Podcasting is basically information presented in an audio format that can be downloaded and listened to at one's convenience. There are a number of reasons why you could become a podcaster: You might want to share your passion, for example music or movies, with a larger audience; you might want to advertise your business; or you could take up podcasting as a business.

The Work

Creating a podcast is a relatively simple task. You need a microphone plugged into your computer and audio recording software. You just have to record an audio file and save it on your computer in an.mp3 format. The last step is to upload the file on a podcasting site. You will also need to know how to create RSS files and upload them.

Before you start recording your podcast, make notes on the topic you want to talk about. Content is still king and listeners get bored easily if they feel you have nothing interesting to say. Play around with ideas for settings. You don't necessarily have to record podcasts in the same place every time. The length of a podcast is important. If used to market a product, it should be about 5 minutes long. Once you start podcasting, be regular. For example, recording a podcast twice a month is reasonable and practical.

Start Up Cost

You can start a podcasting business with less than $100. The start up cost depends on the type of equipment you purchase. Here is the basic equipment you'll need to start podcasting:

Microphone: You will need to get a durable and flexible microphone. There are many varieties available and the price differs according to type.Mixer: Small mixers with four units will suit almost every podcast recording. Again, there are many varieties of mixers, and you have to pick one that is best for you.Soundcard: It is important for high quality sound.Audio software: It is one of the most basic elements of podcasting. With the right software, you will be able to record the podcast, save, and edit it. Sound can also be manipulated for greater effect.

How to Market It

Market your podcast to a target audience. Participate in forums and add a link to your podcast under your signature. Think about investing in banner ads. Some of the smaller community sites sell these ads for a very reasonable price. You can also charge people to listen to your podcast. But with all the free podcasts available, this could be a difficult proposition. You could make submissions of your podcast to podcast directories. Send your podcast URL to different search engines. To do this successfully, keywords play an important role. You could also contact webmasters of sites that deal with topics similar to yours and exchange links. Apart from marketing your podcast online, you could also send a press release to your local newspaper, television, and radio stations informing them about your podcast.

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