Great stories can sweep us off our feet and make us want to curl up on the couch and read, watch, or listen to them all day. Stories that have this effect are engrossing on some level, but there’s also a scientific explanation for it. Stories have a neurological impact on our bodies, with the power to release oxytocin—the “love hormone” triggered when a human feels an emotional connection.
The key elements of a story, including setting, plot, and characters, are all important building blocks. But how the narrator delivers it—the actual storytelling—is just as significant. Storytelling is at the heart of podcasting, no matter the genre or format. It’s what listeners and viewers connect with, and it keeps them coming back for more.
So, how can creators tell impactful stories that hook their audience? Two experts at Spotify Studios shared their insights on how to improve your storytelling skills and develop a narrative show that will attract and keep loyal fans.
What is podcast storytelling?
Podcast storytelling is the art of infusing your show with a narrative, which includes recounting the qualities and details of events and experiences. This narrative can be fiction or nonfiction, feature one host or multiple co-hosts, and be executed with or without a guest. Podcast storytelling techniques can be present in a show that is specifically story-driven, or used in any niche.
As one of our experts explains, “Audiences are drawn to podcast stories that make a listener want to stick around to find out the answer to those questions. That can take shape in a talk show or a narrative show. It's not only about form; it's about propulsion.”
How to craft a compelling podcast storytelling narrative: Top tips for creators
How do podcast creators tell good stories? On a high level, they create a feeling of connection with the audience. Let’s explore some of the most effective ways creators can develop that special skill.
Define the characteristics of impactful podcast stories
To be a great storyteller, you need to be an avid consumer. Regularly spend time listening to and watching narrative-based shows or creators who are excellent storytellers. Notice what you love about the ones that lure you in and how you can apply those qualities to your own show.
“When you listen to something you think is good, ask yourself why it's good. Once you've identified why you think it's good, ask yourself what the creators of that show had to do to execute on those characteristics,” says one of our producers. Why are you drawn to particular episodes or entire shows? Is it the subject matter, the host’s personality and performance, the music and sound design, the footage, the timeline?
For them, the “shows that stand out are shows that aren't afraid to make active choices.” Some of those choices could be using a lot of music or no music at all, one narrator or several, long episodes or short episodes, to name a few. “When you're listening to a narrative, storytelling-based podcast, nothing happens by accident.”
Feature guests who can contribute great stories to your episodes
Guests can be a great addition to your show and bring their own skills to the table. You may have a solo podcast and invite guests to come on occasionally, or you may have a guest every episode, each with their own story to tell.
In order to add value for your listeners and viewers, you can’t just have any guest on a storytelling podcast. Our experts say the first step and most important factor is that you find a guest who genuinely wants to be interviewed. When you’re selecting guests to reach out to, make sure they have experience with shows or podcasts—as an active consumer as a guest, or even as a host of their own podcast. Beyond having a familiarity with the format, they should be a compelling speaker or performer.
To identify top candidates, look for experts on the topics you cover, guests that have been on other podcasts, or within your own personal and professional networks. Once you’re ready to record, create an inviting and comfortable atmosphere for your guest. Come prepared after doing your research and ask open-ended questions that allow them to share their unique experiences and knowledge. Take time to think through the interview questions since they will ultimately guide and shape the story that your guest tells. You’ll also want to pay attention to the order of the questions so that they compliment the storytelling and keep the narrative moving in a logical way.
Although planning is important, remember that it’s okay to deviate from it and follow the conversation wherever it is going, even if it takes an unexpected turn. As our experts advise, “Create the pathway for them so all they have to do is walk. If you come to a fork in the road and they clearly are more comfortable going left than right, let them do so.”
Examples of interview questions to get guests to open up and share personal and impactful stories include:
- Is there an experience in your life that caused you to change your perspective or beliefs significantly?
- Have you ever faced a situation where you had to take a big risk? What was it and what was the outcome?
- Can you tell me about a time when you failed or made a mistake that turned out to be a learning experience?
- Can you share a memorable story about a time when you helped someone else, and how it affected both of you?
In the context of the conversation and the topic at hand, it’s natural for the questions to naturally change and become more specific in nature. This is just a starting point to inspire your process.
Connect with the audience on a level they can relate to
People feel connected to podcasts and really any art form when they can relate to it somehow. So whether your show is about true crime or business, explore the traits that listeners and viewers can latch onto. For example, that might be the backstory of difficult or dangerous characters to explain their behaviors or relationships between people involved in the story. Or it might be how scientific research or technology affects people’s lives.
A surefire way to find out what the audience relates to and want to know more about is to simply ask them—and have them weigh in in the comments. Here are a few question ideas to get your juices flowing:
- What’s a story or pop culture moment you heard about recently that got you curious to explore in-depth?
- What’s an example of a historical figure that fascinates you due to their unusual personality/accomplishments/impact on the world as we know it today?
- Tell us about a book/movie/TV show you read/watched recently that you found captivating and why.
- What’s a scientific discovery that blows your mind and you’d love to know more about?
- What’s the craziest rabbit hole you fell down?
