Demystifying podcast jargon

Are you considering a podcast for your business but feeling overwhelmed by all the jargon? Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered!

Whether you want to run the whole thing yourself (we offer training on end-to-end podcasting) or outsource time-intensive steps like editing, understanding the following terminology enables you to make informed decisions about your show.

Here’s a quick guide to some of the most common podcasting terms and what they mean.

RSS Feed: RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication, and it’s a way for podcast listeners to subscribe to your show. An RSS feed is a link to your podcast that listeners can use to keep up with new episodes.

When a new episode of your podcast is published, the RSS feed is automatically updated with the new content. This allows users to easily access the latest episode of their favourite podcast. Please note that it can take up to twelve hours for your latest episode to be visible on each platform.

Podcast Host: In this instance, I don’t mean your charismatic presenter; I am referring to a service that stores your audio files and distributes them (via an RSS feed) to podcast directories like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. I personally recommend SoundCloud for this, but popular podcast hosting services include Simplecast, Buzzsprout, and Transistor.

Podcast Directories: Podcast directories are websites like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts that list all the podcast episodes available for people to listen to.

Podcast Artwork: Podcast artwork is the image that appears on a podcast directory when someone searches for your show. It’s essential to have a strong, visually appealing image that will attract potential listeners.

Podcast Statistics: This is the data collected about how many people are listening to your show, where they’re from, and how long they’re listening. This information can help you understand your audience better and make decisions about how to improve your show.

Podcast Ads: Podcast ads are audio advertisements that you can run during your show. These ads can be used to promote products or services or to make money through sponsorships.

In order to make sure your podcast sounds professional, you need to make sure you’re using the right microphone settings. You can create a great show with the right settings to engage your listeners.

Here’s some kit terminology you might find useful to know:

Gain: The most important factor in setting up your microphone is gain. This is the amount of amplification that is applied to your microphone signal. You want to make sure that the gain is set correctly so that your voice is loud enough to be heard but not so loud that it distorts.

Polar pattern: This determines which direction the microphone is most sensitive to sound. For podcasts, you’ll typically want to use a cardioid polar pattern, which is most sensitive to sound coming from in front of the microphone.

Frequency response: This determines how the microphone will respond to different frequencies of sound. Generally, you’ll want to use a flat frequency response, which will capture all frequencies equally.

Noise gate: This setting will allow you to reduce background noise and make sure that only your voice is heard. By adjusting these settings, you can ensure that your podcast sounds professional and that your audience can hear you clearly.

Ready to launch your podcast?

 If you’re ready to launch a podcast for your business, we offer training, end-to-end production and editing. We look forward to hearing from you!

Email info@alicevioletcreative.com to set up a discovery call.