A to Z Podcast Glossary
Welcome to our comprehensive A to Z podcast glossary. Here you will find definitions for common terms used in the podcasting world, helping you navigate the exciting landscape of digital audio content.
A
Anchor
A popular podcast hosting platform that allows creators to record, edit, and distribute podcasts for free.
Audio Bitrate
The amount of data processed per second in an audio file, measured in kilobits per second (kbps). Higher bitrates generally mean better audio quality.
Audiogram
A visual representation of audio content, often used to promote podcasts on social media platforms.
Auditory Branding
The use of sound (e.g., music, jingles, or sound effects) to create a recognizable identity for a podcast.
B
Back Catalog
The collection of all previously released episodes of a podcast.
Bandwidth
The amount of data that can be transmitted over a network connection, important for streaming or downloading podcasts.
Binge-Listening
The act of listening to multiple episodes of a podcast in rapid succession, similar to binge-watching TV shows.
Bumper
Short audio clips (e.g., music or sound effects) used at the beginning or end of a podcast episode or segment.
C
Call to Action (CTA)
A prompt for listeners to take a specific action, such as subscribing, leaving a review, or visiting a website.
Captivate
A podcast hosting platform designed for creators to grow their audience.
Chapter Markers
Timestamps within an episode that allow listeners to skip to specific sections or topics.
Clipping
Distortion in audio caused by recording at too high a volume.
Compression
A technique used to reduce the dynamic range of audio, making quiet sounds louder and loud sounds quieter.
CPM (Cost Per Mille)
In podcast advertising, it refers to the cost an advertiser pays per thousand listens to an ad.
D
DAW (Digital Audio Workstation)
Software used for recording, editing, and producing audio (e.g., Audacity, Adobe Audition, or GarageBand).
Dead Air
Silence during a podcast episode, often considered unprofessional.
Directory
A platform that aggregates and organizes podcasts, making them discoverable to listeners. Examples include Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.
Download
The process of saving a podcast episode to a device for offline listening.
Dynamic Ad Insertion
A technology that allows different ads to be inserted into the same spot in a podcast episode, often based on listener data or geographic location.
Dynamic Microphone
A type of microphone that is durable and ideal for recording in environments with background noise.
E
Earbuds
Small headphones used for listening to podcasts.
Episode
A single installment or entry in a podcast series.
Episode Art
The visual artwork associated with a specific podcast episode.
EQ (Equalization)
Adjusting the balance of different frequency components in an audio signal to improve sound quality.
Exporting
Saving a finalized audio file in a format suitable for distribution (e.g., MP3 or WAV).
F
Fade In/Fade Out
Gradually increasing or decreasing the volume of audio at the beginning or end of a segment.
Feed
The RSS feed that distributes podcast episodes to platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.
File Format
The type of file used for podcast episodes, such as MP3, WAV, or AAC.
Frequency
The pitch of a sound, measured in Hertz (Hz).
G
Gain
The input volume level of an audio signal.
Genre
The category or style of a podcast (e.g., true crime, comedy, news).
Guest
A person invited to speak on a podcast episode.
H
Headphones
Audio devices worn over the ears to listen to podcasts privately.
Host
The person or people who present or lead a podcast.
Hosting Platform
A service that stores podcast audio files and generates an RSS feed (e.g., Libsyn, Buzzsprout, Anchor).
I
ID3 Tags
Metadata embedded in an audio file, including title, artist, and episode number.
Impressions
The number of times a podcast episode is displayed or suggested to a listener.
Intro/Outro
The opening and closing segments of a podcast episode, often featuring music or a voiceover.
J
Jingle
A short, catchy piece of music used to brand a podcast or segment.
K
kHz (Kilohertz)
A unit of frequency used to measure audio quality (e.g., 44.1 kHz is CD-quality audio).
Keywords
Specific words or phrases used in podcast titles, descriptions, and metadata to improve discoverability in search results.
L
Libsyn (Liberated Syndication)
A popular podcast hosting platform.
Live Podcast
A podcast episode recorded in front of a live audience or streamed in real-time.
Listener
An individual who consumes podcast content, whether through streaming or downloading episodes.
Looping
Repeating a section of audio, often used for background music or sound effects.
M
Monetization
Various methods podcasters use to generate revenue from their shows, including advertising, sponsorships, merchandise, and listener support.
MP3
A common audio file format used for podcast episodes due to its small file size and good quality.
Mixer
A device or software used to combine and adjust multiple audio sources.
N
Network
A collection of podcasts that are produced, distributed, or monetized together.
Niche
A specialized topic or audience that a podcast targets.
Noise Cancellation
Technology that reduces background noise during recording or playback.
Normalization
Adjusting audio levels to a consistent volume across episodes.
O
Omny Studio
A podcast hosting and analytics platform.
Overlay
Adding additional audio (e.g., music or sound effects) over an existing recording.
P
Podcast
A digital audio file made available on the internet for downloading to a computer or mobile device, typically available as a series.
Podcatcher
An app or software used to subscribe to and listen to podcasts (e.g., Apple Podcasts, Spotify).
Podfest
A conference or event for podcast creators and enthusiasts.
Post-Production
The editing and processing of audio after recording.
Promo
A short audio clip used to advertise a podcast or episode.
Q
Quality
The overall sound clarity and production value of a podcast.
Queue
A list of podcast episodes lined up for consecutive playback, allowing listeners to plan their listening session.
R
Remote Recording
Recording a podcast episode with participants in different locations, often using software like Zoom or SquadCast.
RSS Feed
Really Simple Syndication (RSS) is a web feed that allows users and applications to access updates to podcasts in a standardized, computer-readable format.
Royalty-Free Music
Music that can be used in a podcast without paying ongoing royalties.
S
Seasons
A way of organizing podcast episodes into distinct groups, often with a common theme or storyline. Some podcasts release episodes in batches as seasons, similar to TV shows.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Optimizing podcast titles, descriptions, and metadata to improve discoverability.
Show Notes
Written details about a podcast episode, often including links, resources, and timestamps.
Soundboard
A device or software used to play pre-recorded sounds during a podcast.
Sponsorship
A partnership where a brand pays to be promoted on a podcast.
T
Tagline
A short, memorable phrase that describes a podcast.
Transcript
A written version of a podcast episode's audio content, useful for accessibility and SEO purposes.
True Crime
A popular podcast genre focusing on real-life crime stories.
U
Unscripted
A podcast format where conversations or monologues are largely improvised, without following a strict pre-written script.
Upload
The process of transferring a podcast episode to a hosting platform.
USB Microphone
A microphone that connects directly to a computer via USB, commonly used by podcasters.
V
Voice Acting
The art of providing character voices for narrative or fictional podcasts, similar to radio dramas.
Voiceover
Recorded narration added to a podcast episode.
Volume
The loudness of audio, measured in decibels (dB).
W
WAV
A high-quality audio file format often used during editing.
Waveform
A visual representation of an audio signal, often used in podcast editing software.
Windscreen
A foam cover placed over a microphone to reduce plosive sounds (e.g., p and b sounds).
X
XML
eXtensible Markup Language, the format used for RSS feeds that distribute podcast information to various platforms and apps.
Y
YouTube Podcasting
The practice of publishing podcast episodes on YouTube, often with video or static visuals.
Z
Zoom
A video conferencing tool often used for remote podcast recordings.