Everything You Need To Know About Podcasts
📖 Learning
The term podcasting first came up as a result of mixing the words 'iPod' and 'casting'. Though iPods don't exist anymore, podcasting continues to reach new heights. Wikipedia defines podcasting as, "The practice of using the Internet to make digital recordings of broadcasts available for downloading to a computer or mobile device."
Podcasting in India is at a nascent stage with only 40 million internet users out of the 500 million in India listening to podcasts. Most of the recent Indian podcasts cater to the Non-Residential Indian neighborhood. However, as the trend catches up with the Indian millennials, the range is definitely broadening. Right now, the United States is the most developed podcast market.
In this article, we will see types of podcasting, how to start a podcast and some more information about the podcasting scene in India.
Types Of Podcasting
How To Start A Podcast On Your Website Using The Power Plugin
Technicalities Related To Podcasts
Top Indian Podcasts
Types Of Podcasting
- Audio podcasting
- Video podcasting
Sometimes you will hear the term vodcast for video podcasting i.e. people record a video podcast and then remove the audio. Audio podcasting, on the other hand, refers to podcasts comprising only audio and no video. There are lots of places where your podcasts can appear. Spotify and the Apple podcast app are the popular ones.
How do you listen to a podcast? You need a podcatcher or podcast client. A podcast client is a computer program for downloading media through an RSS or XML feed. Overcast, Castro, eye-catcher, are some examples of podcatchers. Lipton is a fairly inexpensive, robust, powerful way to host your podcast.
How To Start A Podcast On Your Website Using The Power Plugin
The cool feature about the power plus plugin is it enables your WordPress website to publish a podcast. Not only does it put a player on your pages, but it also shows the audience how they can subscribe to your show. The power plus plugin generates an RSS feed that you can submit to iTunes and other podcast directories. Once you have the plugin installed, you need to activate it.
If you don't know how to install a plugin, there are several videos on YouTube explaining how to do it.
Technicalities Related To Podcasts
Website
You need a website to display your podcast. A website also helps in creating a subscription option. A subscription option is a URL that allows others to check out your podcast on iTunes, etc. through an RSS feed.
Feeds
Your podcast runs on something called an RSS feed. It's a crazy long chunk of code which is generated by the plugin, say power plugin. This code puts your podcast into a nice format that iTunes and other services can read. Every time you update your podcast page, this feed gets updated and effectively syndicated all over the world.
As long as you have submitted your feed to all the other services, your podcasts will show up and get updated.
Feed Settings
This is where some information needs to be entered. Edit what you want your show to be called on various services. Make iTunes the default because it has 82% of the market share.
Add a concise description. Keep it around 250 characters or below is suggested. There's something called feed episode maximization.
Piyush Mishra
Artwork
Your display needs to be at least 3000 pixels by 3000 pixels. Google likes it at 7000 pixels by 7000 pixels. The Times minimum is 1400 by 1400. So you have to make sure that the design fits the standard size. Also, ensure it's a JPEG or PNG.
Once you have submitted your show to iTunes or any other major provider, they will come back and say, "Hey, your show is live now, and here's your URL." You are now good to go.
Top Indian Podcasts
Indian Podcast Show
This podcast is hosted by Neil Patel, a technical and creative problem solver based out of the UK. Neil's enthusiasm, energy, friendliness bring a very structured, crisp, and fresh approach to interviewing. He brings entrepreneurs and business people related to the startup world. Getting insights on a lot of different aspects of their work, their career, their company's strategies, challenges, ideas, and ambitions is Neil Patel's job. It's an informative show and a great way to learn about your favorite startups in depth.
The Seen And The Unseen
Hosted by Amit Varma, it's got a more serious turn. But what it may lack in its lightheartedness is made up through earnestness. Asking and answering important questions about the socio-political issues in India and the world is a major objective of the podcast.
Amit Varma is an award-winning journalist and writer. The guests he brings on the podcast are incredibly interesting and from a wide range of backgrounds: economists, politicians, and comedians. The Seen And The Unseen discusses the heart of critical issues of India without the overblown dramatics of debates seen on national TV.
Piyush Mishra
Cyrus Says
Cyrus Says is hosted by the inimitable Cyrus Broacha. On TV, he hosts a news satire program called "the week that wasn't". Cyrus Says is similar to the late-night shows that we know from the US. Instead of being bound by a script provided by the writing staff, he's got a very natural flow in his conversation with the guests. He covers almost every subject of concern in India today.
Bollywood Is For Lovers
Strictly speaking, this isn't even an Indian podcast. It's a Canadian production hosted by Mark burrs and Erin Fraser but if you accept a mockery of Indian cinema or a gossip written look at Bollywood and its stars, keep looking because you won't find that here. The two Canadians are genuinely huge fans of Bollywood and have been for several years.
Erin studied film in college and Mark is a huge film buff in his own right. These two look at Bollywood movies through a much more open-minded and cinematically critical lens. In their very first episode, they began by dispelling a lot of misconceptions about the industry that many foreigners have. They honestly want more and more people to at least give Bollywood a chance. Their analysis of movies is on point.
Made in India
This show is hosted by Mae Thomas and produced by IVM podcasts, the same company that produces our number 3 and four picks as well. Made in India is described as India's first Indian music podcast and runs like a traditional radio show than most others. You get actual tracks and live sessions interspersed with really compelling conversations between Mae and her musical guests who range from the up-and-coming to the hottest name in the independent scene. It's a great source of new offbeat music if you are into that, but it's also a great indicator of the booming Indian music scene in India.
These are the top five Indian podcasts at the moment. Podcasting in India will grow exponentially if people start producing more podcasts like those mentioned above.
Vidhi Punamiya
Frequently Asked Questions
What is podcast?
A podcast is an episodic series of spoken word digital audio files that a user can download to a personal device for easy listening.
What is an example of a podcast?
A radio program distributed exclusively over the Internet and listened to on people's iPods is an example of a podcast.
How to start a podcast in India or how to start your own podcast in India?
Steps to "start a podcast" in India:
- Sign up
- Start by clicking on the new episode
- Now either record on the go or upload existing episode
- Save it the file
- Add Title & Description to the podcast
- Customize Further for an enhanced experience
- Click on publish. Add your Podcast's Title & Details
How much does it cost to start a podcast?
you can start a decent podcast for around $100 and for the best of the best, most professional podcast possible, you can expect to dish out around $5,000.
Are Google podcasts free?
Yes, Google podcasts are free.
Shubham Kumar
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