Glossary
Podcasting Fundamentals
Podcast — A series of audio (or video) episodes published online, available for streaming or download through podcast apps and platforms.
Episode — A single installment of a podcast. Can be any length, though most range from 15 to 90 minutes.
RSS feed — A standardized file format that distributes your podcast to listening platforms. Generated automatically by your hosting provider.
Show notes — Written content accompanying each episode, typically including a summary, key takeaways, timestamps, and links. Displayed in podcast apps.
Transcript — A written version of the spoken content in an episode. Used for accessibility, SEO, and content repurposing.
Trailer — A short (1–3 minute) promotional episode introducing your podcast to potential listeners. Often the first episode published.
Formats
Solo episode — An episode featuring only the host, without guests or co-hosts.
Interview format — An episode structured as a conversation between the host and one or more guests.
Co-hosted — A podcast with two or more regular hosts who appear together on every episode.
Narrative podcast — A highly produced, story-driven format with scripted content, sound design, and sometimes multiple voices.
Audiogram — A short video clip combining audio from a podcast with a waveform animation and captions, used for social media promotion.
Cold open — Starting an episode with a compelling clip or hook before the intro music or host greeting.
Audio and Recording
Bitrate — The amount of data processed per second in an audio file. Higher bitrate means better quality and larger files. 128kbps is standard for podcasts.
Clipping — Audio distortion that occurs when the recording level is too high and the signal exceeds maximum capacity.
Compression (audio) — Reducing the dynamic range of audio so loud and quiet parts are closer in volume. Makes speech more consistent and easier to listen to.
DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) — Software used to record, edit, and produce audio. Examples: Audacity, GarageBand, Logic Pro, Adobe Audition.
Dynamic microphone — A microphone type that's durable, rejects room noise, and doesn't require external power. Ideal for untreated rooms. Examples: Shure SM7B, Samson Q2U.
Condenser microphone — A microphone type that's more sensitive and captures more detail but also picks up more room noise. Best in treated recording environments.
EQ (Equalization) — Adjusting the balance of different frequencies in audio. Used to make voices sound clearer or fuller.
Gain — The input level of your microphone. Too high causes clipping. Too low creates noisy recordings.
LUFS (Loudness Units Full Scale) — The standard measurement for loudness. Podcasts should target -16 LUFS (stereo) or -19 LUFS (mono).
Mono — Single-channel audio. Standard for speech-based podcasts.
Noise floor — The background noise level in a recording environment. Lower is better.
Plosive — A burst of air hitting the microphone, typically from "P" and "B" sounds. Mitigated with pop filters or off-axis positioning.
Pop filter — A screen placed between the speaker and microphone to reduce plosive sounds.
Room tone — The ambient sound of a recording space when no one is speaking. Used in editing to fill gaps naturally.
Sample rate — How many times per second audio is measured during recording. 44.1kHz is CD quality and standard for podcasts.
Stereo — Two-channel audio. Used when spatial separation is important (music, some interview formats).
WAV — An uncompressed audio format that preserves full quality. Used for recording and editing. Converted to MP3 for distribution.
XLR — A professional audio connector used with higher-end microphones. Requires an audio interface to connect to a computer.
Distribution and Analytics
CPM (Cost Per Mille) — Payment rate per 1,000 downloads. The standard pricing model for podcast advertising.
Directory — A platform where listeners discover and subscribe to podcasts. Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube are the largest directories.
Download — When a listener's device retrieves an episode file. The primary metric for podcast popularity.
IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau) — The organization that sets standards for podcast download measurement. IAB-certified stats are industry standard.
Mid-roll — An advertisement placed in the middle of an episode. Typically commands the highest CPM.
Pre-roll — An advertisement placed at the beginning of an episode.
Post-roll — An advertisement placed at the end of an episode.
Subscriber — A listener who has followed or subscribed to your podcast, automatically receiving new episodes.
Production
Batch recording — Recording multiple episodes in a single session to improve efficiency and build a content buffer.
Content repurposing — Transforming a single piece of content (a podcast episode) into multiple formats (blog post, social media, newsletter, video clips).
Host-read ad — An advertisement read by the podcast host in their own voice, as opposed to a pre-produced commercial. Generally more effective.
Lead magnet — A free resource offered to listeners in exchange for their email address.
Season — A grouped set of episodes (typically 8–12) with defined start and end dates, often separated by breaks.
Platforms and Tools
Anchor — Now Spotify for Podcasters. Free podcast hosting and distribution platform.
Buzzsprout — Popular podcast hosting platform known for simplicity.
Descript — Audio and video editing tool that enables text-based editing of recordings.
Riverside — Remote interview recording platform that captures high-quality local audio from each participant.
Zencastr — Remote recording platform similar to Riverside.