A Comparative Look at Podcast Platforms

As a newbie in the podcast world, I found the information on the various platforms and their features quite impressive. A bit overwhelming at times, but they're still impressive! I decided to take a look at three different platforms. Specifically focusing on their options, pros and cons, and the pricing plans currently available to consumers.

Which is the best option?

The first platform I looked at is Captivate. Access to this platform can be found at https://captivate.fm/.This platform offers three types of plans: personal, professional, and business. All three plans offer access to multiple features. For my needs, the personal plan makes the most sense. The monthly charge for this plan is $16/month. Included in the personal plan are 12,000 downloads that allow for multiple podcasts. This would be beneficial for users that have many interests and want to create and/or maintain several podcasts at one time.

The platform provides two other larger plans as well: a professional plan and a business plan. The profession plan runs $49/month and allows for 60,000 downloads while the business plan costs $99/month and allows for 150,000 downloads. The more extensive features are built into these plans. Such as tools for marketing, email connection, and access to a wider audience through both the American and international directories. Private podcasts are also an option.

There are some cons to the Captivate platform. There is no free option. So, utilizing this platform requires a monthly monetary commitment. Also, the basic podcast website is just that – basic. No fancy frills or exciting features. Unfortunately, they only provide three templates to choose from as well. Not exactly the most attractive to potential subscribers.

The next podcast platform I toured was PodBean. Access to this platform can be found at https://www.podbean.com/. Right away, I noticed that this platform is user-friendly and completely free of cost! I believe users will appreciate that. One of the benefits of PodBean is the five hours of storage provided each month for free. There are plans that offer some additional upgrades, but for the beginning podcaster this is perfect! Also, if you’re just looking for basic information on your podcasts’ stats, the free plan would be sufficient. There are a couple of downsides to the platform’s basic plan though. Multiple channels are not an option, and the opportunity to earn money through advertisements is not an option. For $9/month there is an unlimited audio plan that provides unlimited storage, in-depth podcast statistics, the ability to maintain multiple channels, and some options for making some money off the ads included in the podcast.

If you’re in the market for a plan that offers a bit more, there is an Unlimited Plus plan that costs $29/month. With that plan there is access to video podcasts and listener support is available. There is a business plan as well for $99/month. Live chat support and the removal of the PodBean logo are some of the options available.

The deciding factor that leads me to choose this platform is the ability to retain my podcasts. As long as I stay within the five-hour limit, nothing is deleted. If earning money off of your podcast or having a variety of design templates is a goal, I would choose one of the unlimited plans. Podcasts can also be embedded in your website if that is a must have feature.

Please take minute to check out our podcast over Library Fines! It's quite informative!

Library Fines: the Benefits and Alternatives

The last podcast platform I looked at is Buzzsprout. Access to this platform can be found at https://www.buzzsprout.com/. This option is also a good fit for podcast newbies. It seems to be user-friendly. Providing access to a free customizable website for your podcast, it allows the user to combine both tasks in one place. There are four options when considering which plan fits your needs.

There is a free plan that includes two hours of upload per month for a 90-day period. Users do have access to data regarding their podcasts. The second option runs $12/month and include up to three hours of content each month. Uploading additional content is an option for a rate of $4/hour. “Magic Mastering” is also available for $6/month. The third plan consists of six hours of content per month at a cost of $18/month. Should you have additional content to upload, it’s offered at $3/hour. “Magic Mastering” is again offered for $6/month. The last plan, which includes 12 hours of content per month, runs $24/month. Additional uploads are cheaper with this plan at $2/hour. “Magic Mastering” will run about $9/month for this plan.

One of the pros of Buzzsprout is the ability to create and/or maintain multiple podcasts at one time. Users can even place all their podcasts under one single account. Access to an audio transcription service is another feature available on this platform. This service turns podcasts into blog posts.

There are a couple of cons to Buzzsprout though. The free trial, lasting 90 days, will automatically delete any files you have created. Archiving is not an option for that plan. Also, none of the available plans offer unlimited uploads. Therefore, the uploading of additional content will be an extra cost.

Overall, all the available podcast platforms I toured offer plans that meet the needs of most users. For my needs, Anchor seems to make the most sense. It is easy to navigate, free of charge, and all the tools necessary for creating and maintaining a podcast are provided.

