Guide on How to Build a Podcast App

Do you want to know how to create a podcast app? We wholeheartedly support your decision, as this industry’s prospects and profitability for companies are undeniable. For example, according to Deloitte Insights, podcasts will be a $3.3 billion business by 2025 in the US alone.

Podcasts are also attracting more and more listeners every year. Statistics support this fact as of Q1 2022 there are 424 million listeners, up from around 275 million in 2019.

The number of podcasters is increasing as well. Apple Podcasts alone offer nearly one million shows to their audience. Even despite the popularity of Apple or its competitor Spotify, the demand for similar podcast applications remains high. Later, we’ll explain why.

We will also discuss the cost of creating such apps, their main features, and the tech stack. Our company has several top-notch video and audio conferencing products like Parta in the portfolio, so we have all the necessary knowledge to create a podcast app. Keep reading for details.

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Key Benefits of Building a Podcast App

Podcasts are primarily about the ease of consuming information. Users particularly appreciate the wide variety of shows and their accessibility.

What do we mean by accessibility? All that is necessary to listen to a podcast is practically any smart device. People no longer need to read lengthy articles or watch videos — they can access the info anytime and anywhere via podcast apps.

As a result, the high demand for podcasts encourages a corresponding need for their distribution tools. Just imagine creating a podcast app that will allow anyone to listen to engaging content or become the one who produces it.

Learn the following benefits of podcast applications, after which you will have no doubts about the development of such a product.

Attract a Large Audience

Podcast app development will help you attract a large audience. How is that possible? With accessibility, as we have already mentioned. Not everyone has enough time or opportunity to process visual content, so audio format is a lifesaver.

Build a Community Effortlessly

Build a podcast app focused on a specific topic and gather people interested in it. We’ll discuss the content and podcast application types later, but all you need to know for now is that thematic content finds its listeners. For example, you can create a platform for discussing books or movies or a podcast app with fascinating interviews.

How else can you gather an audience? Look into the Fireside podcasting service, which we discussed in this post.

According to Deloitte Insights, podcasts will be a $3.3 billion business by 2025 in the US alone.

Use the App as an Additional Marketing Tool

Use the podcast app to promote your existing business. Tell about your company through the application, and do not forget to fill your platform with quality content.

By the way, according to one Canadian survey, the majority of respondents (59%) say that they are more attentive to advertising on podcasts than on TV.

Gain the Loyalty of Your Audience

The podcast app will help you gain your audience’s loyalty, especially if your show has a regular charismatic host. This way, people get used to a particular form of presenting material, voice, etc. If your goal is to build a platform for podcasters, win your audience’s trust by monitoring the content in your app.

Types of Podcast Apps to Build

It is crucial to understand what people are eager to listen to before you start developing a podcast app. Depending on the content, we can divide podcasts into four main types: storytelling, hybrid, interviews or panel discussions, and repurposed ones. Let’s dwell on each of them in more detail.

Storytelling Podcasts

Storytelling podcasts recount stories based on real or fictional events. Such podcasts are in high demand among listeners if well-produced. They are similar to audiobooks somehow, and making a quality podcast of this type might be challenging due to high competition.

This content niche is prevalent among journalists and true-crime enthusiasts, who use storytelling to communicate significant events and topics or conduct in-depth investigations.

Hybrid Podcasts

Hybrid podcasts have the same host leading all episodes. Such podcasts also involve invited speakers throughout the season. Hybrid podcasts typically start with a monologue by the presenter and then shift to another form of content, such as interviews, panel discussions, etc.

Interviews or Panel Discussions

There is nothing much to explain: these podcasts are all about conversations. Here a fixed host speaks with one or a group of guests in the form of an interview or panel discussion. Listeners tune in to such podcasts to hear expert viewpoints and arguments on various essential topics such as politics, ecology, and so on.

Repurposed Content

If you have a backlog of valuable materials like video interviews with celebrities, multiple workshops, or even biology lectures, podcasts with repurposed content are exactly what you need. You can launch such a podcast by converting your content into audio format. The audience especially appreciates repurposed podcasts for their informativeness.

Read Also: Dolby.io Alternatives & Competitors

Podcast App Features to Consider

Now you know the main podcast applications types available on the market, and as you can see, there is a lot of room for creativity here.

As for the podcast mobile app features to consider, the choice is entirely up to you: maybe basic functionality is enough for your app, or you want to develop an entire social network with live voice discussions like Clubhouse. We wrote a comprehensive review of this social media, by the way.

Regardless of the podcast application type you choose, it can’t do without some fundamental features we’ll tell you about right now.

Social Login and Signup

Interaction with any mobile application often begins with the user registration process. Make this process as convenient as possible by adding the ability to log in through popular social networks.

User Profile Dashboard

The user profile dashboard is one of the key features of the podcast app. It is where your user can view saved shows and listening statistics. Your customers may also enter their data and preferences here, allowing your app to deliver more personalized recommendations.

