Here are three key elements that make podcasts unique:

• Type of Media: A podcast is a type of content that allows creators to broadcast or stream their intended message to a target audience, leveraging audio or audio and visual communication.
• Niche: Like a book or research paper, a good podcast has a targeted focus that meets the audience where they are.
• Episodes: Podcasts are episodic, meaning the overarching podcast covers a central theme, and each episode covers variations on or parts of that theme.

Some have described podcasts as “the streaming generation’s answer to radio”.

So, how does a podcast work? On a technical level, the podcaster, or content creator:

1. Decides on a podcast theme, niche, and message.
2. Chooses a format.
3. Plans and scripts episodes.
4. Buys essential equipment and software.
5. Records and edits each podcast episode.
6. Decides on hosting platforms and services.
7. Tapes or films themself “podcasting”.
8. Releases episodes of their podcast one by one for download or streaming like a radio show or vlog.

What no textbook definition of a podcast will tell you is how they manage to capture the attention of viewers and listeners so easily.

Noelle Acheson puts it best in this powerful analysis: “Podcasts fill in the gaps in your days with intimacy.” Similarly to how FDR’s “fireside chats” brought a grieving nation together in WWII by connecting listener and broadcaster, podcasts can bring podcaster and viewer/streamer together intimately in a way that other digital mediums of communication simply can’t.

How to Create a Podcast

Creating a podcast is fairly involved, but once you’ve decided on what you’re going to say and set up your hosting platform, releasing content becomes second nature.

On a high level, here’s what’s involved:

1. Define your purpose and niche
2. Plan your format and brainstorm ideas
3. Invest in good quality equipment
4. Choose a podcast hosting platform
5. Grow your audience
6. Monetize your podcast

How to Distribute a Podcast

What good is the best podcast content if it’s not heard or watched by the right people? Not much! 

The aim of podcast distribution is to get eyes and ears on your content.

The easiest way to distribute your podcast is to choose an all-inclusive podcast hosting platform carefully. 

• All podcast hosting platforms act as a content hub where your podcast episodes will live.
• They also handle the creation of an RSS feed, which is crucial in getting your content picked up by popular podcast platforms.
• The best podcast hosting services also handle the automatic submission of your podcast episodes to popular listening platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

How to Market a Podcast

Podcasting is a growing, but potentially still less competitive form of reaching your audience than other forms of digital marketing.

But that doesn’t mean being seen won’t involve doing work. This is the work of podcast marketing, which aims to help podcast streamers not just launch into the podcast space, but also make their unique mark and grow their audience.

Here’s how to do that:

1. Get to know your target audience and intended podcast niche.
2. Create episodes that solve real problems, provide engaging insights, and meet your audience where they are.
3. Develop (and stick to) a brand identity.
4. Implement podcast SEO best practices.
5. Collaborate with other podcasters.
6. Leverage social media.
7. Engage with your audience in meaningful ways.

Defining Podcast Success

As is the case with any form of digital marketing, reviewing the performance of your podcast regularly, analyzing what you find, and adjusting accordingly is extremely important. 

That’s because, when it comes to tracking podcast performance, “Every play, pause, and skip tells a story, so learning how to measure podcast performance is essential.”