Podcasting has been called the wave of the future. The truth, however, is that podcasting is the here-and-now and is rapidly gaining momentum across the world. There are podcasts available for just about any topic you can think of from cooking to video games to religion. As of February 2006, a Google search for the term "podcast" returns over 205,000,000 results. The amazing reality of this is that it is still, in effect, an untapped market that will continue its growth in the years to come.

Podcasting can have many uses for the home-based business owner. It can be useful not only advertise, but to also communicate your business message. Below are 5 tips on how to use podcasts to benefit your business:

1. Reach your niche market - Depending on your product, podcasting can be the perfect way to reach new groups of people in your market. Believe it or not, there are people out there looking for the product you provide and this enables them to easily find them.

Podcasts are quickly becoming a new advertising venue as well. A podcast that is listed in podcasting directories such as iTunes can reach thousands, even millions of listeners. This can be a very inexpensive method for advertisers on a budget.

The popularity of podcasts is a steadily growing trend. Many people who are just beginning to learn about podcasts will search for topics of there interest. This is a great way to reach customers that you would not have been able to reach before the advent of podcasting.

2. Share your passion - Podcasting is a great way to share what you love. If you are excited about a topic or product, chances are that others out there are, too. A podcast on the topic you are passionate about is a great way to connect with others who also share that same passion.

People can hear your excitement over the "airwaves." I always enjoy listening to a program when the speaker is obviously energized about whatever it is he's speaking on. So, when recording your podcast, keep a smile on your face and allow your excitement to show.

3. Share information - Many home-based businesses have begun because they are filling a need. A podcast can help this information reach the people that it will benefit. For example, CWAHM.com was created to help women be at home with their children while still contributing to their families financially. Many of the sites' visitors are buys moms who may not have the time to scour the hundreds of pages the site contains. Our podcast, Christian Work at Home Moment, airs once a week and is 24 minutes long. It's an easy way for moms to learn more about working from home without spending hours on their computer.

Make it a point to research your topic and find all of the interesting and little known facets of passion. Keep your listeners interested and they will want to hear more!

4. Become an "Expert" in your field - Creating a podcast can help to establish you as an "expert" in the area your broadcast covers. You must be willing to take the time, do the research and share information that is valuable and useful to your listeners.

Just as authors become experts by researching and writing on specific topics, podcasters become experts by sharing the information they find with their listening audience. There is a big market for podcasts in a multitude of areas - the next expert could be YOU!

5. It's easy - A podcast can be started with virtually no cost or investment. In most cases, there is no need to be "tech savvy" to be a podcast creator. It can be as simple as using a phone to record your podcast through a service like Odeo.com. There are, of course, more complicated set-ups, but to begin you truly just need a topic, a phone and a quiet spot to record.

Podcasting is easy for listeners as well. A podcast can be listened to directly from a website or downloaded from iTunes and put directly on an MP3 device.

There are many reasons that a podcast can benefit small and home-based businesses. This growing market is an entirely new way to communicate information to the world. When it comes to podcasting, the sky's the limit. So take your business to new levels and start podcasting today.

Jill Hart is the founder of Christian Work at Home Moms, CWAHM.com Jill and her husband, Allen of CWAHD.com reside in Nebraska with their two children. Listen to Jill?s radio show, Christian Work at Home Moment, at [http://www.cwahm.com/loudblog]!

Podcasts became very popular because a number of them are offered free of charge. This means, you don't need to spend any single centavo.  You don't even have to register into any of subscription ad that they offer or whatsoever marketing strategy that is specifically aimed at getting money via the backdoor. These free podcasts are simply an honest to goodness and absolutely no strings attached offer.

If you don't believe this, you can browse the web and see for yourself. By just typing "free podcasts," you will instantly find numerous sites on search results. At any rate, if you're looking for sites about where to get free podcasts, you can try these suggestions:

·         Podcast directories

First and foremost, a podcast directory is a listing of numerous, and even thousands of various podcasts. The podcasts are arranged according to class or subject, thus making it easy for everyone to find what kind of podcast that they're looking for. You can compare them to looking at the standard yellow pages.

Additionally, visitors are welcome to comment or leave feedbacks on the listed podcast in these directories, they can also make a list of their most preferred podcasts, this is very convenient for users who want to find the best podcast there is. Another benefit from using podcast directories is, one can leaf through the entire list and easily find the sort of material that they want to download.

Take note that not everything in the podcast directories are without charge because there are also links which will bring you to paying sites. But of course, you still have big chances of locating free podcasts there, particularly if the directory has the most popular sites.

·         Relevant websites

For instance, if you're in search of a podcast on healthy diets, then you should go to diet or wellness site and search for articles that pertain to healthy diets or links on podcasts. The odds are, you will obtain several great leads and helpful suggestions about which sites provide free downloads.

The benefit from taking a look at correlated sites for details on free podcasts is that you can have recommendations from colleagues as well as specialists in that subject matter. Incidentally, podcast directories are not exactly the main bodies, they are just the ones who list all the sites, without regards as to how relevant or reliable that podcast data is. Nevertheless, a healthy diet website would be extremely cautious about which podcasts they will give their backing to.

Moreover, when the members or registrants in that website share to you what particular free podcast that they have used, they can also inform you whether it was good or not. Plus, they can also let you know if it was absolutely free or not.

·         Community groups of podcast enthusiasts

If you're among the countless podcast fanatics, you should know that there are so many people like you, who have already combed the web for the ultimate podcast resources. These same people regularly come together at various websites that are solely devoted to podcasting enthusiasts. In these websites, they usually impart reviews, ideas and tips about different podcasting services.

