August 31, 2026 • 11 mins
General confusion about how podcasting works is one of the fastest ways to lose confidence when you’re trying to launch, fix a distribution issue, or make sense of your stats. Today we're kicking off a three-part podcasting terminology mini-series by translating the general terms every podcaster runs into early on, with simple definitions you can actually use when you talk to other creators or contact support.
Resource Mentioned: Understand Podcast Analytics Like A Pro!
If there's something you don't quite understand and we didn't mention it on this episode, reach out to the Podcaster Success team by emailing support@buzzsprout.com.
Have a topic or question we should address on a future episode? Text us or email the Buzzsprout Podcaster Success Team at support@buzzsprout.com.
Keep podcasting!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Cara Pacetti (00:00):
Welcome to Podcasting Q&A, brought to you
by the people at Buzzsprout.
I'm your host, Cara Pacetti,and I'm bringing you the best
tips and strategies to keep youpodcasting with confidence.
The questions we answer here onPodcasting Q&A are oftentimes
sent in using our fan mail linkin the show notes.
(00:21):
So if there's a question thatyou'd like to see answered on a
future episode, just click sendus fan mail in the show notes
and send in your question.
While a lot of our questionscome from listeners like you, we
also have questions thatactually come in through our
BuzzSprout support inbox.
So I'm actually a part of thepodcaster success team here at
Buzzsprout.
So that means when you write into support@buzzsprout.com,
(00:44):
sometimes you'll reach me or oneof my other teammates and we
are answering questions all daylong.
So while working in support,I've seen a lot of confusion
when it comes to the terms weare using in the podcasting
industry.
Whether it's relating to howpodcasting works, editing audio,
or even starting a videopodcast, there's a lot of
(01:05):
questions.
And one thing I've learned isthat when you have a solid
foundation of the common termsor phrases used in the industry,
it can really set you up forsuccess.
So knowing how to describesomething in podcasting or being
familiar with key terms thatwe're all using will ultimately
have you feeling less confusedand more confident as you launch
(01:28):
or work on your podcast.
So I'm excited for today'sepisode because today we are
kicking off a mini-series wherewe will define some of those
confusing terms.
Over the next three episodes,we're going to break down some
of the most common podcastingterms and explain what they
actually mean.
Today we're starting withgeneral podcasting terms.
(01:48):
Then we'll go intoaudio-specific terms, and
finally, we'll wrap up theseries with video podcasting
terms.
So I want to start with some ofthe vocabulary that you'll run
into when you're just creatingor publishing a podcast.
One of the most important andpossibly most misunderstood
terms in podcasting is your RSSfeed.
(02:10):
So RSS actually stands forreally simple syndication, and
it's actually a blogging termthat we still use today.
I'm going to use a littleanalogy here to help us wrap our
heads around what an RSS feedis and how it works.
So your RSS feed is essentiallythe house that contains all of
your podcast content.
And with this RSS feed, youhave an RSS feed URL.
(02:33):
So the URL that you're using toaccess this feed of content.
We'll think of the URL as yourmailing address for your house.
The information about your showand about your episodes is all
held within the RSS feed, andthe feed gives podcast listening
apps a way to find and displayyour content, making it
(02:53):
available for your listeners.
And although the RSS feed isessentially a website, sometimes
it can look like just a largepage of code, while others are
more stylized and they actuallylook like a website with all of
your artwork and your episodesand maybe a player where you can
hear the episode.
Another thing I want to pointout when you're looking for an
(03:13):
RSS feed is that most websitesend with a .com or a .org.
You can identify an RSS feedURL.
It will typically end with a.rss or a .xml at the end of the
URL address.
So now that we've defined RSSfeed, it actually is a great
segue into our next term, whichis a podcast host.
(03:35):
Your podcast host is theservice you are using to not
only upload and store all ofyour podcast content, but also
manage your RSS feed.
For example, BuzzSprout, we area podcast host.