You can also use polls to survey your audience with multiple choice questions about their interests and build a narrative based on their responses.
“I think that impactful stories come when they offer broader context into who we are and what we do,” says one of our experts. There are a lot of details that come with a story told in an episode or over an entire season. They add that what keeps all types of listeners and viewers along for the ride is “that common thread that connects us,” which helps the audience see it “from a bird’s-eye view” of the human experience.
Tell stories that excite you
It’s your show, so find the stories that resonate with you and share them with your audience. Your enthusiasm will come through for your listeners. “The more engaged you are in crafting a narrative, the more engaged your listeners will be in digesting it.”
So, how do you find stories that excite you? Here are a few ideas you can tap into:
- If you don’t already have a subject in mind, start with yourself. Tell stories about your own experiences, background, encounters, and mishaps that are memorable and made an impression on you.
- Dig into your show or podcast topic or niche and research stories that haven’t been told or that you can approach from a fresh angle.
- Crowdsource stories and then select what’s most interesting to you, like the producers of “Every Little Thing” do.
When you know what stories you want to tell in an episode or series of episodes, you can start planning how to portray them. At this stage, our experts’ advice is, “Think about if you were telling a story at a dinner party. How would you set the scene, take breaths at the right moment, engage with humor and tension and persuasion?”
Whether the story is about yourself or something or someone else, determine why it’s meaningful to you. “Look for the moments in the narrative that speak to you on a deeper level. Think about how you can draw those moments out so the listener can anchor to them as you do.” Make those pieces stand out with a well-timed pause, with sounds, or with intentional language. “If you can make this happen for your listener—to see the story as you do—you've offered them an especially unique experience.”
Storytelling shows to inspire you
Our experts shared some of their favorite examples of stories from the shows they work on. Take a listen for yourself and pay attention to why they are successful.
“Icons Club,” Episode 4, ‘MJ’
One of our producers points to this episode that explores a well-known story and figure in a new way. They say, “This episode is an example of trying to put a fresh perspective onto a story that many people already know intimately. Michael Jordan is one of the most famous people alive, and his story is so intimately covered.”
In the episode, they were able to speak directly with MJ, the people who influenced him, and the people who he influenced. By doing so, “we were able to tell a deeper story about Michael, the person, while keeping the larger-than-life elements of his story fun and engaging.”
Takeaways:
- Don’t be afraid to tap into a story that has already been told or is widely known. If you have something new to say about the topic, it’s worth putting your own spin on it. Conduct in-depth research on the subject (internet, books, blogs, other podcasts) and find an angle that hasn’t been done yet or ask your listeners what they would like to know about it that they haven’t been able to find anywhere else.
- Dig deep into the subject matter of the story you want to tell so you can uncover potential related guests to interview or subtopics to explore in future episodes.
“Real Pirates,” ‘Unlikely Allies Part 2: Blackbeard’
Our other expert offers this example as one that deftly draws listeners in with captivating imagery. When describing Blackbeard’s appearance and his intimidation tactics, they say, “We discuss his tall stature, his flamboyant flowing jackets, the straps across his chest that hold his multiple cutlasses. He put lit candles in his long beard to make it look as though he was emerging from the very depths of Hell.”
As they unfold the details, “we are greeted with a beautiful, modal key piano sequence that builds to a background chorus of pirate chant. The combination creates an image that truly jumps out to the listener, and anytime thereafter that you were to use that musical background, it would instantly generate the terrifying image of Blackbeard.”
Takeaway:
- If you have an audio-only show, create an immersive experience for your listeners. Use colorful and descriptive language to truly transport the audience into the world of your narrative.
- Use sound effects that relate to the narrative to heighten the emotion. It can be anything from waves crashing to somber choir music or birds chirping, depending on the nature of your narrative and what specific element you want to highlight to the listener.
“Revelations,” ‘Act 1’
The very first scene of the “Revelations” podcast sets the tone for the whole show, giving listeners a taste of what’s to come and a concept they can immediately register.
As one of our experts describes, the podcast opens with host Jennings Brown flying “above the compound of a religious group dubbed the Fellowship of Friends. Jennings is able to quite literally capture the bird’s-eye view of the story, describing the decadent life of the members of this community. Eventually, we're going to dive into the scene below and the coming apocalypse that this group predicted, but we first get a scene so bizarre but beautifully described that it holds as our setting throughout the rest of the story.”
Takeaway:
- Set the scene and tone of your story before diving into specific elements. Provide a descriptive overview of the scene, the atmosphere, and the scenery so the audience isn’t immediately thrown into a narrative without context. If you have a video show, this is the time to play around with footage that imparts the setting and mood of your story.
Allow room for experimentation and growth
You may not nail the storytelling part of podcasting on your first try, which is totally normal. And as you progress, your style will—and should—develop and change. You might form opinions about what strong storytelling means to you and then change those over time.
If you’re new to podcasting or storytelling, in particular, this is your time for trial and error. Take it from a pro: “Give yourself time to make mistakes before the stakes are high. You're only ever going to get better at this, but that can only start if you do the work and start to learn lessons about it,” one of our experts concludes.
