Pharmacist's Voice: How long does it take to create a podcast episode from idea to published and does it really need to take that long?

I was inspired to talk about how long it takes to create a podcast episode from idea to published (and does it really need to take that long?) for two reasons:

At the Medipreneurs Conference in October 2021, I was asked how long it takes to publish a podcast episode. During this episode, I also talk about the ROI of my podcast episodes because someone asked me that question too. Long story short, the return on investment is PRICELESS! The connections I make and the relationships I build have no monetary value. My podcast is a business tool. I use it for branding and networking. The integrity I show by publishing an episode each week has value to others. If you’re interested in learning more about monetizing a podcast, I recommend you read the book Profit from Your Podcast: Proven Strategies to Turn Listeners into a Livelihood by Dave Jackson.
My podcasting coach (Dave Jackson) asked me a similar question in November. Each month, Dave has a question of the month on the School of Podcasting Podcast. His podcast listeners and his School of Podcasting students (like me!) are invited to respond. Responses are published on The School of Podcasting Podcast the last Monday of each month. The November 2021 question of the month was, “How long does it take you to create a podcast episode from idea to published?” I answered the question and my response was included in episode 803 of The School of Podcasting on November 29, 2021. Listening to other podcasters explain their methods and numbers in that episode was eye-opening and made me realize how different we all are.

Sometimes, I talk about being a pharmacist podcaster on this podcast. This is one of those episodes! 5 other episodes where I talk about podcasting:

My typical solo show is 8-17 minutes. It takes at least 3 hours to create from idea to published.

My typical interview show is between 45-60 minutes. It takes at least 4.5 hours to create (from idea to published).

I’ve been podcasting for more than 2 years, and I have published more than 120 episodes. In the beginning, it definitely took longer to create an episode than it takes now. I don’t sit down and do the whole thing at once. My brain just doesn’t work that way. Podcasting is creative, and creativity can’t be rushed!

I’ll admit that I have never tracked how long it truly takes to go from idea to published. I explain my numbers (3-4.5) hours during this episode. It takes time to create each of the four core elements to each podcast episode: an .mp3 file, written details (show notes, episode title, and episode number), episode artwork, and a release date/time.

Uploading everything to Libsyn takes about 10 minutes. Adding the podcast to my website takes another 10 minutes.

There are many unspoken things that go into making a podcast episode that I didn’t mention, like scheduling guests and daydreaming about podcasting while I’m folding laundry. If I kept track of all the time I spend on my podcast, it would probably add up to more than 3-4.5 hours. The important thing is that 3-4.5 hours is in the ballpark. It’s more important (to me) to get the podcast right than it is to get the time I put into it the podcast right. I don’t clock out when I reach 3 hours for a solo episode or 4.5 hours for an interview show. That wouldn’t make sense. However much time it takes is what I put into it.

When adding it up, I wasn’t sure if I should include how much time it takes to come up with my social media posts for each episode and how long it takes to post them. That takes time too. Maybe 10 minutes to write something and 20 minutes to post on 5 different platforms: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and RPhAlly.com.

Does it really need to take THAT LONG? No, it doesn’t. Everyone is different. Some people are faster. Some are slower. Some people do nothing but interview shows and contract out the details. I recently encountered at least one business who would be happy to take your Zoom-generated interview and turn it into a podcast. Contact me for a referral.

I know I could hire someone to do it for me, but I don’t. If I didn’t produce each episode myself, I would miss out on those pearls of wisdom I gain from listening to all my podcast interviews a second time. Writing the highlights for the show notes even has some value. It ingrains in my mind who this person I interviewed is and how he or she uses their voice. I also find it personally satisfying to see how efficiently I can create an episode.

In conclusion, it takes me at least 3 hours to create a solo episode and 4.5 hours to create an interview episode. It doesn’t have to take that long…but most of the time, it does!

Thank you for listening to episode 126 of The Pharmacist’s Voice ® Podcast!