So the main goal of yourpodcast host is to store your
content you're creating.
This includes your audio, yourartwork, your written content,
(03:56):
and also to manage the contenton your RSS feed.
This means when you makechanges to your podcast with
your podcast hosts, it getsupdated on the RSS feed,
allowing the directories toreflect the changes on their
end.
See how that all ties together?
And while there is a way toself-host your podcast and not
work with a hosting platform,using a hosting provider really
(04:19):
helps to simplify things.
There are many podcast hostsavailable and most do similar
things.
So our recommendation is justto try a couple of podcast hosts
out, see what's offered witheach hosting platform, and pick
the best fit for you.
I do want to make you aware ofa little podcasting terminology
trap so that you will sound likethe expert.
(04:39):
When you're speaking to someoneabout podcasting, your podcast
host and your podcast host aretwo different things.
So your podcast host is theplatform that helps you
distribute your show, and yourpodcast host is well, you or
whoever is sitting behind themicrophone talking to your
listeners.
So as you're talking to otherpodcasters, make sure you're
(05:01):
making that distinction.
Next up, listening directories.
These are the platforms wherepeople can discover podcasts and
listen to them.
Think Apple Podcasts, Spotify,Amazon Music, and other podcast
listening platforms.
While in the industry, they areknown as listening directories,
they may also be referred to aspodcasting apps.
(05:23):
When you host your contentusing a podcast host, that
doesn't automatically mean yourpodcast is available across all
of these directories.
There is a submission processfor each directory, and that
process is either handled by youas the podcaster or by your
podcast host.
If you're just getting startedwith launching your podcast,
BuzzSprout actually makes itreally easy to submit your
(05:44):
podcast to the directories.
New podcasters can submit theirshow to 16 audio directories
with literally one click.
Okay, this one may seemobvious, but I do think it's
worth clarifying.
What's the difference between apodcast and an episode?
Your podcast refers to theoverall show, and episodes are
the individual pieces of contentwithin that show.
(06:06):
For example, podcasting QA isthe podcast.
This episode about podcastingterminology is an episode of the
podcast podcasting QA.
Think of it like a TV show.
The show is the overallprogram, and each episode is one
installment of that show.
This clarification can help youif you find yourself sharing an
(06:28):
episode with a friend or ifyou're troubleshooting while
your podcast isn't showing on aparticular directory.
Okay, this next term isactually a three for one.
I want to tackle three wordsthat are often used
interchangeably.
Those words are follower,listener, and subscriber.
A listener is simply someonewho listens to your podcast.
(06:50):
A follower is someone who haschosen to follow your podcast on
a particular listeningdirectory.
And a subscriber can meandifferent things depending on
the platform and the context.
Historically, podcasting usedthe word subscriber to describe
someone who has subscribed to apodcast feed through a listening
directory.
Today, many podcast platformsuse the term follow instead.
(07:15):
And even this term can varyfrom one podcast app to another.
A subscriber on YouTube isessentially the same as a
follower in Apple Podcasts.
While these words are oftenused interchangeably, I do want
to point out that a subscribercan actually take on a whole new
meaning when you're monetizingyour podcast.
Oftentimes, a subscriberdescribes a listener who is
(07:37):
paying for your podcast througha service like BuzzSprout
subscriptions or Apple Podcastsubscriptions.
This distinction is animportant one to note.
So if you're trying todetermine how many people are
subscribed or following yourpodcast and tuning in
consistently to new episodes, Irecommend checking out how each
platform defines these terms.
(07:57):
If you are looking for how manypaid subscribers you have,
check out the service you'reusing to offer that premium
content.
And lucky for you, our lastterm is actually another three
for one.
I want to talk about some ofthe terms you'll probably spend
a lot of time looking at.
And those are downloads,listens, and plays.
(08:17):
These terms sound like they areall measuring the exact same
thing, but they don'tnecessarily mean the same thing.
