Bolt your doors, lock your windows and get ready to settle in for some of the scariest, eeriest and most terrifying podcasts around. There’s no better way to get into the Halloween spirit (pardon the pun) than to listen to a horror story, so we’ve picked a range of shows, from audio dramas to real-life accounts of paranormal activity, to send some shivers down your spine.
We are so thrilled to introduce BLOOM, our brand new podcast content development program. The first independent podcast partner selected to launch the program with is Flatrock: A Cold Case Podcast.
It’s no secret that the talent pool in the podcast industry in growing rapidly, which is why BLOOM was developed. We want to assist creative, independent podcasters who could really use the support of a larger team like Spreaker. The podcasts we select to partner with in the program receive support on content curation, technology, and the promotion that smaller podcasters need to flourish.
Heroine podcast is where to tune-in if you want to be inspired by creative and amazing women from all over the world. Sailors to CEOs, artists to authors – there are women from all fields of work and all walks of life. This week we’ve been chatting to its founder and host, Majo Molfino, about how she got into podcasting.
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls and Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls 2 have been the runaway hits of 2016 and 2017 and now the Rebel Girls movement has been turned into a podcast – ten amazing adventures read by ten captivating storytellers for inspiring girls (and boys!) everywhere to be their own person and unafraid of being different. We were lucky enough to get the chance to chat with the books’ authors, Francesca Cavallo and Elena Favilli, about it and what the future holds for Rebel Girls!
After launching on Amazon’s Alexa last October, we have been working hard to expand the abilities available to listeners, making for an even more intuitive, enjoyable and involving user experience – all you need to do is sit back and enjoy some of the best podcasts around.
In case you aren’t already aware of what Amazon’s Alexa is, they are the new wireless, voice-activated ‘smart speakers’ by Amazon, which feature a personal assistant voice service named ‘Alexa’. These devices include Amazon Echo and Amazon Echo Dot.
People fall into two categories around the Christmas period: those who are overly prepared and have their shopping sorted and the tree up before December 1st, and those who leave everything to the last minute and are frantically running around the shops on Christmas eve. Whichever category you fall into, the holiday season is about winding down and curling up on the sofa for some serious relaxing – and what better way to do that than with a podcast?
This year we’ve rounded up some festive themed podcasts which will not only get you in the Christmas spirit but might actually help you get through the holiday season with ease! Whether you’re searching for some last minute gift ideas or just want to get into the festive mood, check out our list of podcasts and all you need to do is press play, sit back and relax.
Whether you listen to Common Sense with Dan Carlin, PBS NewsHour, or The New Yorker to get your podcast news fix you’re aware of the big difference in how the presenters communicate their message; not just in the language they use but also their tone of voice. Tone can convey a thousand things to a listener and is key in getting what you want to say across correctly, how you use it will affect everything from how you’re interpreted as a person to the sincerity of the message you’re broadcasting. The Guardian says tone will “affect how we’re seen in terms of our personality, our emotional state, and even our professional competence”. Let’s take a look at some of the different podcast genres out there and see how you can use tone to create impact for yours!
Listening just got even more hands-off. Spreaker is proud to introduce yet another way of engaging with its catalog of podcasts: a new Amazon Alexa skill!
Amazon Alexa devices are wireless, voice-activated “smart speakers” that feature a personal assistant voice service named “Alexa”. These devices include Amazon Echo and Amazon Echo Dot. Similarly to Siri, Alexa will carry out the commands you say out loud to it.
Smart speakers have become a pretty big deal in the podcasting world as of late, and were the main topic of interest at this year’s RAIN Podcast Business Summit presented by NPR. Since Amazon Echo’s debut in 2014, they can now be found in over 20 million homes across the US. In fact, 42% of smart speaker owners claim they’re already essential to their everyday lives. Their ease of use alone is a persuasive selling point; there’s no searching for a remote control, not even the need to use access pins or swipe across the screen. With voice activation, smart speaker owners can ask for the weather report, access their favorite music, and, most importantly, tune in to podcasts.
Approaching new podcasts to listen to is an exciting, though totally overwhelming endeavor. There are just so. Many. Podcasts. Thousands of them at your fingertips, to rummage through like an overflowing vintage sale that just received its last haul.
How about this one? Or that? Are you in the mood for a true crime podcast now? Maybe a personal coach later? Any tip or recommendation to guide that search is welcome, as is rethinking the way we look for new content (and old, too!) in the first place.
At Spreaker we’ve decided to give the entire process our own spin, and we’re thrilled to present Spreaker’s new home page. It’s your map to navigating that immense sea of audio content.
And podcast producers, you’ll be benefiting, too. Of course, you want your work to appear front and center to listeners likely to love it, but it’s easy to get drowned out when you’re competing with so many voices. You want to trust that your podcast will get the reach it deserves.
With featured podcasts, curated lists you’ll love, and content based on where you’re located, the new home page offers an effortless podcast-searching experience.
Easy, intuitive, and totally up to you. That’s exactly how you want your podcast listening experience to be: to find what you want easily, to not stumble through podcasts you’re uninterested in during your search, and to ultimately make the choices you want to make, even while you’re listening.
With Spreaker Podcast Radio, we’ve kept what you want in mind, every step of the way from the moment you open the app. A handy search bar and curated lists and channels pieced together with care get you to the podcasts you’re looking for quickly and painlessly—and things don’t stop when you press play. Even as you’re listening in you get to take charge of what flows through your ears.
Playback features allow you to listen to whatever you want, however way you want it. We’re happy to announce that you now have the ability to reverse any podcast’s episode order, as well as use the other great features already available on the app, like a playback speed toggle, a sleep timer, and notifications for your favorite episodes.