Built-in Podcast Search

Make sure your podcast app has a convenient search with many filters. This feature allows users to navigate your platform easily.

Podcast Recorder and Editor

It is a must-have feature for users directly involved in creating audio content. That is why it’s crucial to add the ability to record and edit audio to your podcast app if you target this audience.

Voice Editing Tools

Of course, the recording feature alone will not be enough. Make your app convenient for podcasters by adding the ability to edit their voice. The functionality doesn’t have to be complicated, as it’s primarily a podcast app, not a recording studio. Basic tools may include copying, pasting, and deleting audio tracks.

Media Player

No application that allows you to listen to content will work without a media player. When you enable this feature, your users will be able to navigate the audio tracks effortlessly.

User Behavior Tracking

This feature will be handy for you, the creator of the podcast application. Thanks to it, you will be able to collect and analyze user data. What’s the outcome of all this? Improved personalized recommendations, more relevant in-app advertising, and an engaged user.

Real-time Analytics

This feature allows you to assess your application’s key performance metrics to make more informed decisions regarding your app’s further improvement. For example, you can analyze the data on the number of your app downloads, top-rated podcasts, etc.

Loyalty Programs

We have already mentioned that podcast applications can help you gain the trust of your users. One of the great ways to do that is to introduce the loyalty programs feature. You can implement it as special offers or free access to premium content.

Podcast App Design Best Practices

How to make a podcast app that your users will like? We’ve decided to spill the beans on the best design practices suitable for such applications.

Straightforward UI for Listeners

A podcast app typically consists of three sections: a user profile, a filter page with saved podcasts, and a discover page with new popular shows and genres. Make sure your listeners can easily navigate between those pages.

Convenient Tools for Podcasters

As a podcast software provider, your goal is not only to take care of your audio content listeners but also those who produce it. Make podcast recording and editing tools intuitive for users. This way, you will encourage more podcasters to create within your application.

Cover Multiple Platforms

Want to reach an even bigger audience with your podcast app? Then we suggest you create a cross-platform product or take care of the iOS and Android versions of your application.

Make Your UI Responsive

Responsive design is one of the reasons why users will love your podcast app. With this approach, podcasters will be able to customize work tools, and listeners organize a page with podcasts and a user profile dashboard according to their needs and interests.

Minimalist Design

The simplicity of your podcast app design doesn’t make it bad — but quite the opposite. Make sure not to overdo it with colors and a bunch of visuals. The more minimalist the design, the more apparent it is for your users.

Podcast App Tech Stack

It’s time to dive into the world of technology and determine what tools you can use to make a podcast app. For your convenience, we have divided them into separate categories, which you can see below.

Application and Data

• Python
• JavaScript
• React Native
• Redux
• Node JS
• GraphQL
• PostgreSQL

DevOps

• Docker
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)
• Webpack
• Prometheus
• Babel

Utilities

• Google Analytics
• Lookback
• Elasticsearch
• Listen API
• Embedly

Audio

• WebRTC
• Twilio
• MediaSoup

Business Tools

• Slack
• G Suite
• FreshDesk
• Contentful

Podcast Application Development Challenges

Well, you’re almost one step away from making a podcast app. Yet, we recommend you read this section to prepare for any pitfalls when working on such a project.

Read Also: How to Implement DevOps in Business: 8-Step Plan and Strategy

Statistics support this fact as of Q1 2022 there are 424 million listeners, up from around 275 million in 2019.

Here are some of the challenges that might occur when creating a podcast application:

Picky Modern Users

Remember the features we described today. Note that those were only the basic ones. Today’s users are very picky about the applications they install on their phones. Therefore, to satisfy them, your software product must be packed with functionality and, at the same time, work flawlessly.

The Complexity of Podcast Apps

What is a podcast app? It combines various functions, many of which are not so easy to implement.

It means the work with the audio: its playback, recording, and editing. There are also various features related to the user experience: user profile dashboard, convenient search, and the ability to download podcasts. It’s not to mention characteristics like user behavior tracking and real-time analytics.

We have only mentioned the minimum necessary functionality you should implement. But don’t worry, with the help of an expert development company like ours, this obstacle is no longer a problem.

Choosing a Profitable Monetization Strategy

Choosing a monetization strategy may be easy for some but a significant challenge for others. Subscriptions, one-time payments, in-app purchases, and in-app advertising are common techniques used by podcast application owners. If you think carefully about how you will generate profit, you will easily overcome this challenge.

How Much Does It Cost to Develop a Podcast App?

Each podcast application is unique with its features, selected technologies, and design. Several factors determine the cost of such a product. Here are the main ones:

• Platform

The cost of the application will vary depending on the platform you choose, such as iOS or Android. There is also an option to develop a cross-platform product.