A download generally refers toan episode that's getting
downloaded or accessed by alistener's device.
In Buzzsprout, a download isregistered anytime an episode
file is requested for at least60 seconds.
(08:38):
Once that 60 second mark ispassed, this will register as a
download on the stats page ofyour Buzzsprout account.
A play generally refers tosomeone pressing play on an
episode and beginning to consumethe content.
Plays may be tracked in thelistening directory accounts
like Apple Podcasts or Spotifyfor creators.
Typically, there is no durationrequired to register as a play.
(09:02):
It can be tracked when alistener just simply clicks the
play button.
And a listen can mean a streamof your episode or when an
episode is accessed withoutdownloading.
A lot of platforms will uselisten and download
interchangeably.
So an important thing toremember is that different
platforms may define and measurethese terms differently.
(09:22):
It's best not to assume that adownload on one platform is
necessarily identical to a playor a listen on another.
When you're looking at yourpodcast statistics, it's
important to understand what thespecific metric is actually
measuring before comparingnumbers.
Since we've just scratched thesurface on these terms like
downloads, listens, and plays,if you want a little bit more of
(09:45):
a deep dive into how tounderstand your podcast
analytics and what these termsmean on a deeper level, I'm
gonna link a BuzzCast episode inthe show notes that's called
Understand Podcast AnalyticsLike a Pro.
We bring in Tom Rossi, who'sone of our co-founders here at
Buzzsprout, and he is veryknowledgeable about podcast
analytics and really breaks itdown and explains these terms in
(10:08):
a way that's easy tounderstand.
So I recommend checking thatout.
And there you have it, a wholelot of podcasting terminology
that hopefully feels a littleless confusing now.
But I know we didn't covereverything.
So of course, if there's apodcasting term you've heard and
thought, wait, what does thatactually mean?
Send it our way using the SendUs Fan mail link in the show
(10:29):
notes.
And remember, this is just partone of our podcasting
terminology series.
Today we covered some of thegeneral terms you'll encounter
as a podcaster.
Next week, we're getting alittle more technical and
talking about audio-specificpodcasting terms.
So if this episode was helpful,make sure you follow podcasting
QA on your favorite listeningdirectory so you don't miss it.
(10:50):
Be sure to join us every Mondayto kickstart your week.
Thank you so much forlistening.
And as always, keep podcasting.
Welcome to Podcasting Q&A, brought to you
by the people at Buzzsprout.
I'm your host, Cara Pacetti,and I'm bringing you the best
tips and strategies to keep youpodcasting with confidence.
The questions we answer here onPodcasting Q&A are oftentimes
sent in using our fan mail linkin the show notes.
(00:21):
So if there's a question thatyou'd like to see answered on a
future episode, just click sendus fan mail in the show notes
and send in your question.
While a lot of our questionscome from listeners like you, we
also have questions thatactually come in through our
BuzzSprout support inbox.
So I'm actually a part of thepodcaster success team here at
Buzzsprout.
So that means when you write into support@buzzsprout.com,
(00:44):
sometimes you'll reach me or oneof my other teammates and we
are answering questions all daylong.
So while working in support,I've seen a lot of confusion
when it comes to the terms weare using in the podcasting
industry.
Whether it's relating to howpodcasting works, editing audio,
or even starting a videopodcast, there's a lot of
(01:05):
questions.
And one thing I've learned isthat when you have a solid
foundation of the common termsor phrases used in the industry,
it can really set you up forsuccess.
So knowing how to describesomething in podcasting or being
familiar with key terms thatwe're all using will ultimately
have you feeling less confusedand more confident as you launch
(01:28):
or work on your podcast.
So I'm excited for today'sepisode because today we are
kicking off a mini-series wherewe will define some of those
confusing terms.
Over the next three episodes,we're going to break down some
of the most common podcastingterms and explain what they
actually mean.
Today we're starting withgeneral podcasting terms.
