You’ve heard all about podcasts, but you aren’t sure how it works. Even though they have been around for nearly two decades, Podcasts are soaring now more than ever.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the rise of the format has rapidly grown in popularity. Today, opportunities for new podcasters are going from strength to strength and it seems like everyone and their brother has a show of their own.
Many businesses now incorporate podcasts as part of their content marketing strategy. They are, at least if they’re to be successful — informative, educational, and or entertaining.
There’s never been a better time to make a podcast
So, What is a Podcast?
A podcast is an episodic series — primarily audio, which you subscribe to on your smartphone and listen to it whenever and wherever you like. Simply put, they are internet radio shows on demand. In the most technical sense, it’s an audio file that is downloaded to a device via an RSS feed.
The name originally came from the joining of two words — iPod and broadcast — although you’re not limited to using an iPod, or even an Apple device, to enjoy them. They’re available on multiple platforms spanning millions of hours of content. You can learn more about the history of podcasting here.
Then, What is an RSS feed?
RSS (aka Really Simple Syndication) is the headquarters for your podcast, which is used for distributing podcasts to Apple, Google, Spotify, etc.
Your RSS feed contains your cover art, links to the audio content (arranged by the seasons and episodes), release dates, title, and description. It has everything that is necessary to update your podcast on listening platforms seamlessly where users can discover, listen, and subscribe, making it truly the headquarters for your podcast.
What makes Podcasts so great?
As the world becomes busier, the average attention span shrinks. As opposed to reading and or watching videos that require undivided attention, audio content allows listeners to multitask.
Podcasts can be of any length — some are just 5 minutes, with a single tip or thought for the day, while others can be 1 hour+. Some stretch across multiple episodes while others end after a short run.
Podcasts allow you to use your eyes for something else like cooking, working out, driving, or cleaning the house, in fact, anything that doesn’t require you to ‘hear yourself think’, has made the format incredibly popular.
The format offers endless variety and options. Any topic a person may be interested in can usually be found online in a podcast format. From a true-crime podcast, comedy podcast, pop culture, news, and opinions, there is something for everyone.
How do you listen to them?
So, you’re convinced and you want to hear it for yourself?
You’re in luck, you’ll have access to the abundance of great podcasts, with curated programming all available for free; just install an app on your phone and download the shows you want to hear. First, you’ll need to pick a podcast player.
Apple Podcasts for iPhone, Google Podcasts for Android, and Spotify for both are primarily favorable to users. However, there is a multitude of other apps you can download.
Smartphones are the #1 platform for podcast consumption.
When using the Apple podcasts app or Spotify, you can choose to subscribe to your favorite shows and have each new episode downloaded immediately. This is in contrast to YouTube or social media, where often you’ll have to visit the platform to see new content.
Now, you know what podcasts are, go out there, create and consume!
