What is a Podcast? Simple Definition with Examples in 2024

Podcasts have soared in popularity in recent years, but there’s still some confusion about what exactly a podcast is. Are podcasts the same as radio broadcasts? Do podcasts have video? How do I make a podcast? We’ll take a look at those questions and more in this article.
What is a Podcast? Simple Definition with Examples in 2024

What is a Podcast: Definition
What exactly is a podcast? It's a series of digital audio (or video, we’ll come to that) files that are available for streaming or downloading online. At its core, a podcast is a bit like a radio show, but more accessible, you can stream or download and listen any time you want, wherever you are, rather than having to tune in at a specific time.
If we go a little further into a podcast definition, then it’s often episodic content that’s distributed by individuals or organisations – usually to form a series. Listeners can subscribe and get automatic updates when new episodes are released.
Learn About Podcasts: FAQ
Do Podcasts Have Video?
This is a legitimate question, and the simple answer is, not necessarily. While the term 'podcast' originally referred to audio content, many podcasts now incorporate video as well. These are often referred to as video podcasts or vodcasts, though most podcasts are still primarily audio-based. Purists would say that a podcast with video isn’t truly a podcast, and they kind of have a point, but we see it as a bit of an evolving medium!
While audio is still, generally speaking, more accessible, including video into your podcasting can open doors to new audiences through video platforms like YouTube and Twitch.
How Are Podcasts Different from Traditional Radio?
We mentioned that podcasts aren’t like radio programmes really, and mostly that’s because they offer the freedom of choice and convenience that traditional radio can’t really match (though it’s caught up a little with ‘on demand’ and occasional episodic releases of content). With podcasts, you decide what to listen to, when, and where.
Are Podcasts Free?
Yeah, mostly! The majority of podcasts are free and podcasters tend to generate revenue through things like sponsorships, ads, or listener donations. Some platforms though, offer premium content or ad-free episodes for a subscription fee.
What’s the Point of Podcasts and What Types of Podcast Are There?

Podcasts are pretty versatile and their main aim is usually to bring people together through shared interests. If they do that successfully, then there can be a lot of chatter and hype generated, which is great for getting the podcast out to an even wider audience.
Conversational Podcasts
Casual and informal, these podcasts come across as a friendly chat between hosts.
An example of a podcast like this would be: Death, Sex & Money with Anna Sale. This podcast explores ‘the big questions’ – stuff that people usually find hard to talk about, or are embarrassed to!
Documentary-style Podcasts:
These podcasts dive into a factual subject, with in-depth research and storytelling. 
An example of a podcast like this would be: The Body in the Tree by BBC Sounds. This podcast covers an historic murder, uncovering new evidence and hearing from experts in various related fields.
Educational Podcasts
Focused on sharing knowledge, educational podcasts cover a wide range of topics, from science and history to language learning.
An example of a podcast like this would be: TED Podcasts, including TED Talks Daily which covers subjects ‘from AI to Zoology and everything in between'.
Thematic or Niche Podcasts
Centred around a specific theme or interest, these podcasts are aimed at a particular targeted audience. This could also fall into one of our other genres because it could include true crime, or something like gaming, or even niche hobbies.
An example of a podcast like this would be: The Pen Addict by Relay FM which, as you might guess, is for people who just can’t get enough of stationery!
Theatrical or Audio Drama Podcasts
Scripted and performed, these podcasts bring stories to life through sound effects, music and voice acting. They’ve really taken off in popularity and you can find a bunch of really great options now.
An example of a podcast like this would be: The Big Lie by John Mankiewicz and starring a host of celeb actors!
Why are Podcasts So Popular?
We know people love podcasts, but why?
Accessibility and Convenience
Podcasts offer a lot of convenience, particularly as data streaming from mobile devices has got a lot cheaper. Whether you're commuting, exercising, or doing chores, you can integrate podcasts into your daily routine. They’re a great time killer too!
Dive into a Wide Range of Interests
As we’ve seen, podcasts are not just for popular or talked about topics, they can also be for interests of all kinds, and that could be a particular period of history, you might be a bit of a science geek, or maybe you love comedy… whatever it is, there's a podcast for you.
Intimacy
Listening to a podcast feels personal, like the host is talking just to you. A little like radio in its heyday, podcasts can grow strong connections between presenters and listeners. Some become so popular that they could do a podcast on just about anything and still have an audience!
Learning on the Go
Educational podcasts are great for learning on the go. From language lessons to analyses of historical events, you can put that listening time to good use!
Communal Experience
We touched on this, but discussing podcast episodes with other people is fun and creates a sense of community, whether it's armchair-detectiving your way through crime mysteries, or sharing jokes you heard in a comedy podcast.
How Can I Listen to Podcasts?

Listening to podcasts is easy, particularly with most of us owning a mobile device like a phone. You can stream podcasts directly from various platforms or download episodes for offline listening.
Search for your favourite show in the platform you’re using to stream, select an episode, and press play. If you’re on the go then you may find downloading episodes more reliable than streaming, as you can drop signal, which can get frustrating!
How to Subscribe to Podcasts
Subscribing means you never miss an episode and new content is automatically delivered to or added to your library. On most platforms, you just hit the subscribe button and it’s as easy as that.
Some of the Most Popular Apps for Podcast Listening
There are tons of apps for listening to podcasts, and ‘popular’ isn’t always equal to ‘best,’ but some of the ones people are using the most include:

Spotify
Google Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
Audible
Amazon Music

Enhancing Your Listening Experience
Investing in good-quality headphones can make a difference to your listening experience when it comes to podcasts. People are favouring over-ear, noise cancelling ones to immerse yourself fully into the audio. Again, there are tons around but popular brands include Sony, and Bose, or for something more subtle and in-ear there are buds from the likes of Apple and Samsung that will work well for high quality audio.
Should I Make a Podcast?
If you’ve been toying with the idea of starting your own podcast, then good for you! Why not. Here are some of the main pros and cons of that
Pros:

Express Creativity: Podcasting provides a platform to express your creativity, share your passions, and connect with people who love what you love!

