Podcasting started quietly a few years ago as another means of accessing audio content in mp3 format. It emerged as an alternative to the radio, but one that could be listened to at any time from various devices. In this post we will analyze what is a podcast and what are the reasons for its success.
He was the British journalist Ben Hammersley, The Guardian, who coined the term podcast for the first time in 2004, from the merger of the words iPod and broadcast. At that time, the podcast already existed, although it was still far from reaching the popularity it enjoys today.
In 2018, Google already had more than 2 million podcasts indexed. According to statistics, close to 40% of Spaniards listen to podcasts on a more or less regular basis. That percentage almost doubles among those under 25 years of age. The truth is that today you can find contents of all kinds, encompassing a wide spectrum of topics.
One thing is clear: podcasting has brought a revolution in the way of consuming audio content. And also in the way to monetize this content, with ways that go beyond traditional advertising.
Differences between radio and podcast
Podcasting is often confused with the concept of "radio on demand", given that most of the classic radio programs are recorded and offered on the websites of the stations themselves and podcasting platforms to be listened to on a delayed basis.
In general, these are the big differences between radio and podcast:
- Listening mode: The radio is listened to simply by tuning in the station, many times as a background or accompanying sound while we are working, in the car, etc.; instead, the podcast is content normally chosen by the listener (via subscription) to listen to at any time and place.
- Content: Radio content is focused above all on offering entertainment and information. Podcasts also offer more specialized thematic content.
- Music: The musical variety of the radio is usually greater, since the stations usually have use licenses; podcasts, whose budget is generally more modest, do not have that advantage.
- Duration: unlike radio shows, podcast episodes do not have length limits, or even a regularity in their broadcasts, although some podcasters broadcast weekly, monthly, etc.
- Recording: Anyone can record a podcast from anywhere, with simple software and a microphone. Obviously, the better the team, the higher the quality of work. Making a radio program requires having a recording studio and a station,
- Edition: Radio is almost always broadcast live; The podcast, with few exceptions, is recorded and can be edited even after "uploading" it to a platform.
In short, radio and podcasts are two different but complementary media. Which of them is better? It all depends on the profile of each person and the topic to be discussed.
How to record a podcast
The podcast is an open medium: in addition to consuming content, we can also create it. It is not necessary to rent a studio or a station, because it is something we can do comfortably from home. But as we said above, we are going to need a minimum of technical equipment. This is what we need:
- Medium quality microphone, to correctly register our voice.
- Recording software. There are plenty of pretty good free apps out there like Audacity or GarageBand. These programs will also be of great help when editing the content: improve the sound, add effects, remove noise, etc.
Beyond the purely technical aspects, it is advisable to prepare the contents very well, look for interesting topics, write an orderly script, etc.
Podcasting platforms
Once we have recorded our podcast, the question is: how can I broadcast it? The answer is in the podcasting platforms. They allow the creators offer its contents to the general public and to consumers find an extensive offer, with the possibility of subscribing to the podcasts that most interest us or receiving notifications every time a new episode is published.
Within the world of podcasting in Spanish, these are the best platforms:
Ivoox
The great reference platform in the field of podcasting in Spanish. Its catalog is extensive and very varied. There is everything. In ivoox we will be able to publish our podcast for free and also listen to them without a subscription (except for paid content, obviously, although these are usually amazingly cheap), create playlists and download them for offline listening.
Link: ivoox
Spotify
That's right: the world's most popular streaming music app also has a rich section of podcasts. Among its many advantages, the one that stands out is being able to listen to podcasts from any device: computer, smartphone (Android and iOS), smartwatch, etc. In addition, as it does with music, Spotify sends us personalized recommendations for podcasts according to our tastes.
Link: Spotify
Soundcloud
Among Android users, Soundcloud it is just as popular or even more popular than Ivoox as an application to listen to music and podcasts. It has a powerful search engine and offers us the possibility of subscribing to an unlimited number of contents. It should also be noted that it can be integrated with Facebook, Twitter and other social networks.
Link: Soundcloud