Hajra Naz
A podcast is a series of digital audio episodes on the internet for download to a computer or a smartphone. Just like a TV drama series, it is available in a series of episodes.
People have to subscribe to a Podcast available on a smartphone app or a website through an RSS feed and they get notified of every new episode of their favorite podcast they have subscribed to.
In Upwork’s list of top 20 in-demand skills of the first quarter, of 2019, PodCast is showcased as the 20th number.
Surely, there must be something in this skill that makes it high in demand. People prefer downloading iOS and Android apps for podcasts and listening to their favorite shows.
This increases the demand for Podcast service setup on the website as well. Many hosts who do not know how to set up a Podcast are looking for experts to not only create their Podcast website but also set up a subscription method so their followers get notified when a new episode is released.
There is also a demand for audio editing and production jobs.
Why Podcast is it in demand?
From the listener’s perspective, in the time-squeezed day-to-day life when you get up early in the morning and head to work while scorching through traffic rush, your commute can be accompanied by your favorite Podcast. This surely eliminates morning noise and of course, saves time.
The Podcast series is different from the radio. The radio has a pre-scheduled list of programs you’ve to listen to without inputting your choice whereas, in the case of podcasts, you only listen to the audio of your favorite host or a program and can enjoy your commute.
If you are looking for a great motivation to doze early in the morning or perhaps want to listen to your favorite speaker, the Podcast gives you this facility. Just like your favorite TV program that comes with a series of exciting episodes, Podcast audios are also not different and come in episodes.
From the host’s perspective, it is a great way of expanding your outreach to gain more subscribers.
If you are selling a product or a service, as a Podcast host, you can talk about your business over a series of different episodes. Podcast popularity is determined by the number of subscribers. If a Podcast has a huge number of subscribers, it shows its popularity and indulges more people to subscribe to that Podcast.
How to start a Podcast?
- Think of a concept such as the topic, format, and length of each episode.
- Create an artwork design with a description of your Podcast.
- A good microphone to record your audio files.
- A place to host them could be on your own website or on third-party services.
- Integrate your audio files with an RSS feed to distribute them to iOS and Android apps.
An opportunity for freelancers:
Podcast has opened new earning avenues for freelancers. With a high demand for podcasts on Upwork alone, other freelance marketplaces are also looking for Podcast experts to set up the feed on their website or on their app channels.
Typical Podcast jobs are asking for audio editing or post-production support. There is also a huge demand for voice actors in the Postcast series. Also, Podcasting transcription jobs are trending too, requiring one to transcribe the audio file into a text file for posting on a blog or a website. In the end, the graphic designers are also required to design a Podcast episode poster for a website.
All freelancers who are looking for a non-saturated niche to offer a service for may want to take up Podcasts as a skill set and make money online.
Remember Jack Ma said, never try to be the best, always be the first.
