I’ve been podcasting for a year now, but I’ve been listening to podcasts much longer than that. Podcasting started in 2005 and I, like most listeners, have been hooked from the start! Which is why I thought it would be important to look at some of the reasons you might want to rate and review a podcast (including mine).

According to online podcast statistics, there are 850,000 podcasts and more than 30 million podcast episodes!!! I don’t know about you, but my time is limited and precious so how I choose to spend it is indicative of the things that are important to me.

Podcasts take different forms and structures.

Some podcasts are interview style, some are narrative, some are storytelling, some are combinations. Podcasts can be just a few episodes and they can be ongoing entities. Certainly, they vary as to the topics covered. Episodes can be long (greater than two hours per episode) or short (ten to fifteen minutes). There’s basically something for everyone.

Podcasts come out (drop) on varying schedules. The creator of the podcast decides on the day they would like to publish their podcast. Most creators pick a schedule and stick to it consistently so listeners know when to expect a new episode.

When you find a podcast you like, it’s easy to keep up with new episodes by subscribing to the podcast. That way, you don’t have to look for it, it will appear in your podcast library for your listening pleasure at your leisure.

One of the best ways to find listeners is word of mouth.

I’m sure you can relate to how you adopt new things into your life… books you read, tv shows or movies you watch, subscriptions you have, restaurants you try, and podcasts you listen to (if you listen)… by recommendations from friends and family.

When it comes to podcasting, the system is set up in such a way that shows with more listeners, more comments, and more reviews and ratings are easier to find. This is why it’s important to rate and review podcasts.

My podcast, Life Well-Lived with Regina Topelson, is focused on bringing hope and inspiration to the cancer community. Whatever your reason for listening, you can help others (looking for shows like mine) find it by rating and reviewing both individual episodes and the podcast as a whole.

Like I mentioned earlier, our time is precious and so is how we choose to spend it. Rating and reviewing a podcast not only helps others find it, but it’s also similar to that know, like, and trust factor you have with your friends and family, listeners respect the reviews of other listeners, so your glowing reviews are like trusted recommendations for other listeners.

The easiest way to find my podcast.

Because my business is called Life Well-Lived, I decided to stick with that for my podcast name. However, I’m not the only one who thought that was a great name. So naturally, you will find other podcasts with similar names. Therefore, the easiest way to find my podcast is to search for my name, Regina Topelson, in your podcast app. Then it pops right up. When you find it, make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!

Conversely, you can always find all of my episodes on my podcasts page on my website.

So how do you rate and review a podcast?

There are two ways to do this on an iPhone, and Android should be similar.

First, if you are not subscribed to my podcast,

1. Open the podcast app.
2. Click the “Search” icon (the magnifying glass) in the bottom right-hand corner.
3. Click the search bar and make sure “All Podcasts” is highlighted.
4. Type in the name of my podcast or my name and click on the title.
5. Click on the podcast logo.
6. It will look like a list of episodes at first, but if you scroll down, in the middle of the page it gives you an opportunity to rate and review.
7. You will see a previous review and “Write a Review” in purple underneath it.
8. Click on “Write a Review”, tap the number of stars you wish to give, and write your review (a great one for good karma!).
9. Remember to hit “SEND” in the top right corner.
10. Thank you! That’s it, you’re done!

Second, if you are already subscribed,

1. Go to your Library (second from the right on the bottom).
2. Click on the Life Well-Lived with Regina Topelson podcast logo.
3. Again, it will look like a list of episodes, but as you scroll, three-quarters of the way down, it will come to a place where you can rate and review the podcast.
4. Click on “Write a Review” in purple under the existing review.
5. Tap the number of stars you wish to give, and write your review (a great one for good karma!).
6. Remember to hit “SEND” in the top right corner.
7. Thank you! That’s it, you’re done!

My podcast comes out every second and fourth Thursday of each month. Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss any episodes. Please leave me a message or contact me directly to recommend guests and topics for the show.

Thank you for listening and helping others who need my message to find me.