Apple Podcasts has recently improved the listener experience by introducing Automatic Downloads. Listeners are able to easily enjoy the newest of their favorite podcasts wherever they are without much planning ahead. For Podcasters, you can be sure that your listeners are staying up to date with your newest releases.
Let’s dive into this exciting new feature!
It’s Really Automatic
All you have to do is follow your favorite shows to enable automatic downloads straight to your device. Apple Podcasts will do the rest! New episodes download when your device is charged and connected to wifi. This works across all your devices and keeps you updated no matter where you are.
New episodes are available in the up next queue within the app. Downloaded episodes are indicated by the download icon next to the episode.
It’s Flexible to Show Styles
Episodic and Serialized podcasts function differently within this feature.
Episodic
Listening in any type of order is usually not necessary when it comes to episodic podcasts. For that reason when you enable automatic downloads for this kind of show, the newest episodes will be downloaded onto your device.
For podcasters, your show will be categorized as episodic unless you specify otherwise.
Serialized
Podcasts categorized as serialized follow some type of chronological order. Followers of this style of podcast will begin at the first three episodes when they follow the show and enable automatic downloads.
Shows with Multiple Seasons
If a show has multiple seasons, the first three episodes of the most recent season will be downloaded.
In the case of a completed season in which the creator has indicated there will be no further episodes, the first three episodes of the first season will be downloaded.
If you’re a podcaster who has no idea how to indicate what style your show is, check out this walkthrough from Apple on using Apple Podcast Connect.
Listeners Have Total Control
Some listeners may not want every new episode of every podcast they follow to download, Apple Podcasts is allowing listeners to have complete control over the settings of this feature.
Listeners are able to limit background downloading as well as power usage within the settings of the Apple Podcasts app.
You may want to turn off this feature for certain shows or lose the feature as a whole. This can do within settings.
Automatic Downloads Pause
Haven’t been able to keep up with new podcast episodes? Apple Podcasts will pause automatic downloads for shows you aren’t listening to after 15 days, or when you haven’t listened to the last 5 episodes. This feature is to save local storage on your device. Downloads will be ready to resume whenever you want to jump back in.
This is important for podcasters to note!
If you aren’t releasing episodes within this period of 15 days, users of this feature may lose touch with your show. Make sure you’re producing content within this window to keep your listeners downloading your latest episodes!
For further information about Apple Podcasts Automatic Downloads, check out the Apple article here.
While it’s easy for podcast producers and strategists to claim you should release consistent and frequent content on your podcast, we also understand that there is a time and place to scale back or take a break from your podcast. If you’re in a space where this is relevant to you, make sure you take a listen to episode 84 of Clocking In with Haylee Gaffin where we talk all about taking breaks from your podcast and how to approach them!
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