Flexible Format: You choose the format, content, and style of your podcast, giving you complete control.

Global Reach: Podcasts have a (potential) global audience, allowing you to reach listeners worldwide.

Low Entry Barrier: Starting a podcast is relatively accessible and cheap, with minimal equipment and technical knowledge – though obviously you want it to be the best it can.

Cons:

Over-Saturation: The podcasting landscape is crowded to say the least, which means it’s hard to stand out.

Time-Consuming: Creating quality content, editing, and promoting your podcast takes a lot of time and dedication. If you get bored and quit half-way through you’ll alienate your audience.

Monetisation Challenges: You might not want to make a podcast to make money but if you do… it’s hard, particularly in the early stages.

Technical Learning Curve: While starting a basic podcast is easy, more advanced techniques require time and effort.

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Producing a Podcast: A Quick Step-by-Step Guide

Okay let’s say you’ve weighed up those pros and cons and decided to go ahead. Now what?
1. Planning Your Podcast
Define Your Niche
What will your podcast be about? Choose a topic you're passionate about or have expertise in, because you’re going to need to talk about it… a lot! Or at least find experts who can and be able to ask questions or banter back and forth. Once you have your niche you can attract a specific audience.
Identify Your Target Audience
Who do you want to reach? Understanding your audience helps tailor your content. You can’t really do a hit-and-hope podcast with the view of attracting everyone, it just won’t work that way.
Format and Structure
Decide on the format of your podcast – will it be interviews, storytelling, a solo show? Plan for what will be in each episode and then the structure of those for a good, well-balanced series. You can’t squeeze all your good material into episode one!
Choose a Name and Branding
Pick a good, memorable, and relevant name for your podcast. Design some nice cover art for it and keep that brand image consistent across platforms.
2. Recording and Editing
We’ll help you out a little more with this in the next section, but here are the basics.
Recording Equipment
Invest in decent equipment. A good microphone is essential, as is, of course, a recording device (which could be your computer) and you’ll ideally want a quiet place to record, plus optional (but beneficial) kit like a mixer.
Editing Software
Use editing software to put together your recordings, trim unnecessary sections, add music or sound effects, and polish it all up to a professional finish. If you subscribe to Adobe, you might want to use Audition, or if not, maybe you'd prefer something a little more cost-effective(!) like Reaper.
Consistent Quality
It should go without saying but the quality of your audio needs to be high throughout your podcast. If you’re bringing other voices into the mix, try to make sure that any kit and settings at their end are up to scratch and if not, consider having them in the same room/studio as you so you can control it.

3. Publishing Your Podcast
Submit to Directories
Distribute your podcast to major directories like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. Each platform has its submission process, so just follow the guidelines for approval (this is another reason why quality should be high and consistent!).
Promote Your Podcast
Try to build anticipation before your launch on the various social media sites. Share teaser clips, behind-the-scenes content, and engage with potential listeners. If your podcast has newsworthy content you might even think about sending out a press release.
Encourage Reviews and Subscriptions
Ask listeners to leave reviews and subscribe to your podcast. Positive reviews boost visibility on podcast platforms.
4. Monetising Your Podcast
Sponsorships and Ads
Partnering with sponsors or including ads in your episodes are common ways for podcasters to generate revenue. This isn’t easy though and might be out of reach of smaller podcasting teams.
Patreon or Donations
Some podcasters rely on listener donations through platforms like Patreon. Offering exclusive content to subscribers can be a good way to incentivise people to donate.
Affiliate Marketing
Promote products or services related to your podcast content and earn a commission for each sale through affiliate marketing.
Producing a Podcast: Learning Skills
We’re light on the ground in this article when it comes to making the actual podcast and that’s because it’s a huge task. Thankfully, we’ve got some experts on hand to help… phew! Here are some useful free podcast courses.
Audio Production Fundamentals



If you’re new to audio production and editing then Dave has you covered, with everything from technical know-how, to best practices.
How to Edit a Podcast



Using Reaper, Dave will take you through how to go from raw audio files, to a polished, professional podcast!
How to Animate a Podcast Audiogram



Learn how to make an animated podcast video using a spectrum visualiser in After Effects with this audiogram animation tutorial.
Conclusion - What Exactly is a Podcast?!
We hope you now have a better idea what a podcast definition is, and even though some podcasts have video, we still think the main podcast definition refers to audio episodes put together to form a series. Both listening to podcasts and producing your own can be a lot of fun, and the more we learn about podcasts, the more we love them! 
Envato Elements
Envato Elements can help you with your podcast production - you'll find SFX, music tracks, audio-visualisers and much more, all for a monthly subscription!

Every month there are free files for you to use, too.
About This Page
This page was written by Marie Gardiner. Marie is a writer, author, and photographer. It was edited by Gonzalo Angulo. Gonzalo is an editor, writer and illustrator.