What is a Podcast and How do I Listen To One

I have come to love podcasts. I was introduced to the world of podcasts by my sons Joshua and Elijah. They would often play their favorites while riding in the car with me. The first podcast I subscribed to was for my son Joshua's daily radio show, SportsCall Auburn. It allowed me to hear his live show hours later after my work day ended.

What I love about podcasts is the ability to listen to something I enjoy and that I find edifying while running or biking or driving. According to Podcast Insights, there are over 800,000 podcasts with over 30 million episodes available.

After recently launching the EdLeader Podcast, several brave friends and colleagues shared that they had not yet delved into the world of podcasts and were not sure what a podcast is, nor how to listen to one.

Dictionary.com defines a podcast as "a digital audio or video file or recording, usually part of a themed series, that can be downloaded from a website to a media player or computer."

Google describes is as "a digital audio file made available on the Internet for downloading to a computer or mobile device, typically available as a series, new installments of which can be received by subscribers automatically."

In some ways, podcasts could be considered to be highly-specialized, on-demand radio shows. In the early days of radio there were on-going stories that would be heard one episode at a time. Called a serial, they were perhaps the predecessor to audio-books. There are now podcasts that are very similar with each episode revealing the sharing the next chapter of the on-going story. These "story" episodes can even be broken down into seasons similar to a television series.

While these "serial" podcasts are one offering, other podcasts are akin to a form of talk-radio with very niche offerings. Many, if not most, of your hobbies or interests are probably the subject of multiple podcasts. My sons listen to podcasts constantly. Joshua's favorites include a sports broadcast "The Bill Simmons Podcast" and an investigative journalism podcast called "Serial." Elijah's favorite's include podcasts on international soccer OneFootball and RingerFC  and Crime Junkie, a podcast that shares crime-related stories.

For myself, my current two favorites include "The John Maxwell Leadership Podcast" and the EntreLeadership Podcast. Each delves deeply into leadership and offers much to reflect on as I continue to grow as a leader.

Ross Winn of Podcast Insights defined podcasts this way:

It’s all of your favorite blogs, shows, and topics (some you didn’t even know you’d enjoy!) wrapped up in a huge hub of recordings (Apple Podcasts, etc) that you can explore, download and listen to on your own time. In the car, at work, at home, working out, anywhere. If you can Google it, there’s probably a Podcast about it!

Each podcast has a release schedule that is unique to the podcast. While a weekly release is typical, some offer daily or monthly schedules or no set schedule at all.  

Many podcasts also have a website where you can listen to the show and read additional notes about the show like I have set-up for EdLeader. 

The easiest way to listen to podcasts is to subscribe to them via your favorite podcast player, allowing you to be notified when a new episode is released. The Apple Podcasts App comes installed on your iPhone and iPad. Apple Support has provided easy directions to find, subscribe, and listen to your favorite podcast (like EdLeader.) Essentially, click on the app, click on the search icon in the bottom right corner and type the show name in the search bar. When the show comes up, click on it and hit subscribe. You may also click on the Browse icon (second from right on the bottom) and find shows listed by category.

Google Podcasts, available on Android phones, is another of the most popular player apps. It can also be used directly on your computer. Google Support has provided directions here. While the Google Podcast app is very similar in operation to the Apple Podcast app, you can also simply Google the name of the podcast you are looking for and Google will give you an option to play the podcast right in the search results.

Perhaps, as in all things, the best way to begin enjoying podcasts is to begin enjoy using podcasts. Choose a podcast player app, go to the podcasts' webpage, or simply Google the podcast, and then click play. If you enjoy the show, consider subscribing to the show. Not only does it make it easier for you to receive the latest episode, it helps the show grow as well.

Good luck to you on your podcast journey. Please share any lingering questions you may have in the comment box below.