Radio and podcasts are popular today, and they aim to create and produce content that informs, educates, and entertains audiences. Radio uses a live show produced by a radio station and broadcasted via airwaves. On the other hand, podcasts are pre-recorded, edited, and passed on via specific channels and listened to on demand.
Spotify is one of the top platforms today, with millions of podcasts. Whether you are starting a podcast or radio and are strategizing on how to get real Spotify followers for your channel, you need to know the difference between the two. So to help you get started, here are seven differences that distinguish podcasts from the radio.
Differences Between Podcasts and Radio
There are certain differences between podcasts and radios, and here we will look at them in-depth to give you a deeper understanding.
One Is Live, and the Other Is Pre-Recorded
When you listen to the radio, what you hear is as it is happening, although, at times, there can be pre-recorded segments. Radio shows do not go through editing processes. On the other hand, podcasts are pre-recorded and undergo an editing process. They are also on demand and allow listeners to download the podcasts conveniently. They are available on several streaming directories like Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Each Has a Different Demographic
Podcasts have more appeal, especially to the younger generation, particularly millennials. They are also most preferred because they are convenient; you can download and listen to them whenever you want.
Generation X, on the other hand, finds radios more appealing. These are the groups of people whose birthdays are between 1965 and 1979. Social media and the internet are not as popular with this generation as it is with the later age. They are thus used to listening to the radio, which is the most convenient way for them to listen to audio content.
The popularity of podcasts has been around since the first iPod. However, generation x has a higher chance of listening to the radio than they would to a podcast on the internet.
Difference in Engagement
How people engage in these two mediums is different, too. When it comes to the radio, the engagement usually involves doing radio calls in, sometimes with gift-giving or rewards. For example, the 10th caller might be the number to whom a caller gifted.
Podcasts, on the other hand, go with different interactivity. People engage with this platform through features like Q&As and polls. The engagement is mostly post-production and after the podcast has been posted. In most cases, podcast hosts share the results of the polls on their social media pages.
The hosts could also set up a question segment where people take up question-and-answer sessions. Having these kinds of active engagements with the audience is beneficial for podcasts, as audiences feel like they are part of the conversation on the podcast.
The Number of Listeners
Regarding the number of people who tuned in, there is a difference worth mentioning between the two mediums. For radio, the number of people tuned in can be a mystery. When advertisers come in, they look at the general estimate to analyze the audience based on their location information and demographics.
However, it is impossible to tell the exact number of people listening at any given time. Therefore, radio measurement providers do their best to determine how accurate the results can be. This is why radio ads are generic. They do it this way because you can never be sure of the audience that is tuned in.
When it comes to podcasts, especially on Spotify, users usually have to log into their accounts first. The podcast hosts, therefore, understand and know who hears their content firsthand. In addition, there are even more detailed data that is great at enhancing and allowing for the creation of target ads.
Scheduling
There are different modes when it comes to scheduling. For podcasts, there is production, presentation, and engagement. The purpose is also critical. When it comes to radio, however, the scheduling is fixed. You must stick to a pre-set schedule, including when a specific story unfolds or when it’s time for a news segment.
With podcasts, there are no time constraints, and each topic discussion can be uploaded separately. Users can download and listen to the material anytime they want, which enhances convenience.
Shelf Life
When it comes to radio, it is more of an instant medium. Once the show goes on air, it goes on for some time till the end. The listeners will resume it the next time the program airs. When the show is over, it is nearly impossible to return to it.
For podcasts, however, this is not the case. You can go back to the show and listen to it anytime. Even episodes as old as several years old are available. They have a longer shelf-life, and unlike radio shows, people can still listen to them even years later.
Listening Context
Radio reaches its listeners intermittently. A podcast allows users to reach their target audiences anytime throughout the day. So they can listen throughout the day, for instance, when getting ready for work or when they are out with their family and friends.
Research indicates that people tune in to the radio less than they used to in the past. On the other hand, podcasts have increased, and people listen to them at least 2% more than they used to in the past couple of years.
Summary
To sum it all up, there are differences between podcasts and radio. First, radio is general regarding who is listening and has a larger audience. Unlike radio hosts, podcasters can find out who their listeners are and their interests. You can also listen to podcasts anytime, unlike radio programs that air at specific times.
Finally, podcasts usually go through a production process, whereas radio is generally real-time. These are among some of the many differences between the two modes of communication. We hope this article has helped distinguish the difference between the two.
