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Without any doubt, podcast is a hot medium. There’s a whole niche or even a market for podcast-related apps. Popular streaming/hosting services (iTunes, Spotify) have their share of podcast hype but there are specific podcast-oriented apps that are popular as well. You can make your own app to monetize it and bring in huge revenues and promote your business, using podcasts. Or, in case you’re a podcaster yourself, you and your friends can create your own podcast community. And there are podcasts about everything, starting from cinema and physics to retail marketing and advertising techniques. Here’s a list of best podcast apps to use and also reasons why “podcasting” your business with an app might be a great idea (even if you own a coffee shop).
People talking to each other just have a dialogue. People talking to each on record is a podcast, right? Well, then, the difference is all about recording. And it is easy when everybody carries a recording device all the time. But, podcast is different from, for example, video streaming. Fortunately, it lacks all that trash and regular visual nonsense present in 99,99% of all streaming videos. Thus, podcasts are more informative and aim to deliver quality information on specific subjects given by experts. And they make a great soundtrack for your everyday life just like music does. That’s why they’re so popular. Now, let’s see which podcast apps are considered the best (and not just by us)
Top 5 Podcast Apps
Anchor
There are tons of apps people use to listen to podcasts. However, Anchor goes beyond that and makes it possible to make your own podcasts, offering unlimited hosting for free. In fact, the app is completely free. Users can easily create podcasts and then upload them to iTunes or Google Podcasts just as well as importing audio from other devices. App owners are interested in the success of your podcast which benefits them just as it benefits you.
CastBox
CastBox has more than 1 million podcasts gathered from iTunes and, literally, everywhere else. It is free and can be integrated with Amazon Echo or Chromecast. CastBox features cloud syncing with numerous devices. You can make in-app purchases but those are optional. CastBox is completely free and has no ads which is truly wonderful because not many podcast apps out there are available for free.
PocketCasts
PocketCasts is considered to be single most popular podcast app for Android. It is surprising because it is a premium app that doesn’t offer free trial. PocketCasts promises to deliver every podcast you’d like to listen to. It has a playback feature and cross-device syncing. The price is 3.99/month. However, post-redesign PocketCasts updated early in 2019 received primarily negative feedback because of messed up functionality and confusing interface (talking about updates, huh?). Even though a lot of people still use it, many people comment that they decided to quit using PocketCasts altogether. Perhaps, you should try it yourself before making the final decision.
Podbean
Podbean is a fairly popular podcast app widely used by a large audience of users. It offers a variety of different podcasts sorted by genre, topics, countries, etc. Users can download podcasts, subscribe to a channel, stream, and listen online. Useful features include lock screen controls, audio effects, synchronization with Chromecast and integration with Amazon Alexa. We tested the app and didn’t find any troubles, navigating it, so it is totally recommended to use for everybody who loves podcasts.
Podcast Addict
Podcast addict is also very popular and it is free too. There are many podcasts, audiobooks, and even live-streaming radio. Podcast Addicts can be integrated with YouTube and Twitch. Some of the app features include skip silence button and Chromecast support. However, this app has advertising. Ads-free version is $2.99 in Google Play.
There are many other different podcast apps like Hubhopper, ivoox, the podcast app, podcast guru, player.FM, and podcast go. Your app can be among them and you can use it to create close thematic community of enthusiasts.
Podcast Your Business
Why not use podcasts for marketing purposes? As a type of media, it can be used to spread information about your company and its products or services. But, this, of course, should be done not to make your podcast into one big advertisement. On the contrary, based on the premises of quality content marketing, you should give your customer timely and useful content.
A podcast is a great way to develop relationships with hard to reach people
Tim Paige
The only ad that might work is that YOU provided them with this content and, in case they took it well, they’re likely to come for more and, perhaps, order something from you as well. For example, you may own a coffee shop. Basically, you sell coffee. Why not make a podcast where your baristas discuss different sorts of coffee or coffee machines they use, and share interesting recipes? I bet there’s already such a podcast, though, you can popularize yours because you already have a customer base. Same can be applied to car business, toy business, and any other kind of business.
List of Features Most Podcast Apps Have
- lock screen
- skip silence
- Chromecast integration
- cross-device synchronization
- hosting
- streaming
- access to iTunes (the most resourceful podcast storage)
Why making YOUR OWN podcast app?
It is a good idea to make your own audio streaming (podcast) app if your business somehow relates to the community of enthusiasts. For example, you own a comic book shop. Logically, you can make a comic-book related podcast app with podcasts about comics and films from Marvel or DC. Or, perhaps, you can benefit if you sell cars, making your own podcast app about cars because people like to discuss things, share opinions, and research everything before they make a purchase.
You just need one person to listen, get your message and pass it on to someone else. And, you’ve doubled your audience
Robert Gerrish
Developing a Podcast App
So, as a business owner, you can greatly benefit from providing your existing customers with podcasts on the subject related to your business. Start with just making podcasts and then expand to share them via your personal app platform where your existing and potential customers will engage with you and each other, making it more possible for them to engage with your business.
Tergeting
Most podcast apps contain ALL podcasts or almost all of them. It is easy to get lost, being unable to make a choice. If you have a niche business and certain audience, you can target them for podcast-coverage. So, people will go to your podcast app to listen about best coffee recipes or newest comic books on shelf. You can expand afterwards but your primary concern should be to deliver quality content to a small audience of loyal customers that are more likely to accept what you offer (your own podcasts, your platform, your product or service).
All in all, using podcasts to boost your business is a good idea. Although it requires creativity, the outcomes can be great, seeing as how podcasting is compared to audio Netflix. People are interested in quality content on-demand, and their attention will go wherever this quality content is. Use podcasting to spread your message, develop your own app to retain loyal customers, boost your brand awareness, and wait to see the benefits of podcasting your business.
