Do you want your business to get recognised by many people? Are you looking for a way to share your expertise with others?
Introducing podcasts!
Podcasts have become a very popular way to share information and entertainment. Podcast listeners tend to be younger, educated, affluent and interested in topics such as politics, health, science and business.
So whether you want to entertain your audience or learn something new, creating a podcast can be a great way to expand your brand.
Podcast Basics: What Is A Podcast?
A podcast is a collection of audio or video recordings distributed over the Internet. They are usually produced by individuals who want to share their knowledge with other listeners. Podcasts are often used to educate, entertain, inform and inspire.
You can download podcasts from iTunes, Google Play Music, Spotify, Stitcher and TuneIn. The podcast format has become very popular because it allows you to listen to various topics at your convenience.
Podcasts are great for learning new things, listening to exciting stories and getting inspiration from other people.
Podcasts are great for building relationships with your potential audience with similar interests. For businesses, podcasts can help them reach more customers, increase sales, provide more brand awareness and improve customer service.
If you have a topic that you think would interest others, consider learning the podcast basics and starting a podcast in your topic or field.
Podcast Statistics You Would Want to Know
There are over 2,405,491 valid podcasts, with over 61 million episodes published in January 2022.
Listeners in North America and the Asia Pacific dominate the podcast listenership around the world.
So far, 34.9% of all podcast listeners (30,316,450 podcast downloads) are through Apple Podcasts, followed by Spotify (29.4%, with 25,526,917 downloads), web browsers (2.8%), and Google Podcasts (2.4%).
This shows that podcasts have been making an impact on people’s lives as they grow rapidly year by year.
If you decide to take the podcasting route, you should first consider whether or not you will enjoy doing so. You should also know what podcasting is and how it works.
Podcast Basics: What Is Podcasting?
Podcasting is a form of digital audio broadcasting where users listen to prerecorded shows. The first podcast was invented in 2004 by Adam Curry, a former MTV video jockey, and Dave Winer, a software developer. Today, podcasts are one of the fastest-growing forms of entertainment, especially among young adults.
Podcasting allows anyone to produce content without dealing with expensive equipment or complicated production techniques. This makes it easy to start a podcast.
Nowadays, podcasts are usually recorded and edited using inexpensive consumer-grade podcast equipment, including microphones, computers and editing programs.
For instance, many computers nowadays come equipped with built-in microphones that plug right into the motherboard.
You can also choose to use external USB microphones, which connect to your computer via a cable.
Once the podcast has been recorded, you edit it with desktop audio editing software like Audacity.
After that, you will upload the podcast episode to your preferred podcast hosting platform. If you have set up the directories beforehand, your podcast would also be displayed on all major podcast directories.
Podcast Basics: What is a Podcast Directory?
A podcast directory is a website where users can search for podcasts. The best way to describe a podcast directory is like iTunes, but for audio instead of music.
Podcast directories allow podcast listeners to search for podcasts based on categories such as technology, business, health, science, etc. They also provide information about each podcast, such as when they were released, how long they last and who hosts them. Some directories also include reviews from other users.
Nowadays, there are many podcast directories available online. However, some of these sites require registration. On the other hand, others only require you to submit the RSS feed link without registering an account.
As a result, it can be overwhelming for podcast creators as they may be undecided on which directories they should use. But one thing to note: the more directories are included for podcast submission, the higher the chances of getting your podcast visible to your potential audience.
The following includes the top 5 most popular podcast directories:
Apple Podcasts
Apple Podcasts is one of the biggest and most reliable podcast directories around. With over 28 million listeners on Apple Podcasts alone, this is one of the best podcast directories out there.
It keeps track of all the metrics to give its listeners a more personalised experience.
It is worth noting that Apple Podcasts does not have any subscription plans or fees. This means that anyone can access and listen to podcasts for free.
For podcast creators, they only need to register an Apple ID and submit their podcasts through the Apple Podcasts Connect platform.
Due to the more significant listener count, Apple Podcasts is usually on the top of the podcast submission list to consider.
Spotify
Spotify is another big name in the world of podcasts. Spotify has over 406 million active users per month, with 180 million monthly paid subscribers worldwide.
With that many paying customers, Spotify has become one of the most trusted podcast directories as its user base is multiplying.
Spotify provides a variety of features that make it easy for people to find new podcasts. These include search filters, genre suggestions, playlists and recommendations.
In addition, Spotify allows users to subscribe to podcasts with just a few clicks.
Google Podcasts
Google Podcasts is a podcast app available for Android and iOS devices. It allows you to subscribe to podcasts directly through the app or connect with your favourite podcast service. You can also download podcast episodes to listen to without an active Internet connection later.
Previously, podcasts could be downloaded through Google Play Music, but eventually, all subscriptions and histories were transferred to the Google Podcasts app.
One of the best features of Google Podcasts is the integration with Search on the phone. So, for example, if you type your favourite podcast title into the search bar, you will see all the related podcast episodes without the need to open up the app each time.
Stitcher
Stitcher has over 8 million registered users and 12 million app downloads. With that huge number, Stitcher is one of the biggest podcast directories out there. They constantly keep track of listens, downloads, listening duration, active users, podcast ranks and other metrics to provide a better user experience for Stitcher users.
Listeners can download and listen to podcasts on Stitcher for free. It also offers premium subscriptions for those who want to listen to podcasts without ads interruption.
TuneIn
TuneIn amasses more than 75 million monthly active users and is available on all major platforms, including Android and iOS.
Although TuneIn’s primary focus is the ability to tune in to the live radio, it does offer a decent selection of podcasts. You can browse through categories like news, sports, comedy, music, etc., and filter them based on topics such as technology, business, health, politics, entertainment, etc. It also hosts several prominent podcasts like The Daily Show and The Joe Rogan Experience.
Also, another feature that makes TuneIn stands out is the compatibility with Alexa-enabled devices, so you can use voice commands to control your podcast playback.
Getting the Most Out of Podcasts
So there we have it! A podcast is an excellent way to stay connected to the latest trends in your field or niche. It is one of the most effective ways to market your business, build trust among your potential audience and establish your authority in your field.
However, before diving right into creating your own podcast, it is crucial to understand how to get the most out of this digital medium, learning the podcast basics, setting it upright and using it effectively for your business.
Evolve & Adapt owns and produces a business marketing podcast entitled “One Eye Deer”.
The “One Eye Deer” Podcast explores one powerful marketing idea each episode to help business owners, entrepreneurs, salespeople, marketers and working professionals grow their businesses and careers.
Hosted by J C Sum, a certified marketing management consultant, he shares stories from his 25 years of experience in marketing and his current role as a strategy consultant working with a wide variety of businesses. He also shares how he built a 7-figure consulting firm within two years.
Check out our latest episodes below:
Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or any of your favourite podcast apps so you don’t miss our upcoming episodes!
Contact us
