Podcasts in seasons.
The pros and cons, and when seasons pay off for your podcast.
Series on Netflix run in seasons, and many big podcasts do the same. Eight episodes, then a break, then it continues. Sounds professional, and by the third weekend without a recording at the latest, you ask yourself whether that would not be the better solution for your podcast too.
The short answer is this. Seasons suit podcasts that tell a self-contained story, for example an investigation, a documentary or a series with a fixed arc. For a business podcast with which you build trust as a coach, consultant or business owner, I recommend publishing continuously instead. Why, and when seasons still make sense, I show you in this article.
What is a season in a podcast?
A season is a self-contained series of episodes that belong together and are released one after another. Then comes a planned break before the next season starts. In contrast, a continuous podcast is released without a fixed end, for example a new episode every week.
Seasons or continuous? The comparison
Both paths work, they just suit different goals. The table shows you the most important differences at a glance.
| In seasons | Continuous | |
|---|---|---|
| Suits | Stories, investigations, documentaries with a beginning and an end | Business podcasts, interviews, expert formats |
| Planning | Plan and produce the whole season in one go | Ongoing editorial calendar with a fixed rhythm |
| Breaks | Firmly scheduled | Only short, for example in summer |
| Listener loyalty | High during the season, listeners drift away in the break | Steady, listeners get used to your slot |
| Budget and sponsors | Easy to calculate and sell as a package | Ongoing costs, sponsorship rather per episode or month |
| Effort at restart | High, every season needs new marketing | Low, there is no restart |
The advantages of podcast seasons
The biggest advantage is planning. You think of a season as a whole, define the arc and produce the episodes in one go. That saves time because you only get into the topic once and bundle recording dates. How to plan something like that is in the article on the podcast editorial calendar.
Add breaks without a guilty conscience. Between two seasons you may catch your breath, collect feedback and sharpen the format. A new structure, a new intro or a new focus feel completely natural at the start of a season; in the middle of a continuous podcast they tend to confuse.
For companies, seasons are also easier to calculate. Budget, production and sponsors can be planned as a fixed package. And a label like “Season 3” immediately shows new listeners that you have been around for a while.
The disadvantages of podcast seasons
The biggest disadvantage is the break. Listeners get used to your slot, and if it stays empty for weeks, they fill it with another podcast. Then you first have to win them back for the next season. Every restart therefore needs its own marketing, almost like a small launch.
Add to that, seasons are no good for topical issues. What everyone is talking about today is outdated in three months. And whoever announces a season has to deliver it. Half a season that simply breaks off looks worse than none at all.
My recommendation for business podcasts
For a business podcast I recommend publishing continuously. Your podcast is meant to build trust and attract clients, and that works through regularity. Whoever has you in their ear every week eventually knows you well enough to get in touch. A break of several weeks interrupts exactly this closeness.
So that continuous publishing does not overwhelm you, you do not need a season model but a system. Plan your topics in advance, record several episodes in one session and hand off editing and publishing. A short summer break is still allowed. Announce it in the last episode beforehand and tell your listeners when it continues.
Seasons pay off for you above all when you plan a special project alongside your continuous podcast. For example a series that tells one topic from start to finish in six episodes. Which format fits your goal is best clarified in the podcast concept.
How many episodes belong in a season?
There is no fixed rule. More important than the exact number is that you keep it the same across all seasons. If you decide on six, eight or ten episodes, stick with it. That way your listeners know what they are getting into, and you can plan recording and publishing cleanly.
The length of individual episodes, on the other hand, may vary. Whether one episode runs 45 and the next 55 minutes does not matter as long as the content carries. The rhythm within the season is also free: weekly, every 14 days or monthly. The main thing is that you keep it.
How to set up seasons on Apple, Spotify and your host
You do not set up seasons on Apple or Spotify but with your host. There you enter a season number and an episode number for every episode, and the host writes them into your RSS feed. Most hosts offer this; you will find an overview in the article on podcast hosting providers.
On Apple Podcasts you also choose the show type. Episodic means the newest episode is at the top, ideal for continuous podcasts. Serial means the episodes should be heard in the right order, then Apple shows the newest season from the beginning. Spotify accepts season numbers but does not display them reliably. So also write the season into the episode description. It does not belong in the title, Apple explicitly advises against that.
Using the break between seasons right
The last episode of a season has to be the strongest. With episodic podcasts it sits at the very top in the apps and is therefore the first thing new listeners hear during the break. Announce at the end that it continues, and if possible when.
Then use the break for marketing. Share the best moments of the season as clips on Instagram, LinkedIn or YouTube and remind your listeners of the new season two or three weeks before the start. Whoever disappears completely during the break starts the next season almost from zero.
Examples of podcasts in seasons
How well seasons work for narrative formats is shown by “Wirecard: 1,9 Milliarden Lügen” by the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung. The first season told the collapse of the company, later seasons the investigations and the trial. Every season has its own arc, and yet everything is connected.
A second example is “Cui Bono” by Studio Bummens. The first season followed the story of Ken Jebsen, the second that of the YouTuber Drachenlord. Here every season stands on its own, only format and stance stay the same. Both podcasts show what seasons are made for: stories with a beginning and an end.
Bonus
The season trailer on Apple Podcasts
Apple Podcasts knows three kinds of episodes: regular episodes, bonus episodes and trailers. Apple automatically displays a trailer prominently on your podcast’s page so new listeners can quickly have a listen. The exciting part is that a trailer can also belong to a specific season.
With serial podcasts, Apple then preferably shows the trailer of the newest season. So whoever discovers your podcast anew hears a preview of the current season first.
Here is how. Before every new season, record a trailer of one to two minutes. Tell what the season is about, who has their say and why people should stay tuned. At your host, mark the episode as a trailer and give it the number of the new season. Publish it one or two weeks before the first episode, then it already works for you during the break.
Exactly how Apple displays the trailer changes with every app version. So after publishing, check in the app yourself whether it appears correctly.
Conclusion on podcast seasons
Podcast seasons are strong when you tell a story with a beginning and an end. They make planning easier, make breaks plannable and are easy to calculate. The price is the break in which listeners drift away, and a restart that needs marketing every time. For a business podcast I therefore recommend publishing continuously, with a system that takes the load off you.
Frequently asked questions about podcast seasons
If you tell a self-contained story, yes. For a business podcast that is meant to build trust and attract clients, I recommend publishing continuously, because regularity strengthens loyalty.
As short as possible. The longer the break, the more listeners turn to other podcasts. Announce the restart at the end of the season and remind your listeners in good time before the start.
There is no fixed number. What matters is that you keep the number the same across all seasons, for example always six, eight or ten episodes.
Spotify for Creators accepts season and episode numbers but does not display them reliably in the app. Apple Podcasts, on the other hand, uses them for sorting and display.