(01:48):
Then we'll go intoaudio-specific terms, and
finally, we'll wrap up theseries with video podcasting
terms.
So I want to start with some ofthe vocabulary that you'll run
into when you're just creatingor publishing a podcast.
One of the most important andpossibly most misunderstood
terms in podcasting is your RSSfeed.
(02:10):
So RSS actually stands forreally simple syndication, and
it's actually a blogging termthat we still use today.
I'm going to use a littleanalogy here to help us wrap our
heads around what an RSS feedis and how it works.
So your RSS feed is essentiallythe house that contains all of
your podcast content.
And with this RSS feed, youhave an RSS feed URL.
(02:33):
So the URL that you're using toaccess this feed of content.
We'll think of the URL as yourmailing address for your house.
The information about your showand about your episodes is all
held within the RSS feed, andthe feed gives podcast listening
apps a way to find and displayyour content, making it
(02:53):
available for your listeners.
And although the RSS feed isessentially a website, sometimes
it can look like just a largepage of code, while others are
more stylized and they actuallylook like a website with all of
your artwork and your episodesand maybe a player where you can
hear the episode.
Another thing I want to pointout when you're looking for an
(03:13):
RSS feed is that most websitesend with a .com or a .org.
You can identify an RSS feedURL.
It will typically end with a.rss or a .xml at the end of the
URL address.
So now that we've defined RSSfeed, it actually is a great
segue into our next term, whichis a podcast host.
(03:35):
Your podcast host is theservice you are using to not
only upload and store all ofyour podcast content, but also
manage your RSS feed.
For example, BuzzSprout, we area podcast host.
So the main goal of yourpodcast host is to store your
content you're creating.
This includes your audio, yourartwork, your written content,
(03:56):
and also to manage the contenton your RSS feed.
This means when you makechanges to your podcast with
your podcast hosts, it getsupdated on the RSS feed,
allowing the directories toreflect the changes on their
end.
See how that all ties together?
And while there is a way toself-host your podcast and not
work with a hosting platform,using a hosting provider really
(04:19):
helps to simplify things.
There are many podcast hostsavailable and most do similar
things.
So our recommendation is justto try a couple of podcast hosts
out, see what's offered witheach hosting platform, and pick
the best fit for you.
I do want to make you aware ofa little podcasting terminology
trap so that you will sound likethe expert.
(04:39):
When you're speaking to someoneabout podcasting, your podcast
host and your podcast host aretwo different things.
So your podcast host is theplatform that helps you
distribute your show, and yourpodcast host is well, you or
whoever is sitting behind themicrophone talking to your
listeners.
So as you're talking to otherpodcasters, make sure you're
(05:01):
making that distinction.
Next up, listening directories.
These are the platforms wherepeople can discover podcasts and
listen to them.
Think Apple Podcasts, Spotify,Amazon Music, and other podcast
listening platforms.
While in the industry, they areknown as listening directories,
they may also be referred to aspodcasting apps.
(05:23):
When you host your contentusing a podcast host, that
doesn't automatically mean yourpodcast is available across all
of these directories.
There is a submission processfor each directory, and that
process is either handled by youas the podcaster or by your
podcast host.
If you're just getting startedwith launching your podcast,
BuzzSprout actually makes itreally easy to submit your
(05:44):
podcast to the directories.
New podcasters can submit theirshow to 16 audio directories
with literally one click.
Okay, this one may seemobvious, but I do think it's
worth clarifying.
What's the difference between apodcast and an episode?
Your podcast refers to theoverall show, and episodes are
the individual pieces of contentwithin that show.
(06:06):
For example, podcasting QA isthe podcast.
This episode about podcastingterminology is an episode of the
podcast podcasting QA.
Think of it like a TV show.
The show is the overallprogram, and each episode is one
installment of that show.
This clarification can help youif you find yourself sharing an
(06:28):
episode with a friend or ifyou're troubleshooting while
your podcast isn't showing on aparticular directory.