• Number and Complexity of Features

The scope of features you want to deploy will influence your product's final cost.

• Tech Stack

The cost of your podcast application will vary depending on the technology you select since their execution will necessitate various professionals with different salary levels.

• Location and Type of a Software Company

The salary rates significantly vary, depending on the country or even the city of the development company. The type of software provider represents the work processes organization: outsourcing or employing an in-house staff.

So, those were all the main factors that affect the cost of your podcast app. Let’s look at the key stages of such product development and determine their approximate cost.

The number of podcasters is increasing – Apple Podcasts alone offer nearly one million shows to their audience.

Estimation, Research & UI/UX design

It is the initial stage of developing your application. Here, the team conducts market research and creates a plan to enter it, selects technologies for your app, and builds a prototype.

A prototype is a draft version of your future application, a model of the system you will create. You can later use it to build an MVP, a fully functional product with basic features. The employees required at this stage are a designer, an architect, and a business analysts.

Approximate cost: $11 200

Development

Once you have approved the project, you can proceed directly to its development. MVP is the basic version of your podcast app, which will include only the fundamental features without which your application is impossible to imagine. Specialists such as project managers, developers, QA engineers, and designers work on minimum viable product development.

Approximate cost: $25 600

Testing and Launch

The development stage happens along with continuous testing run by QA engineers – we do many different tests to check if everything works correctly in your application. Our team corrects errors if they occur. Only after that can our staff assist you in launching a podcast app on the market.

Approximate cost: $9 600

Creating technical documentation

The company's IT specialists create a document that contains all the necessary information about your application.

Approximate cost: $1 600

So, we figured out the approximate prices and time for each stage of development. And now, check out the summary of the cost to develop a podcast app in the table below.

#	Stages	Time	Cost
1	Estimation, Research & UI/UX design	280 hours	$11 200
2	Development	640 hours	$25 600
3	Testing	240 hours	$9 600
4	Creating technical documentation	40 hours	$1 600
	Total	1 200 hours (5 month)	$48 000

How Our Company Can Help You: Real-life Cases

We assist our clients in developing custom mobile applications from scratch. Our objective is not only to create a high-quality product but also to have this product rank first in the different app stores. Our business analysts take good care of making this goal a reality.

Our team is used to completing tasks promptly and efficiently. We speed up the development process with premade engines, which allow us to build applications twice as fast as other IT companies.

Our employees are experienced professionals, including business analysts, software architects, and designers, who have repeatedly put the ideas of video and audio applications into reality. As audio is an integral part of podcast apps, we’ll share two related cases that we’ve successfully implemented for our clients.

Parta

Parta is an innovative app for audio and video conferencing. What makes it special? Its ability to create content that turns video chats into communities.

Challenge

We had a complex task to develop multifunctional software that would include elements from popular applications like Twitch, Tiktok, Instagram, Clubhouse, and Zoom.

Solution

Our developers have taken the leading functions from the popular social networks mentioned above and implemented them in one application. To do this, we used the following technologies: React Native, Node.js, Redux, AWS, GraphQL, and MediaSoup.

Here is the functionality we have implemented:

• Newsfeed generated by AI
• Private rooms
• Room moderation
• Video calls
• Streaming
• Broadcasting
• Following
• Gifts and donates

As a result, we have developed a decent mobile application in just seven months.

Read also: How to Make a Voice Chat App.

Events10X

Events10X is a web and mobile platform for online or hybrid events that allows organizing private and group conferences.

Challenge

Our team needed to develop a platform that could withstand significant loads. Furthermore, Events10X required a lot of customization.

Solution

Our team has developed a platform for holding any online events. We employed the following technologies: Node, React, Saga, Redux, Azure, AWS, WebRTC, and Mediasoup.

Our team has added the following features:

• Calls
• Messaging
• Broadcasting
• Calendar planning
• Multiple hubs option
• AI-powered translation
• Instant voice translation
• Conference participants matchmaking
• Private video chat rooms

As a result, we have developed powerful software that enables you to broadcast to more than 15,000 people while also allowing for simultaneous messaging and video conversations.

Our Final Thoughts on How to Create a Podcast App

The podcast market is thriving, so you can launch your app with confidence. Choose the type of podcasts you want to see on your platform and go ahead. Their main types include storytelling, hybrid, repurposed content, and interview-based podcasts.

Creating such an application will bring you many benefits. For instance, gathering the community effortlessly and accessing a larger audience. There are numerous features you can add to your podcast app, but the main ones are user profile dashboard, podcast recorder, voice editing, user behavior tracking, and real-time analytics.

Our company has extensive experience in developing audio solutions. Are you interested in podcast app development? Our team can help you build a custom solution, so please do not hesitate to contact us at any time.

Softermii experience shows the value of a podcast application lies in its uniqueness and we’re ready to create a worthwhile solution.