Binge-listening keeps podcast lovers happy during lockdown

Now, binge-listening appears to gain traction among podcast lovers as a result of this lockdown. Several audio shows on apps like Google Podcasts, aawaaz.com, Spotify, among others, have seen a rise in their downloads.

Speaking to DT Next, Bijay Gautam, co-founder of WYN Studio that produces podcasts for brands, says, “My podcast, The Inspiring Talk, saw a 25 per cent rise in listeners in the past month.” He feels that this is the best time to create podcasts and promote them on social media to bring in new listeners. “I leveraged this time to create an online podcast course to help aspiring podcasters start their own podcast during this lockdown,” Bijay says.

He then talks about the necessary tools required to start a podcast. “The very basic set-up one can use to start their show is the phone’s inbuilt microphone or headphones to record. Basic editing and post-production can be done on free software like Audacity and Garageband on Mac,” he explains. “Tools like Zencastr and Squadcast can be used to record remote interviews with almost studio-quality audio.

Once the episode is ready, they can use hosting platforms like Audioboom or Anchor to distribute their podcast to platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, JioSaavn, and so on.”

Some expect that the trend of listening during lockdown will continue as people may become habituated. Financial expert Babu Krishnamoorthy, who runs a podcast on wealth management says, “I believe that podcasts are the new medium through which people consume information. It’s similar to how we got content through television in earlier days.”

Starting a podcast is a dream for many and this lockdown has become a blessing in disguise for some. Aarushi Gupta, who recently started her podcast When I was 13, says, “Podcasting does not require heavy equipment. People definitely have more time on their hands to listen and create podcasts now.”