What is a Podcast? How to Make a Podcast?

Although the most attention-grabbing content in today’s technology world is videos, podcasts that have developed as an alternative to radio have also become quite widespread in recent times. We wanted to talk in detail about the world of podcasts, which more and more people are listening to and more and more programs are being made for. In this article, we will try to answer questions such as what is a podcast, how long it has been in our lives, and how it is made.

What is a Podcast?

Podcasts are generally audio blogs. You can also think of podcasts as an alternative to live radio programs.

Podcasts continue in series that follow one another, and sometimes you may need to subscribe or download the podcasts to listen to these series. Podcasts, which became popular with the popularity of Apple’s iPod portable media player and iTunes music application in the early 2000s, are spreading even faster since they have taken their place in music listening applications like Spotify.

Research shows that podcasts are more commonly listened to by people in the 25-54 age range. It can be said that this age group generally has an active professional life. Podcast culture mostly appeals to people who live fast-paced lives and cannot find time to read or watch something, but want to listen to something about topics they are curious about or interested in. Times such as commuting to work, working on an automated task, or time set aside for relaxation are quite suitable for listening to podcasts.

Advantages of Podcasts

As interest in podcasts has increased in recent years, it is possible to come across podcasts in many languages including Turkish on many different topics. For example, you can listen to podcast programs on general culture, history, and similar topics, as well as programs organized entirely around comedy or conversation. There are even podcast channels that tell stories and podcast channels built around a specific sectoral conversation. This diversity inevitably causes many people to come to the podcast world where everyone can find something for themselves. The basic driving force creating this diversity is the needs that people feel for this type of content.

While it is not entirely accurate to say that podcasts are substitutes for radio programs, it is possible to say that they continue to serve the function that radio programs served. While radio programs can be listened to on certain days and hours, the fact that podcasts can be listened to at any time is one of the biggest advantages in today’s busy world. While it is possible to pause a podcast program as many times as you want and continue from where you left off, it is also possible to listen from the beginning multiple times. The freedom and comfort created by this situation is one of the biggest advantages of podcasts, especially when compared to radio programs.

Being able to listen to podcasts with any device connected to the internet is also among the advantages of podcasts. In fact, with certain programs, it is possible to listen to a podcast program that you previously downloaded over the internet in an offline environment where you have no online access.

One of the biggest advantages of podcasts is also the ease of updating and changing data. Since broadcasts are not made over a frequency like radio, podcast programs can be on any topic and at any frequency. Topics can also vary according to the preferences of listeners.

How to Make a Podcast?

Before starting to make a podcast, the name and concept of the program must of course be determined. In addition to finding an interesting concept, having guests from time to time to keep the program lively can keep the flow smooth. If you plan your concept accordingly, you can also find the opportunity to flex or change it from time to time.

One of the most important things to pay attention to before starting to make a podcast program is of course having appropriate equipment. Sound quality is very important for podcasts because whatever you offer will consist of sounds. In this system built on people listening to you, there is no room for visuals or other senses, so presenting sound quality at the highest possible level is important. For this reason, it is especially important to choose the equipment with the highest sound quality if you are working on a podcast for a project on behalf of a company or brand.

We said everything consists of sound, but investing very high amounts in a newly undertaken job individually may not be very wise. Because a certain amount of time is needed for the job to be tried and understood whether it will work or not. For this reason, if you do not want to take too much risk at the initial stage, you do not need to make a professional start, meaning you can enter this job with less than 1000 TL.

The most important thing that should be among these listed equipment is of course the microphone. Since it is very important for your voice to reach listeners clearly and loudly, the higher the quality of the microphone, the more opportunities there will be for your recording to be of high quality. Podcast broadcasters can choose two types of microphones. One is USB connectors, the other is analog XLR connectors. Those knowledgeable about sound and music prefer analog XLR microphones.

A POP Filter is also an optional tool that people who want to make podcasts can use. That is, you can make podcast recordings without having this. This filter prevents explosions in the microphone during your conversations and also extends the life of your microphone.

Headphones can also be used optionally but can be used to increase quality. Headphones allow you to be aware of how your voice sounds and whether everything is normal during podcast recording.

Podcast Promotion Process

After preparing the podcast episode, uploading it to any broadcast platform is as simple as a file upload. What is important is the process you go through to create it and the process you go through to promote it to be listened to.

Make sure to upload your podcast to important platforms in index form. Try to have at least 5 episodes because being able to offer more to someone who wants to listen to one of your episodes and subscribe right then can provide a great advantage.

You can increase your chances of success by organizing a launch. If you are lucky enough, you can be featured in the “New and Noteworthy” section on iTunes or another important platform. However, if you do not want to leave things too much to chance, you can start by joining small communities and sharing your podcast, sending it to friends, and with small-scale PR efforts like these.

Abdullah Altunbaş

Content Writer

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