to prepare, how long it runs, how it is recorded, how much editing it needs and how often you can publish without burning out.
It also decides whether the show lasts. An interview podcast needs a steady supply of guests. A solo show needs someone with things to say every week. A narrative one needs a script, research and a lot of editing. If you pick a format that does not fit your time or the way you talk, the show will probably die around episode ten, which is where most of them do.
In the podcast production work we do at Bostak Films we handle almost every format: long interviews, intimate conversations, lectures, opinion shows. What we have learned is that no format is better than another. There is one that fits what you have and what you want to achieve.
Below are the types people search for most, what defines each one, a real example where we have one and who each suits.
Interview and conversation: the two most listened-to formats
An interview podcast has a regular host and a different guest each episode. It is the most popular format because each guest brings their own audience and story, and the show renews itself. Aladetres, a Spanish conversation podcast about economics, history and society for which we have post-produced more than a hundred episodes, works this way: a guest with a lot to say, a long unhurried talk, and an edit that respects the rhythm of the conversation. The Sage Steele Show, which we edit with our partner Dull Light in Miami, is another example: journalists, athletes and politicians sitting down with an experienced host.
What it needs: interesting guests on a steady basis and a host who knows how to ask and listen. We cover that in how to conduct a good podcast interview.
A conversation podcast has two or three regular hosts talking about a topic or the news. Its strength is chemistry: people come back for them, not for a guest. It is easier to produce because it does not depend on someone else's diary, but the relationship between the hosts has to come across, and there needs to be some structure so it does not turn into a chat at the bar.
Many shows mix the two: hosts in conversation with a guest every now and then.
Solo, educational and lecture: when one voice does the talking
The solo podcast, or monologue, is one person talking to their audience. It is the format of experts, coaches, science communicators and founders who want to build a personal brand. It is the cheapest to produce and the hardest to do well, because there is nobody to bounce ideas off: you need a good script, or at least a clear running order, and a way of speaking that holds twenty minutes. Knowing how to speak to camera naturally helps a lot.
The educational podcast teaches something specific, episode by episode: languages, personal finance, history, a profession. It can be solo, with two voices or with expert guests. What defines it is intent: the listener comes away knowing something they did not know.
The recorded lecture or talk is a format increasingly present on YouTube and Spotify. Dr. Jordan B. Peterson's Lectures, which we post-produce with Dull Light, are exactly that: long pieces with a single voice on psychology, meaning and culture, with a cinematic intro and an edit that lets each idea breathe. It works when the speaker has authority and the content holds without interruptions.
These three formats need a simple set, a well-placed camera and good light. In our studio, the talking head set is designed for precisely this.
Narrative, documentary, fiction and panel
A narrative or documentary podcast tells a story with a script, voice-over, recorded testimony, music and sound design. It is the format of true crime, history and investigative journalism podcasts. It takes the most hours per minute published: research, writing, recordings in several places and a careful edit. In exchange, it ages very well and people still listen years later.
Audio fiction, or audio drama, is theatre for the ears: actors, a dramatic script, effects and music. It is a niche format with a very loyal audience, and some brands use it as branded content.
The panel or round table brings several people together, often with different views, around a topic. It is the format of sports shows, current affairs and many company podcasts with several departments. It works if there is a moderator handing out turns and if each voice is distinct from the others. On video it needs one camera per person, as we explain in how many cameras you need to record a video podcast.
There are also news or weekly round-up formats, listener question shows and personal diaries. Almost all are variations on the ones above with a different structure.
Video formats: the set is part of the format
Since YouTube and Spotify began giving so much weight to video, a podcast's type is no longer defined only by who speaks but also by how it looks. There are four video setups we see again and again.
The talking show: two or more people sitting face to face, with a shot of each and a wide shot. It is the set for interviews and conversations, and the most watched on YouTube. In our studio in Viladecans we set it up with two armchairs facing each other and no table, so the conversation looks close.
The table with microphones: the filmed radio format, with everyone around a table. It suits round tables of three or four people.
The talking head: one person speaking to camera, for solo, educational shows or brand messages.
The remote recording, with each participant at home or in their office. Done well, it can be edited as if they were in the same room. We explain how in how to record a podcast remotely without it showing.
The visual format also shapes the edit: a talking show with three cameras takes more editing than a talking head, but gives you far more clips for social media.
How to choose the type of podcast that suits you
To choose, answer four questions honestly.
What do you have plenty of? If you have access to interesting people, interview. If you have a partner you talk well with, conversation. If you have judgement and things to say, solo. If you have a story, narrative.
How much time can you give it each week? Solo and conversation shows can be recorded in an afternoon. Interviews mean finding and preparing guests. Narrative takes days.
Why are you doing it? To build a personal brand, solo and interview are the most direct. For a company, interviews with clients, partners or industry experts work very well, as we show with examples in corporate podcast: what it is and examples.
Where do you want to be seen? If you are aiming at YouTube, think of a format with faces and conversation. If you are aiming at people who listen in the car or at the gym, audio rules.
At Bostak Films we help you decide this in pre-production, before recording anything, and then we produce the whole show or just the post-production, in our studio next to Barcelona or remotely. If you have an idea and do not know what format to give it, book a free diagnosis and we will tell you how we would approach it.
FAQ
What types of podcast are there and which should you choose?
The main ones are the interview, the conversation between hosts, the solo show, the educational show, the narrative or documentary, fiction and the panel. Choose based on what you have plenty of (guests, a good co-host, your own point of view or a story), the time you can give it and where you want to be seen.
What is the most popular type of podcast?
Interviews and conversations between hosts are the most listened-to formats and the most watched on YouTube. Interviews renew themselves with every guest, and conversations hook people through the chemistry between the hosts. Many shows mix the two.
What is a narrative podcast?
It is a podcast that tells a story with a script, voice-over, recorded testimony, music and sound design, like true crime, history or investigative shows. It takes the most work per minute, but it ages well and people keep listening years after it comes out.
What type of podcast is best for a company?
Interviews usually work: with clients, partners, industry experts or people from the team. They provide useful content, build relationships, and every guest shares it with their network. For internal communication, a conversation between management and staff also works. What matters is that the listener gains something, not that it sounds like an ad.
What video podcast formats exist?
The most common are the talking show, with people sitting face to face and one camera each; the table with microphones, for round tables; the talking head, one person to camera; and the remote recording, with everyone in their own place. The visual format shapes the edit and how many clips you get for social media.
Who can help me choose and produce my podcast's format?
At Bostak Films we help you decide the format in pre-production and then produce the podcast in our studio in Viladecans, next to Barcelona, or handle the post-production remotely. You can book a free diagnosis on our website to tell us about your idea.
Want to know what your podcast needs?
Book the free podcast audit. We look at your show or your idea and tell you what we would change and where we would start.
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