What Are ID3 Tags?
ID3 tags refer to the metadata embedded within an audio file. You can use ID3 tags to provide information about the podcast episode. This includes the title, artist, season, release date, genre, and other relevant details. These tags are commonly used in audio formats like MP3 and AAC.
Example ID3 Tags Used By Podcasters
- Title: The title of the podcast episode or the name of the podcast itself.
- Artist/Author: The name of the person or organization responsible for creating the podcast or a podcast host.
- Album: The name of the podcast series, if applicable.
- Release Date: The date when the episode was published or released.
- Genre: The category or genre of the podcast, such as News, Comedy, Education, etc.
- Artwork/Cover Image: A thumbnail or image associated with the podcast episode or the podcast in general.
- Track Number: If the podcast is part of a series or has multiple episodes, this tag indicates the episode’s position within that series.
- Description: A brief summary or description of the podcast episode’s content.
Why Do You Need ID3 Tags?
ID3 tags serve several purposes. They help podcast players and software organize and display podcast episodes correctly. When a listener is browsing podcasts, the information provided by the ID3 tags helps them understand what the episode is about and decide whether to listen to it. Additionally, podcast directories and platforms often use these tags to categorize and index podcasts. This makes them searchable and discoverable by topic, genre, or artist.
Ways To Insert ID3 Tags To Your Episodes
When it comes to adding descriptions to an MP3 file for a podcast, you have two options. Embedding ID3 tags directly into the MP3 file or providing the description through your podcast hosting platform. Let’s explore the difference between the two options.
ID3 Tags Embedded in MP3 Files
ID3 tags are metadata tags embedded within MP3 files that contain information about the audio content. These tags can include various details. Such as the podcast title, episode title, artist name, album art, release year, and descriptions. You can use software like iTunes, MP3Tag, or other audio tag editors to add or modify these tags.
Pros of this method:
- Portability: If you embed the ID3 tags directly within the MP3 file you make it easier to share or transfer the file across different platforms without losing the description.
- Offline Accessibility: The description will be available even if the MP3 file is downloaded and played offline.
Cons of this method:
- Limited editing capabilities: Modifying the ID3 tags requires specific software. The editing options may not be as extensive or user-friendly as those provided by podcast hosting platforms.
- Dependency on player support: The way ID3 tags are displayed can vary across different media players and podcast platforms. Potentially resulting in inconsistent presentation of your podcast’s description.
ID3 Tags Via Podcast Hosting Platform
Most podcast hosting platforms offer an interface where you can input your episode details, including the description, directly into their system. Examples of popular hosting platforms include Libsyn, Buzzsprout and Podbean.
Pros of using a podcast hosting platform:
- Ease of editing: Podcast hosts typically provide user-friendly interfaces for managing and editing episode details, making it convenient to update your podcast’s description.
- Consistency: Since the description is managed within the hosting platform, this method ensures a consistent presentation across various podcast platforms and media players.
- Advanced features: Some podcast hosts offer additional features like analytics, episode scheduling, monetization options, and integration with podcast directories.
Cons of using a podcast hosting platform:
- Dependency on the platform: If you switch podcast hosting platforms in the future, you may need to re-enter or migrate your episode descriptions.
- Online accessibility: The description of your podcast will only be visible when the episode is accessed through the podcast hosting platform or podcast directories.
Expert Recommendation
In conclusion, embedding ID3 tags within the MP3 file offers portability and offline accessibility but limited editing capabilities, while using a podcast hosting platform provides more convenience, consistency, and advanced features but depends on online access. Ultimately, it’s up to your preference and workflow to decide which method aligns better with your needs. Our recommendation is to add ID3 tags in the podcast publishing process via your podcast host as the benefits in our opinion outweigh the negatives and this clearly is becoming a standardised way moving forward.
