What is a Podcast, exactly? The answer…
filed in 4729 on Jun.16, 2010
I confessed in my first post in this series on how to create a podcast that my first question was: what is a podcast, exactly??
I had always assumed it was just a trendy new buzz word for an MP3 or audio file. I was wrong. And I wasn’t alone in thinking that’s all it was. I discovered there’s a lot more to it than that actually, so I’ll share the details with you so we can both be up to speed…
The mode of delivery differentiates podcasting from other means of accessing media files over the Internet, such as direct download, or streamed webcasting. -source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcast
As you can see from the wikipedia definition, it’s not about the file format but rather the delivery method. Many people assumed (myself included) that you need an iPod to listen to or subscribe to podcasts. Not the case…
So a podcast is not just an audio file, and is not just for iPods. Which still leaves us asking: Okay, then what is a podcast?
A podcast is a media file – which can be audio, video, or even a PDF file.
A podcast has an RSS Feed, which means that subscribers can receive the media files in a variety of ways. They use a device (iPod, iPhone, etc) or an application (iTunes, feed reader, etc) to receive the files automatically. Meaning the subscription process is automated.
Similar to a magazine subscription which gets delivered to your door every month, versus going to the newsstand and buying a copy, a podcast is delivered to the subscriber automatically every time there is a new episode.
You don’t need to be online, or even in front of your computer, to listen to the latest podcast episode. You simply open your device or application and any new content from that host is already there for you.
To improve on the definition quoted above, this 4-part definition of a Podcast has also been proposed:
A podcast is a digital audio or video file that is episodic; downloadable; programme-driven, mainly with a host and/or theme; and convenient, usually via an automated feed with computer software. -source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcast
My big A-ha! moment
So I now know that a podcast isn’t just a fancy name for an MP3 file. Podcasting is actually a method of delivering content in a variety of formats. Since I already create audio, video and documents for my market… this is simply a means of delivering that content when and where they are.
Instead of hosting a webinar at a certain time on a certain day, people who want to listen in can listen anytime and anywhere. They may do it at 3am or 3pm, in front of their computer or while they’re out for a jog, they may listen all the way through or pause it and finish it later. It removes all the restrictions, and objections people may have for consuming your content!
And they don’t have to come to your website to receive the content. It comes straight to them on the device, or in the application they are already using every day.
The fact that you can offer a variety of content types (audio, video, document, etc) was a real eye-opener for me. I immediately saw huge potential for using a Podcast as a means of growing “a responsive list”. Generally we think of email marketing when we say that, but just imagine how you can increase your reach by offering a multi-media Podcast option instead of (or ideally, in addition to) email marketing!
Delivery Options
Since a Podcast has an RSS feed of it’s own, you can deliver your content (podcast) in a variety of ways. Enough ways to suit anyone and everyone that may be interested in your content:
- via iTunes & other podcast apps
- straight to mobile devices
- streaming/download online, in a blog post for example
- via Email using Aweber’s Blog Broadcast (with the RSS feed)
- in a FeedReader that supports media files
I decided that I’ll offer my Podcast through all of the above.
In an upcoming post we’ll explore the various ways you can subscribe to podcasts, or receive the content. Even if you don’t own an iPod!
But next we’ll talk about the “biz of podcasting”, or answer the question: What’s the point?? Now that we know what a podcast is, and what all we can do with it, we’ll dig in to the objective… Stay tuned!
Best,
p.s. You can subscribe for email updates below so you don’t miss a single post in this series – which is also where I’ll send the download link for the free report on how to create a podcast. 
Original post by Lynn Terry and software by Elliott Back