Podcasting has its own language — and if you’re new to the space, it can feel like everyone already knows what all the terms mean. RSS feeds, hosting, CPM, downloads, distribution… it’s easy to get lost in the jargon. Blubrry breaks down some of the most common podcasting terms in plain English. Whether you’re just starting your show or looking to better understand how the podcasting ecosystem works, this episode will help make sense of the terminology that powers podcast publishing, distribution, and monetization.
Today’s Hosts: Mike Dell & MacKenzie Bennett
General Podcasting Terms
1. Basic Terms
The basic terms can be the hardest to understand. They seem basic, but when talking about your Podcast, clarity can make all the difference.
- Podcast – An episodic show (mostly delivered by RSS)
- Interchangeable with the word show
- Episode – An individual entry in your overall podcast
- One episode is not a PODCAST or POD, it’s a podcast episode
- Feed – When talking about a podcast, this is the RSS feed
- Not to be confused with a show listing on an app or directory. “My Apple feed…”
- YouTube Channel – NOT a feed, there are no feeds coming OUT of YouTube
- Upload – In publishing episodes, you have to upload that episode to a podcast host
- You do not UPLOAD to Apple Podcasts. Blubrry and other hosts do not upload to Apple. Apple PULLS your episode in via your RSS feed. They do not host the file, the file stays where it is and they LIST your episodes.
2. RSS Feed – Really Simple Syndication
An RSS feed is the distribution engine for a podcast.
It’s a file that contains the core information about your show, including:
- Episode titles
- Descriptions
- Audio files
- Artwork
- Publish dates
Podcast apps like Apple Podcasts and Spotify read this feed and display the show inside their apps.
When a new episode is published, the RSS feed updates. Podcast apps check the feed and automatically pull in the new episode.
3. Podcast Hosting
Podcast hosting is where the media files for a podcast are stored.
When an episode is uploaded to a host such as Blubrry Podcasting, the platform:
- Stores the audio file
- Generates the RSS feed
- Delivers the file when listeners press play
Podcast directories do not store the audio themselves. They simply read the RSS feed from the hosting platform.
Hosting is the foundation that makes podcast distribution possible.
4. Podcast Directories / Apps
Podcast directories are the platforms where listeners discover and play podcasts.
Examples include:
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
- Amazon Music
These platforms do not host the podcast files. Instead, they pull the show information from the RSS feed and display it inside their apps.
Once a podcast is submitted to a directory, new episodes appear automatically whenever the RSS feed updates.
5. Downloads vs Listens
In podcasting, the primary measurement used for analytics is downloads.
A download occurs when a podcast app requests the audio file from the host.
This means the episode was delivered to a device. It does not necessarily mean the listener played the entire episode.
Downloads are the industry standard measurement used for podcast analytics and advertising reporting.
6. CPM
CPM stands for Cost Per Mille, which means cost per 1,000 downloads.
It is one of the most common pricing models used in podcast advertising.
Example:
- $20 CPM
- 5,000 downloads
That would equal roughly $100 for that advertisement placement.
CPM helps advertisers estimate campaign costs and helps podcasters estimate potential ad revenue.
7. Pre-Roll, Mid-Roll, and Post-Roll
These terms describe where an advertisement appears within an episode.
- Pre-roll: Ad plays at the beginning of the episode
- Mid-roll: Ad appears in the middle of the episode
- Post-roll: Ad plays near the end
Mid-roll placements are often the most valuable because listeners are already engaged with the episode.
8. Dynamic Ad Insertion
Dynamic Ad Insertion allows advertisements to be added to episodes automatically during playback.
Instead of permanently editing ads into the audio file, the ads are inserted when the episode is streamed or downloaded.
This allows:
- Ads to change over time
- Different ads to play for different listeners
- Campaigns to run across older episodes
9. Episode Artwork
Episode artwork is an image attached to an individual podcast episode.
It can highlight:
- A specific topic
- A guest
- A theme or series within the podcast
Episode artwork is optional but can make episodes more visually engaging across podcast apps and websites.
10. Podcast Landing Page
A podcast landing page is a simple webpage that displays podcast episodes and listening links in one place.
These pages typically include:
- Podcast artwork
- Episode list
- Embedded players
- Links to listen in podcast apps
They provide a shareable home for the podcast outside of podcast apps.
11. Publishing vs Distribution
Publishing refers to releasing an episode inside a podcast hosting platform.
Distribution is what happens afterward — when podcast apps detect the new episode in the RSS feed and display it for listeners.
Once a podcast is approved in directories, new episodes are distributed automatically when they are published.
The Big Takeaway
Podcasting terminology can feel complicated at first, but most of the concepts describe simple parts of the same system.
The basic process looks like this:
- Upload an episode to a podcast host
- The RSS feed updates
- Podcast apps read the feed
- Listeners receive the episode
Once these fundamentals are understood, the rest of podcasting terminology becomes much easier to navigate.
For the best support, please use our Blubrry ticket system so our full team can help. Join the Blubrry Podcasting Facebook Group for general podcasting discussion.
Share your feedback at surveys.blubrry.com/podcastinsider.
Blubrry hosting customers can schedule a one-on-one tech checkup with Mike ([email protected])