Podcast Design Fundamentals

Plan Your Choices

Now start crafting your podcast blueprint using a simple framework of decisions.

Forget the endless options. Forget the noise. You're building a show, not a library. Every choice matters. From the talent you pick to the way you deliver your content, it all shapes the experience. You've seen the formats, the voices, the styles. Now it's time to make them yours.

Podcasting isn't a guessing game. It's design. And design isn't optional. It's the skeleton of your show. Skip the details, wing it, and you'll end up with a mess. A show that drifts, loses focus and fades away. You want a show that connects, right?

That means planning.

That means intention.

But it is also your podcast playground. Right now, your show can be anything because you control every decision. Nothing is locked in until you decide that it is.

So let’s make some decisions!

To do that, you need to first think about your show’s possible format. Is it you, solo, speaking to a friend? Is it a conversation with a co-host, a dance of ideas? Or is it a curated experience with guests bringing fresh perspectives? There's no perfect format, just the right one for you. Experiment. Try things. Stumble, adjust, and repeat. Your format will evolve, because you will evolve as you learn more about what decisions resonate with you.

Next, there's your talent. Who's talking? Your voice, your perspective, your energy, that's what draws people in. Don't fake it. Be real. If you're teaming up, find people who complement you, not clones. Chemistry matters. It's the spark that keeps listeners hooked.

What about your delivery? This is where you decide how your listeners connect with your voice. It's the tone, the mood, and the emotional coloring of your performance. Are you warm and intimate? High-energy and dynamic? Simplicity wins. Over-emoting is a trap. Let your natural voice do the work.

Then comes your presentation. This is your decision about your podcast’s structure. It's how you organize your content. Monologue? Interview? Hybrid? Storytelling? Radio-style? Live stage? The way you present your show shapes the experience. Make sure it fits the energy and personality behind it.

Finally, you need to consider your style. I call this the Paul Harvey Principle where you use idiosyncratic delivery to become memorable. That’s a fancy way of using eccentric behavior, whimsical thoughts, or speech mannerisms to create an audio fingerprint. It's what makes your show unmistakably yours. This is a unique decision so don't copy it from someone else. It has to be yours. So be different. Experiment. Take risks. Fail if you have to. Play. Find your memorable thing.

All these choices are not random. They form the fundamental design framework for your future podcast and are crucial to informing you and others about what your podcast could become.