Podcast Translation: Are Podcasts Getting More Multilingual?


Podcast Translation: Are Podcasts Getting More Multilingual?
Beth Worthy

Beth Worthy

10/22/2021

There are over 850,000 active podcasts and thirty million episodes in over a hundred languages.

Although the US makes up a significant chunk of the podcasting market, research shows that the podcasting industry is booming everywhere.

It's expected that the global podcasting market will reach USD 94.88 billion by 2028. Imagine a situation where a podcast was previously attracting thousands of listens and now attracting millions of listens around the globe. Podcasters have several options for generating revenues from their podcasts.

However, this can only be possible if the podcast has a sizeable audience. To get these global audiences interested, it is important to translate them into as many languages as possible for wider reach.

How Do You Create a Multilingual Podcast?

Generally, podcasts are recorded audio episodes aimed at educating or entertaining a specific audience group. Podcasts are available in various formats, including solos, interviews, panels, conversational dialogues, and repurposed content.

Besides generating revenue in the podcast market, adopting multilingual podcasts has opened new horizons of success on a global scale.

However, the real question is: How to create podcasts that come out original in every language?

Here are some steps:

  • Transcription: First, you should get the podcast audio transcribed, preferably by a professional podcast transcription service that focuses on details. Getting your podcast episodes transcribed helps in proceeding with the translation step while boosting your search engine ranking.

  • Translation: After fully transcribing the audio file or receiving its intelligent transcript, it is critical to translate the material into the languages of your choice. Getting an audio file translated is more challenging than translating documents due to colloquial expressions and figurative idioms.

    Native translators can successfully translate your transcribed file and prepare it for further processing. You can opt for a professional podcast translation service to ensure an error-free translation.

  • Localization: Once you are done with translation, the final step is to create a foreign language version of the podcasts, which can be done by interpreting voice-over, recreation, or creating YouTube videos with subtitles.

See Also: The Business Case for Translating Podcast and The Future of Multilingual Storytelling

Advantages of Multilingual Podcasts

Before you start creating multilingual podcasts, it is important to assess the returns you expect from such spending.

Discussed below are some primary benefits of multilingual podcasts:

  • Increased and Widespread Reach: Creating multilingual podcasts would push your episodes beyond the cultural and linguistic limits of the original language and garner attention from the international market.

  • Improved SEO: When you add transcripts to your podcasts, google can crawl through your website or even the platform where your podcast is hosted and get it indexed. This means you would be better placed to attract the target audience using search results and draw relevant traffic.

  • Generate Higher Revenue: Once you attract and capture the interest of your target market, revenue streams will eventually start improving across different levels of monetization platforms. Whether you focus on selling services or products, request paid subscriptions, or leverage digital ads, a multilingual podcast would help in maximizing the returns.

See Also: Top 12 Commonly Asked Real-World Podcasting Questions

The Cost vs. Monetary Benefits of Creating Multilingual Podcasts

Transcribing and translating English-language podcasts into multiple languages is generally worth the effort and investment.

Translating a podcast episode is generally a one-time investment that can make your podcast accessible to a wide global audience, increasing the extent of your target market substantially.

As previously stated, the podcast market is expanding substantially on a global scale and will continue to do so in the future.

Besides gaining listeners and expanding your target market, podcast translation into multiple languages can also fetch revenues through diverse channels like advertising, local distribution and monetization deals, and more.

However, smaller podcast producers may not always find it feasible to hire in-house podcast translators and transcribers.

To minimize the time, effort, and money spent on getting your podcasts transcribed and translated, it would be a better idea to opt for a professional podcast translation service.

Additionally, creating a strategy to create multilingual podcasts when you are beginning your podcast production would also be economically viable.


Looking to make your podcasts multilingual seamlessly? GMR Transcription Services, Inc. can help with your transcription and translation needs.

Our transcription team consists of 100% human transcriptionists who can transcribe your audio files with the highest degree of accuracy possible within a quick turnaround time.

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Beth Worthy

Beth Worthy

Beth Worthy is the Cofounder & President of GMR Transcription Services, Inc., a California-based company that has been providing accurate and fast transcription services since 2004. She has enjoyed nearly ten years of success at GMR, playing a pivotal role in the company's growth. Under Beth's leadership, GMR Transcription doubled its sales within two years, earning recognition as one of the OC Business Journal's fastest-growing private companies. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two kids.