Some time again, Apple launched the <itunes:episodeType> RSS tag to allow you to mark particular person episodes as “bonus,” “full,” or “trailer” varieties. Here is what every sort means and the way it is best to use them in your podcast-publishing instruments.
“Full” episode sort
A “full” episode is a traditional episode of your podcast. Any episode is assumed to be the “full” sort for those who do not point out the kind. Thus, you’ll in all probability by no means must explicitly outline the “full” sort as a result of doing so is redundant and unnecessarily bloats your RSS feed.
I additionally suggest the “full” episode sort for particular episodes, like an interview, an in-between episode (one that isn’t a trailer), a particular format, and such. Some folks would possibly name these “bonus” episodes, however I favor the phrase “particular” to higher distinguish them from the extra particular “bonus” sort.
Usually, until your episode undoubtedly suits within the “bonus” or “trailer” varieties, it ought to in all probability be a “full” episode. And that is what most podcasts publish solely.
“Bonus” episode sort
The “bonus” sort is meant to be a bonus to one thing—normally content material that already exists. For instance, take into consideration the bonus content material you get whenever you purchase films: behind-the-scenes content material, interviews, deleted scenes, bloopers, and extra. All this content material is sensible solely within the context of the opposite, in all probability already-released content material.
Thus, “bonus” episodes would use the identical season and/or episode numbers because the already-released “full” content material as a result of they’re bonuses for that “full” content material.
How does utilizing season and episode numbers have an effect on the bonus? Apple explains the potential situations well, which I will expound on:
- “No season or episode quantity: a present bonus.” This is applicable to your entire present, like when you’ve got a podcast (not about podcasting) and also you need to speak about the way you produce the podcast. That may very well be a “bonus” episode with no season or episode quantity.
- “A season quantity: a season bonus.” So this may very well be behind-the-scenes for a selected season, or a bonus interview related to the season. And since seasons will embody a number of episodes, you possibly can launch the bonus anytime you need inside that season—you do not have to attend for the season to finish.
- “Episode quantity and optionally a season quantity: a bonus episode associated to a particular episode.” So this may very well be followup questions and solutions for a selected episode, like when How Did This Get Made? has an episode devoted to suggestions a few beforehand mentioned film.
You’d nearly by no means use this “bonus” episode sort for particular episodes that merely break out of your regular format. For instance, for those who usually host a solo present however you’ve a particular interview between episodes. Though you would possibly think about such to be “a bonus episode,” if it isn’t connected to some other particular content material, it ought to in all probability not be marked as a “bonus.”
As a substitute, the Podcasting 2.0 spec would possibly sometime supply a “particular” or “further” episode sort for these sorts of particular/further episodes as I’ve proposed.
But when the interview in my instance is a follow-up interview for different content material, then it may very well be marked as a “bonus” sort. For instance, you might need one episode a few film, after which you’ve a follow-up episode containing an interview with a forged or crew member, or sharing after-episode suggestions out of your viewers (once more, like How Did This Get Made? does). That may be a great use of the “bonus” sort.
Lengthy-separated bonuses?
Sure, you possibly can connect a bonus episode to one thing you launched a very long time in the past. For instance, perhaps you already printed a film assessment a 12 months in the past, however you’ve new suggestions about that film or an interview with the forged or crew from that film. This could be a great time to publish that episode with the “bonus” sort, however give it the episode variety of the unique episode (for those who use episode numbers—and this may very well be a great purpose to take action, even for those who by no means communicate the episode numbers).
Most podcast apps, nevertheless, will in all probability play this bonus episode in chronological order in line with its publish date. However Apple Podcasts and a few others will group collectively all of the episodes that belong to the identical season, nonetheless in all probability sorted by publish date.
“Trailer” episode sort
We’re principally familar with trailers; they are a preview of one thing to come back. A “trailer” sort episode is connected to one thing, just like how a “bonus” episode capabilities. However trailers are most definitely for content material that is not but launched. The trailer may very well be for a particular episode, a season, or your total present.
Once more, Apple offers some concise explanations that I will expound on:
- “No season or episode quantity: a present trailer.” You may make or substitute the trailer on your entire podcast at any time. It is nice as the very first thing you place in your RSS feed whenever you undergo the podcast catalogs. It’s also possible to add a whole-show trailer at any time and plenty of podcast apps will prominently function the trailer.
