Turn-Based Podcasting
Listen to this post
Every so often you’ll come up with an idea that you’re pretty sure nobody has tried yet.
99% of the time you’re wrong.
But I think our invention of the turn-based podcast falls into that 1% of truly unique ideas.
Joshua and I have been working asynchronously for nearly our whole careers. So when we started a podcast that required a scheduled calendar event every week, something didn’t quite sit right for us. So we decided to try something really different.
The podcast is called Async, and you can find it on all the best podcast networks. It’s a podcast about technology, app development, and remote work. The unique aspect is that each episode alternates between hosts, switching back and forth between Joshua and me. This allows our conversation to unfold gradually over multiple short episodes.
Since this episode-to-episode asynchronous exchange is a new idea, I thought it would be good to define the term “Turn-Based Podcasting” a little more, and talk about the pros and cons of this novel format.
What is turn-based podcasting
I never liked the game Age of Empires. Some people will tell you that it’s all about strategy, but they’re wrong. It’s all about speed. How fast you move your cursor, how well you know the shortcuts, how quickly you can react. This type of game is called “real-time strategy”, because you’re thinking and reacting synchronously with other players.
I’ve always preferred games like Chess, or Polytopia. In these games, play progresses in turns, each player receiving all the time they need to decide on the best course of action. These are “turn-based strategy” games.
Most podcasts are real time conversations. Sure, they’re often heavily edited, and the end product may not be chronological, but the production requires collaborators operating concurrently.
Turn-based podcasts allow each host the time they need to think through a response, responding whenever is most suitable. Joshua will record an episode, which will appear in my podcast feed. Once I’ve had a chance to listen, I will record my response – often including a new topic or idea for Joshua to react to – and publish it. Each episode passes from one to the other, like a relay race passing on the baton1.
Turn-based podcasting is not limited to two hosts, nor does it require hosts to participate in a particular turn-order. The key distinction is that each episode contains a single speaker.
How is this different from asynchronous podcasting?
Asynchronous podcasting involves recording audio asynchronously, then stitching the segments together to form a single episode. Often, the interviewer records all of their questions all at once, and later, the interviewee answers them. The two audio clips are merged, and voila! You have an episode that was recorded asynchronously, but sounds synchronous (although, these types of shows often seem to be lacking a certain je ne sais quoi).
Turn-based podcasting, on the other hand, leans in to its asynchronous nature, rather than trying to hide it in post.
What are the advantages of turn-based podcasting?
The primary advantage is flexibility. Joshua and I are both busy working Dads, and our weeks are constantly in flux. We love podcasting, but between work, kids, family holidays, and religious events, we can’t realistically dedicate a calendar slot every week.
Turn-based podcasting gives us the flexibility we need to make the conversation happen.
Another huge advantage is the time-to-publish. Since the listener (and responding host) needs to keep track of various topics and threads across episodes, we recommend keeping each episode short. Five to fifteen minutes works best for us. I listen to Joshua in my own time (driving, cooking, washing up) so the time I spend sitting at the microphone is limited only to my response.
Joshua and I pair our turn-based podcast with a live-to-tape policy. Without an edit, it takes me 15 minutes to record an episode, 5 minutes to upload and write a title, and another 5 minutes to add AI transcription and chapter markers. I consistently get an episode out in less than half an hour.
Lastly, our release frequency changes the game. Since our episodes are short, we tend to release 3 or 4 back-to-back episodes every week. This keeps us in regular rotation for our listeners, and top of mind.
What about the disadvantages?
If you look at any poll asking people what they like about podcasts, it’s inevitably the conversational flow and the chemistry between the hosts that draws listeners.
There’s no getting around the fact that verbal backchannel cues and even interruptions make for a more dynamic conversation. Turn-based podcasting misses out on that. Even so, over the course of a few episodes, listeners discover a flow between hosts. There are in-jokes, references, sledging, and snide remarks. The chemistry can be a little more subtle, a little more long-form, but it’s there.
Won’t listeners get confused?
Maybe? I mean, you’ve got to give listeners a little more credit than that, right? If you explain the situation up front, I’m sure the audience can figure it out. Here’s how I introduce the Async podcast:
Saadia Hi, welcome to Async! This is Saadia. Async is a back and forth conversation between Joshua and myself about technology, app development, and remote work.
Additionally, we recommend prepending each episode title with the name of the host in square brackets, like so: [Joshua] Pausing infinity wells.
I love podcasting. Talking through my thoughts and experiences helps me process them in a way not dissimilar to journalling or blogging. It helps me think. Finding a format that fits my lifestyle has really opened that up for me, and most importantly, made it sustainable.
Turn-based podcasting may not have the conversational dynamism of traditional formats, but it brings something unique to the table: flexibility, thoughtful exchanges, and a unique rhythm.