Okay, this next term isactually a three for one.
I want to tackle three wordsthat are often used
interchangeably.
Those words are follower,listener, and subscriber.
A listener is simply someonewho listens to your podcast.
(06:50):
A follower is someone who haschosen to follow your podcast on
a particular listeningdirectory.
And a subscriber can meandifferent things depending on
the platform and the context.
Historically, podcasting usedthe word subscriber to describe
someone who has subscribed to apodcast feed through a listening
directory.
Today, many podcast platformsuse the term follow instead.
(07:15):
And even this term can varyfrom one podcast app to another.
A subscriber on YouTube isessentially the same as a
follower in Apple Podcasts.
While these words are oftenused interchangeably, I do want
to point out that a subscribercan actually take on a whole new
meaning when you're monetizingyour podcast.
Oftentimes, a subscriberdescribes a listener who is
(07:37):
paying for your podcast througha service like BuzzSprout
subscriptions or Apple Podcastsubscriptions.
This distinction is animportant one to note.
So if you're trying todetermine how many people are
subscribed or following yourpodcast and tuning in
consistently to new episodes, Irecommend checking out how each
platform defines these terms.
(07:57):
If you are looking for how manypaid subscribers you have,
check out the service you'reusing to offer that premium
content.
And lucky for you, our lastterm is actually another three
for one.
I want to talk about some ofthe terms you'll probably spend
a lot of time looking at.
And those are downloads,listens, and plays.
(08:17):
These terms sound like they areall measuring the exact same
thing, but they don'tnecessarily mean the same thing.
A download generally refers toan episode that's getting
downloaded or accessed by alistener's device.
In Buzzsprout, a download isregistered anytime an episode
file is requested for at least60 seconds.
(08:38):
Once that 60 second mark ispassed, this will register as a
download on the stats page ofyour Buzzsprout account.
A play generally refers tosomeone pressing play on an
episode and beginning to consumethe content.
Plays may be tracked in thelistening directory accounts
like Apple Podcasts or Spotifyfor creators.
Typically, there is no durationrequired to register as a play.
(09:02):
It can be tracked when alistener just simply clicks the
play button.
And a listen can mean a streamof your episode or when an
episode is accessed withoutdownloading.
A lot of platforms will uselisten and download
interchangeably.
So an important thing toremember is that different
platforms may define and measurethese terms differently.
(09:22):
It's best not to assume that adownload on one platform is
necessarily identical to a playor a listen on another.
When you're looking at yourpodcast statistics, it's
important to understand what thespecific metric is actually
measuring before comparingnumbers.
Since we've just scratched thesurface on these terms like
downloads, listens, and plays,if you want a little bit more of
(09:45):
a deep dive into how tounderstand your podcast
analytics and what these termsmean on a deeper level, I'm
gonna link a BuzzCast episode inthe show notes that's called
Understand Podcast AnalyticsLike a Pro.
We bring in Tom Rossi, who'sone of our co-founders here at
Buzzsprout, and he is veryknowledgeable about podcast
analytics and really breaks itdown and explains these terms in
(10:08):
a way that's easy tounderstand.
So I recommend checking thatout.
And there you have it, a wholelot of podcasting terminology
that hopefully feels a littleless confusing now.
But I know we didn't covereverything.
So of course, if there's apodcasting term you've heard and
thought, wait, what does thatactually mean?
Send it our way using the SendUs Fan mail link in the show
(10:29):
notes.
And remember, this is just partone of our podcasting
terminology series.
Today we covered some of thegeneral terms you'll encounter
as a podcaster.
Next week, we're getting alittle more technical and
talking about audio-specificpodcasting terms.
So if this episode was helpful,make sure you follow podcasting
QA on your favorite listeningdirectory so you don't miss it.
(10:50):
Be sure to join us every Mondayto kickstart your week.
Thank you so much forlistening.
And as always, keep podcasting.
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