- “A season quantity and no episode quantity: a season trailer. (Observe: an episode trailer ought to have a unique
<guid>than the precise episode.)” So that is the trailer that builds hype for a season. And since seasons embody many episodes, you might publish your season trailer at any time, but it surely’s greatest to publish the trailer earlier than the season begins. - “Episode quantity and optionally a season quantity: an episode trailer/teaser, later changed with the precise episode.” Observe that Apple appears to suggest eradicating episode trailers as soon as the precise episode is launched. And I believe that is sensible.
A trailer does not must solely preview upcoming content material, it might additionally lead into it. For instance, your “trailer” may very well be a name for suggestions to be included within the upcoming episode, like what Mark Des Cotes does with what he calls “double take” episodes for his podcast, The Rings of Power Podcast – Tales From Middle Earth, which—as you possibly can in all probability guess from the clearly speaking title—is about Amazon’s The Rings of Energy present.
So whereas “bonus” episodes come after content material, trailers come earlier than.
Must you depart a trailer on-line?
Since trailers come earlier than the content material, you is perhaps uncertain whether or not it is best to maintain the trailer on-line after the promoted content material has been printed. The reply relies upon.
I believe trailers for seasons or entire reveals ought to undoubtedly keep on-line, particularly since many podcast apps will give particular prominence to those timeless trailers.
And that is the key phrase: “timeless.”
But when your trailer is time-sensitive, then it is best to in all probability take away it when it is not related. For instance, I launched a trailer to announce when The Audacity to Podcast was getting back from its lengthy hiatus. As soon as the present returned, the trailer was not vital due to its time-sensitivity, so I eliminated it.
Here is one other instance. Going again to The Rings of Power Podcast – Tales From Middle Earth, Mark releases brief episodes he calls “double takes,” the place he shares some very temporary ideas and proposes questions his viewers (and I am amongst them!) can reply earlier than his subsequent episode. He then consists of that suggestions in longer episodes a few days later. These “double take” podcast episodes can be a great match for the “trailer” sort, and if all Mark did was share the questions he desires his viewers to reply, he might delete these brief “trailer” episodes after he publishes the “full” episodes.
But when Mark’s episodes additionally share some distinctive content material, which he might later reference in his full episodes, then it is perhaps greatest to maintain these “double take” episodes on-line.
In different phrases, if the one function of the “trailer” episode is to primarily say “you may get this content material quickly,” then you possibly can in all probability delete it after publishing the promised content material.
But when your trailer is for a season of episodes, or for the entire present, I like to recommend retaining these big-picture trailers on-line. (And also you would possibly even need to substitute your whole-show trailer/promo yearly or two.)
“Bonus” and “trailer” varieties are bookends
Consider “bonus” and “trailer” varieties as opposites of one another. They’re each purported to be connected to one thing: an episode, a season, or the entire present. However the “trailer” comes earlier than the factor as a teaser or promotion, and the “bonus” comes after the factor as a followup.
Extra varieties sooner or later?
“Full,” “bonus,” and “trailer” are the one three varieties that Apple Podcasts helps right now with their proprietary <itunes:episodeType> tag, however I’ve proposed for Podcasting 2.0 to have its own <podcast:episodeType> tag with some extensions that will give no less than an episode sort of “particular,” and perhaps extra, like “miniseries” and “rerun.”
Do not obsess and don’t fret
The choice between episode varieties shouldn’t be a troublesome one. I hope this rationalization helps distinguish the episode varieties and their makes use of.
And whilst you do not have to replace all of your outdated episodes with these varieties, doing so would make your podcast look a lot better in apps that assist episode varieties. Plus, Apple actually likes seeing reveals leverage these episode varieties, so that you would possibly even enhance your possibilities of getting featured by Apple whenever you use these added episode varieties.
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This submit might include hyperlinks to services or products with which I’ve an affiliate relationship. I could obtain compensation out of your actions by way of such hyperlinks. Nonetheless, I do not let that corrupt my perspective and I do not suggest solely associates.
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