Came across this super-Interesting episode on the craft of the podcast from @smc90 + @conniechan fm @a16z

Lots of learnings if you are a podcast host / creator.

A small thread on what i found interesting below.
1/10 https://a16z.com/2019/11/26/a16z-podcast-how-what-why-500th-episode-behind-the-scenes/

. @A16Z’s north star metric is insights per minute. They edit the podcast heavily (spent a fair bit of time and money by indian standards it seems) to enable this. 2/10

Editing also helps you move the intro stuff (of a less known person) to the middle (and pack the insights in the first few mins. Intros of a less known person in first few mins misses out on the insights per minutes metric. 3/10

On a long podcast, pack lots of good stuff in first 5-10mins. In the middle you can be a bit ‘loosey goosey’ but you need the strong beginning to hold the listener. 4/10

In cult of personality shows like Joe Rogan show, the fans dont really care abt insights or who the audience is. That is not what the A16Z podcast is. 5/10

Per @smc90 there are 5 levers in a podcast
- Content
- Energy
- Charisma of speaker
- Chemistry
- Arc or narrative flow

The job of an editor is to manipulate these 5 levers to maximize insights per minute and payoff to the listener.
6/10

In case of charismatic speakers, knock off their platitudes. Such speakers use lots of airy sentences and have less meat. Edit heavily.

What if a recording had ok chemistry ok energy but great content - then feel free to rearrange the order - flow matters here. 7/10

Great chemistry, energy, low substance? Then, shorten the podcast because takeaway is low.

Focus focus ruthlessly on maximizing payoff and insights per minute.
8/10

Ideal length of podcast: people prefer it to match commute or workout time! 20-30mins are ok per her. But really as long as it needs to be. Payoff and insights per minute has to be proportional to the length.
9/10

Time of release doesnt matter. Podcasts have slow burn virality. Takes a week to go viral.

Lots more in the podcast. Go listen! 10/10.