Podcasts and the Library

I have been thinking about possible ways to utilize a library podcast on our campus. I started considering all the potential guests that could visit and share with our community. The guests I have in mind are fellow teachers, campus and/or district administration, authors, community members, and of course students! It sounds like so much fun! Teachers could participate by sharing some of their interests as well as some of the upcoming topics of study. Administrators could share their favorite books from their childhood and what they learned from those books. Author visits would be so inspirational! They could discuss their own personal writing process, and what the many steps are for publishing a book. Community members such as police officers, firefighters, and business owners could also contribute to a podcast. Discussing their experiences with reading, and how it plays a part in their job. I think the best guests would be students though! Sharing book talks, book reviews, and book recommendations would be an amazing way to promote the library! Students could also talk about some of the upcoming events for the library and the ways in which volunteers could help. It would be a meaningful way for students to also share their feelings about the library and how it does or does not meet their needs. Allowing not just the librarian, but also the student body and faculty to see the current interests and thoughts regarding the state of the library program. I think it would be easy to include students in the process because they are so comfortable with technology and the social aspect of using it. Access to podcasts would also allow parents to feel plugged in to the library and a part of the school community.

Some guidelines would have to be put in place for the creation and maintenance of a podcast. A firm definition for the role each participant plays should be established. Limitations on the topics discussed, language used, and appropriateness of the conversations should also be stated. The consequences for not abiding by those guidelines should also be known.

One of the challenges to implementing a library podcast could be a lack of support at the district level. A complete presentation of the benefits of initiating a podcast might be required to convince the school board of the need. Another challenge might be a lack of funds for technology support. Many districts are struggling to maintain up to date devices and adding one more thing to their plate just may not work. I do, however, think that once an approval is given and the necessary devices are available, the participation of guests could be slow at the beginning. Once the podcast is more established and more people subscribe to it, the likelihood of guests turning down an invitation would decrease. So, by word of mouth and advertisement through other school communications, more students, parents, and community members would learn of the podcast and tune in for the latest discussion!

Amazing Educational Podcasts!

As I searched for educational podcasts, I found an article by Jess Joho published just a little over two months ago. The article can be found here https://mashable.com/article/best-educational-podcasts. It offers a list of the 30 best educational podcasts. I found several of the podcasts on the list quite interesting. I’d like to share some of the podcasts that caught my attention!

·       1619 – This is an Apple podcast that focuses on historical topics. To find out more about it, take a look at here https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1619/id1476928106

·       Womanica – This iHeart podcast is dedicated to innovative, creative women of history. You can find out more her https://www.iheart.com/podcast/966-encyclopedia-womannica-45926723/?keyid%5B0%5D=Womanica&keyid%5B1%5D=Olympians%3A%20Hitomi%20Kinue&sc=podcast_widget

·       Every Little Thing – As a Spotify podcast, listeners can send in questions about every topic under the sun and the hosts will try to find the answers! Check it out here https://gimletmedia.com/shows/every-little-thing

·       Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History – This Apple podcast is hosted by a history teacher that provides in-depth access to some of the greatest world events. If you’re interested, take a listen here https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/supernova-in-the-east-i/id173001861?i=1000415837465&ign-itscg=30200&ign-itsct=podcast_box_player

I can see how these podcasts would be of great benefit to teacher and students. The topics are interesting and engaging. They are a great alternative for those who do not necessarily enjoy reading!

References

American Library Association. (2018). The fine line: ethical and intellectual-freedom        implications of charging our patrons. Retrieved on July 14, 2022, from   https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/the-fine-line-ethical-and-intellectual-freedom-implications-of-charging-our-patrons/

Austin Public Library. (n.d.). Fine-free library FAQ. Retrieved on July 14, 2022, from    https://library.austintexas.gov/finefreeFAQ

Buzzsprout. (2022). Buzzsprout. Retrieved on July 8, 2022, from                                               https://www.buzzsprout.com/

Captivate. (2022). Captivate. Retrieved on July 8, 2022, from https://captivate.fm/

City of Dallas. (2019). Dallas Public Library goes fine-free for late returns. Retrieved on July 14, 2022, from https://www.dallascitynews.net/dallas-public-library-goes-  fine-free-late-returns

Fallows, D. (2020). Why some libraries are ending fines. The Atlantic. Retrieved on July 14, 2022, from https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/12/why-        some-libraries-are-ending-fines/621445/

Garcia, J. (2022). Best podcast hosting: 13 free and paid platforms tested and                          compared. ToolTester. Retrieved on July 9, 2022, from                                                               https://www.tooltester.com/en/blog/podcast-hosting/

Joho, J. (2022). The 30 best educational podcasts for learning what you missed in      school.  Mashable, Inc. Retrieved on July 11, 2022, from https://mashable.com/article/best-                   educational-podcasts

PodBean. (2022). PodBean. Retrieved on July 8, 2022, from https://www.podbean.com/

Villarreal, V. (2021). San Antonio Public Library to discontinue overdue fines for all users beginning Oct 1. San Antonio Public Library. Retrieved on July 14, 2022,      from https://www.mysapl.org/Events-News/News-Media-          Center/News/ArtMID/17281/ArticleID/21506/San-Antonio-Public-Library-to-     Discontinue-Overdue-Fines-for-All-Users-Beginning-Oct-1