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Podcasting 101Tyler Banfield, 07-10-2007 |
What is a Podcast?
A podcast is an audio file created in MP3 format. It is uploaded to your server and put into an RSS feed, and can be downloaded (or even subscribed to) by your visitors. Once it is downloaded, it can be listened to on a computer or portable MP3 player.
Why should I create a Podcast?
Podcasts are a great way to reach out to your audience, and even attract new visitors. Podcasts have gained popularity because they can be listened to while performing other tasks, and they can also be listened to away from the computer. The other great thing about creating podcasts is that you have so many different formats. Whether you want to create a weekly talk-show, a monthly how-to series or a daily news rundown, all of these can be easily accomplished by creating a podcast.
How do I create a Podcast?
To the surprise of many inexperienced podcasters, you can actually create a quality podcast in five relatively simple steps:
Plan: Like any form of content, you need to have an outline and plan before you begin creating it. In addition to planning out the subject of the podcast, main speaking points and any potential guests, you also need to determine how long you want your podcast to be. Depending on the format and topic of your podcast, this can be anywhere from ten minutes to an hour.
Record: To record your podcast, you need software and a microphone. A popular (and free) program for many podcasters is Audacity. In addition to being easy for beginners to learn, Audacity also has many advanced features for experienced podcasters. As far as a microphone goes, although your computer probably has one built-in, you should invest in a more professional microphone that plugs into your computer. This small investment will have a BIG impact on the quality of your podcast.
Upload: Once your podcast is complete, it is time to upload the MP3 file. Although it can be uploaded to your server, podcasts can take up a lot of space and bandwidth, so many internet marketers choose to host their podcasts with a fee-based service like Audio Acrobat.
Create a Feed: Although you can create a podcast feed from scratch, it is much easier to do it through a free program like Feedburner. Feedburner is the same program that is used to create RSS feeds for blogs (Feedburner also gives you detailed statistics for your RSS feeds).
Promote: Once you've published your podcast, it's time to promote it. If you use a service to host your podcast, it will automatically be added to different podcast directories. However, you can easily add your podcast to the major podcast directories on your own. You'll also want to promote your podcast feed on your web site, newsletter and any other forms of internet communication you may have with your audience.
A podcast is an audio file created in MP3 format. It is uploaded to your server and put into an RSS feed, and can be downloaded (or even subscribed to) by your visitors. Once it is downloaded, it can be listened to on a computer or portable MP3 player.
Why should I create a Podcast?
Podcasts are a great way to reach out to your audience, and even attract new visitors. Podcasts have gained popularity because they can be listened to while performing other tasks, and they can also be listened to away from the computer. The other great thing about creating podcasts is that you have so many different formats. Whether you want to create a weekly talk-show, a monthly how-to series or a daily news rundown, all of these can be easily accomplished by creating a podcast.
How do I create a Podcast?
To the surprise of many inexperienced podcasters, you can actually create a quality podcast in five relatively simple steps:
Plan: Like any form of content, you need to have an outline and plan before you begin creating it. In addition to planning out the subject of the podcast, main speaking points and any potential guests, you also need to determine how long you want your podcast to be. Depending on the format and topic of your podcast, this can be anywhere from ten minutes to an hour.
Record: To record your podcast, you need software and a microphone. A popular (and free) program for many podcasters is Audacity. In addition to being easy for beginners to learn, Audacity also has many advanced features for experienced podcasters. As far as a microphone goes, although your computer probably has one built-in, you should invest in a more professional microphone that plugs into your computer. This small investment will have a BIG impact on the quality of your podcast.
Upload: Once your podcast is complete, it is time to upload the MP3 file. Although it can be uploaded to your server, podcasts can take up a lot of space and bandwidth, so many internet marketers choose to host their podcasts with a fee-based service like Audio Acrobat.
Create a Feed: Although you can create a podcast feed from scratch, it is much easier to do it through a free program like Feedburner. Feedburner is the same program that is used to create RSS feeds for blogs (Feedburner also gives you detailed statistics for your RSS feeds).
Promote: Once you've published your podcast, it's time to promote it. If you use a service to host your podcast, it will automatically be added to different podcast directories. However, you can easily add your podcast to the major podcast directories on your own. You'll also want to promote your podcast feed on your web site, newsletter and any other forms of internet communication you may have with your audience.
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