Everything You Need To Know About "Podcasting"
Cliff Ennico
www.creators.com
"I'm in the process of launching an Internet based business. I'm looking for some inexpensive ways to promote my business to tech-savvy customers, and I've been hearing some buzz lately about 'podcasting'. Forgive me, but when I think of iPods I think of teenagers listening to Eminem, and they're not my market. How does 'podcasting' work, and how would it benefit my business?"
While "podcasting" obviously takes its name from Apple's popular iPodreg; line of products, it isn't limited at all to iPodreg; listeners, and can indeed be an exciting and creative new way for you to promote your business. But first, a quick definition: a "podcast" is a pre-recorded audio program that is posted to a Website and made available for download so people can listen to them on personal computers or mobile devices (including, yes, iPodreg; products).
According to Oren Shachal, a podcast producer for software maker Intuit Corp., what distinguishes a "podcast" from other types of audio product on the Internet is that a "podcaster" can solicit subscriptions from listeners, so that when new "podcasts" are released they can automatically be delivered, or "fed", to a subscriber's computer or mobile device. Usually, the podcast features an audio "show" with new episodes that are fed to your computer either sporadically or at planned intervals, such as daily or weekly. Just like the old radio serials of the 1930's and 1940's, this encourages listeners to subscribe so they can find out "what happens next".
Shachal explains that podcasts are to audio what TIVO is to video: "you can automatically receive the programming you want, and listen to it whenever and whereever you want".
As long as you listen to podcasts only on your computer (as Shachal indicates the vast majority of podcast subscribers do), you don't need any special software other than the audio player that you already have on our computer (such as Windows Media Player or RealPlayer). But if you want to subscribe to a podcast "feed", you will need to install "podcatcher" software on your computer. The most popular "podcatcher" software is iTunesreg;, available as a free download from
www.apple.com/itunes/download
.
Should you be getting into "podcasting" as a way to promote your business? Shachal says that podcasting is an innovative way to promote your business. "Podcasting goes a big step further than printed text on a Web page," Shachal says, explaining that "if someone's actually talking to you, you have to listen. You can't ignore or skim over it, so it's a far better call to action, and much more personal because you're listening to another human being's voice." Intuit Corp. offers a number of free podcasts offering advice for entrepreneurs - go to
www.quickbooksgroup.com
and click on the "podcast" link.
So how do you go about creating a Podcast? Shachal says there are four basic steps.
First, to record a podcast on your computer, you will need a USB microphone and special "podcast studio" software to help you record and edit your podcasts. For Apple Macintosh computers, the software is called Garagebandreg; and is part of the iLifereg; software package (
www.apple.com/ilife
). You can purchase iLife from Apple's Website for $79, but if you bought a Macintosh recently, it may already be installed on your computer so check that first. The most popular podcast studio software for Windows computers is Audacityreg;, available as a free download from
http://audacity.sourceforge.net
.
Second, record your podcast carefully. Try to keep your podcast around 12 minutes, Shachal advises, adding that you should speak clearly and prepare your "script" in advance to keep the editing time as short as possible. And whatever you do, learn to soften your consonants, because a lot of your listeners are using earphones. If you "pop your P's" it's a lot more irritating than when somebody does it on radio.
Third, once your podcast is recorded, you have to "post" it to a Website. If you have a Website of your own, you might be tempted to post it there, but Shachal advises you first call your Web hosting service and find out the fees. Podcasts use up a lot of bandwidth, Shachal explains, and most Web hosting services charge serious money for the extra bandwidth you will use if hundreds of people are downloading your podcast feeds. Instead, Shachal advises you use a Website that specializes in hosting podcasts, such as
www.libsyn.com
: "these services charge based on how much data you store, not for how much traffic goes back and forth, and you are likely to save significant money".
Fourth, once your podcast is posted on the Web, you need to list it in one of the popular podcast directories, such as
www.apple.com/itunes/podcasts
and
http://podcasts.yahoo.com
. Right now, these directories will list your podcasts for free, because your podcasts are not taking up space on their Websites. Explains Shachal, "listeners download or subscribe to your podcasts through iTunes, and iTunes grabs the podcast from your Website. Listeners think they're getting the podcast from Apple, but they're really not."
Shachal warns that, at least today, you won't get rich doing podcasts: typically, podcasters do not charge for subscriptions. "That's because most podcasters today are enthusiasts about one subject or another, and are just looking for the exposure," says Shachal. But Shachal adds that if you have a podcast with compelling content that's attracting lots of subscriptions on iTunes, you might be contacted by a company offering to buy advertising on your podcasts. My advice? Don't sell cheap.
Cliff Ennico (
cennico@legalcareer.com
) is a syndicated columnist, author and host of the PBS television series 'Money Hunt'. His latest book is 'Small Business Survival Guide' (Adams Media, $12.95). This column is no substitute for legal, tax or financial advice, which can be furnished only by a qualified professional licensed in your state. To find out more about Cliff Ennico and other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit our Web page at
www.creators.com
. COPYRIGHT 2006 CLIFFORD R. ENNICO. DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
