It seems like everyone has a podcast these days. For the uninitiated a podcast is a digital program, usually consisting of multiple episodes and seasons, that can be listened to (streamed) or downloaded over the Internet. Most are primarily audio in format but they can have a video companion (e.g. a YouTube channel). A podcast series usually has one or more recurring hosts who talk about a particular topic. The program content may be scripted, improvised or a combination of both. Some episodes are taped in front of a live audience. They are similar to radio programs but can be listened to at your convenience while in the car, doing things around the house, working out, etc.
They are usually free with some advertising or you can "subscribe" for a nominal fee and avoid the advertising. Or you can just fast forward through the ads like I do. You can access Podcasts through many sources such as Apple's Podcast App (formerly iTunes), Spotify, Pandora, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music and Audible, and listen on your mobile devices.
According to Wikipedia there were almost 3 million podcast programs available as of December 2022. Chances are there is at least one podcast out there on any subject you might be interested in. You can search for a topic in the podcast apps by browsing the available categories or doing a word search. The Top 10 Most Popular Podcasts on Spotify|2023 are:
- The Joe Rogan Experience Podcast
- Crime Junkie Podcast
- Call Her Daddy Podcast
- My Favorite Murder Podcast
- The Ben Shapiro Podcast
- The Daily Podcast
- Office Ladies Podcast
- Pod Save America
- Stuff You Should Know Podcast
- Morbid Podcast
The share of Americans who listen to podcasts has increased substantially over the last decade according to "The Infinite Dial" report by Edison Research. In 2013, 12% of Americans, 12 and older, said they listened to a podcast in the last month. In 2023 that increased to 42%. (Pew Research Center Audio and Podcasting Fact Sheet)
Globally, as of 2023, there are over 5 million podcasts with over 70 million episodes and 464.7 million listeners with the number predicted to reach 504.9 million by 2024. Podcasts are available in over 150 languages. (53 Podcast Statistics: Listeners, Growth & Trends (2023))
People listen to podcasts to be entertained and/or educated but why do so many take the next step and create their own podcasts? According to The Seasoned Podcaster blog article Why Does Everyone have a Podcast?! We Explain one reason is it is so easy to get started. With minimal investment you can start recording and distributing your content. Since nearly all podcasts are distributed by RSS your show will get added to podcasting apps almost immediately. This is much easier and cheaper than other formats with their large start-up fees and paywalls.
The downside is an over saturation of podcasts, however big apps like Apple and Spotify have algorithms that tend to cause the more popular shows to rise to the top. To stay popular though, and beat out the competition, shows have to stay relevant and interesting. Quality and innovation matter.
Podcasts can be produced for little to no cost with some equipment, software, a host, and support from advertisers or crowdfunding sources like Patreon, which provides listeners with extra content for a fee. For a guide on how to set up your own Podcast check out How to Start a Podcast: Complete Step-by-Step Guide [2023] by Buzzsprout. Their 10 step plan includes:
- Develop a concept
- Choose a format
- Setup equipment
- Choose software
- Record first episode
- Edit your audio
- Create artwork
- Set up hosting
- Get listed in directories
- Launch and grow your show
The "Stuff You Should Know Podcast" (no. 9 in the above top 10 list) is one of my personal favorites. It deals with general knowledge and education on a wide variety of topics. You might say it was an inspiration for this blog. Some other favorites include "Stuff you Missed in History Class", "You Must Remember This", "Smartless" and several political commentary/news podcasts. Do you have any favorites to recommend?
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