You should ask for some suggestions or even request their assistance if you're having some troubles with downloading. Probably, you'll also be able to share what you know and your contributions will greatly help other podcast fans who are in search for the finest free podcasts in the World Wide Web.

Ready to learn everything there is to know about podcasts?? Visit http://www.qualitybooks.com/podcasting.htm for more information!

Home party companies place many restrictions on their direct sales consultants when it comes to marketing! When one considers the competition that is out there relative to party plan companies, it is a wonder that home party consultants are still going strong. At the end of the day in order to qualify for that commission check you must make direct sales, which translate to individual volume and personal volume. So what is a direct sales consultant to do? May I recommend podcasting?

What Is A Podcast?

Podcasts definitions being what they are, can get the newbie confused. Think of a podcast as home made advertorials. There are both audio podcasts and video podcasts.

Podcasts are a series of audio or video digital-media files, which can and should be distributed over the Internet by syndicated download, through Web feeds, to portable media players and personal computers. Podcasts stand out and are distinguishable from other digital-media formats by its ability to be syndicated, subscribed to, and downloaded automatically when new content is added.

Podcasting is having your own personal TV show or radio show, featuring you! So its Oprah being heard and watched in over 70 countries!

The host or author of a podcast is often called a podcaster.

Apple, the company has revolutionized this method of media dissemination through ipods and more recently with its uber popular iPhone! Educational podcasts tend to be one of the best podcasts out on the marketing.

So How does one create a podcast?

You must first decide whether you will be requiring an audio podcast? Perhaps you are more inclined to video podcasts, you are also welcome to a combination of the two.

Then you need to decide what outlets you will use to disseminate your podcasts. There can be found on the web a listing of podcast directories that you can submit your podcast to, the most popular one being iTunes! Also be aware that there may be those who do not use itunes, so offer some options. One of the better known podcast directory for podcast distribution services is podcast alley. A podcast blog is highly recommended because people can read and hear the content right from your won blog and as such create a lot of traffic for you! (Do I hear free, qualified direct sales leads?)

Of course as with any endeavor, you will want to decide on a target audience. My target is women, between the ages of 25-50 who are involved in direct sales, direct selling, home party plans, or home based business!

Then you want to decide what the focus of your podcast. Will you be sharing storied, interviews, tips, marketing lessons? How to and educational podcasts a staple. Writing podcasts is highly recommended, always create outlines so that you do not ramble on for hours on end! You will need an introduction, body and conclusion to your podcast!

How to Make A Podcast

Now this where things get exciting. What type of computer do you have? Mac come with inbuilt software through garage band that makes it very easy to record and covert your mp3 podcasts. This the the file format that makes it easy to download podcasts.

1. Garage Band for Macs

2. Audacity for PC's (they also have audacity for macs)

3. Microphone

4. Editing Ability

5. Intro & Exit Music

6. Pictures

7. RSS Feed Creator!

8. Podcatchers e.g, iTunes

9. An Internet connection!

Alright now armed with your tools and knowledge, be on your merry way and create a podcast!

Party Plan Pat is the Author of 10 Deadly Home Party Plan Business Mistakes, Home Party Plan Success Tips - a blog focused solely on imparting marketing wisdom to home party consultants. She is also the creator of the Little Black Book Of Home Party Plan Marketing Success System designed to catapult direct sales profits using new technologies and Methods.

Of what worth is the success of your business to you? Patricia Makhulo offers a practical guide to achieving financial freedom. This is the official how to guide for you to gain control of your business growth and profits, to generating massive income. Put yourself on the positive cash-flow track... with virtually no selling! Learn how to take control of your business. You are worth what you say you are, Don't Delay. Cash In - You Deserve It!

Get Your Free Daily Proven Home Party Marketing Tips Today

PATRICIA 503-454-0940

The term podcasting has been floating about on the radio and in discussions with

friends, but you're still not sure what it's all about and if it's relevant to your

business.

I'll start by explaining in simplest terms what a podcast is.

A podcast is the combination of an audio or video file and a RSS publishing file,

placed on an Internet server and available for downloading.

Let's say you plug a microphone into your computer and record a 15 minute blurb

about an area of knowledge you have. Now you have a sound file on your computer

waiting for a home, and you want that home to be on the Internet for millions of

people to listen to.

You will first need to find a "host" company to take your file and put it on their

"server" to make the file available to the world. This is called a "podcasting" server.

Once you have contacted a server and have placed your file on their server, you will

want people to find your file. To do this you have to create a special document that

"publishes" your file to the world.

This document is called an "RSS" file - which stands for Really Simple Syndication. In

this document you will put vital information like subject matter, keywords, website,

contact info and other information about the podcast and your business.

When this RSS file has been created, it is placed in the same folder as the audio file

on the podcasting server. When you have posted an audio file and published it using

your RSS file, you have successfully created a "podcast".

Now you want people to be able to find your podcast

There are many online directories for podcasts that have searchable databases.

These services are generally free. On these sites people with new podcasts fill out a

form telling the world about the subject of the podcast, which is posted to the

directory.

Once your podcast information has been posted, anyone visiting that directory

searching for podcasts containing the subject matter of your podcast, will

immediately find a link to your podcast.

Of course the more directories you list with, the more people you'll expose your

podcast to.

Another great thing about these directories is that Google and other search engines

visit these sites to find content, so there is an even greater chance of people finding

your podcast.

Once your podcast has been posted to a number of podcasting directories, it is now

available to millions of potential listeners worldwide.

How does one listen to a podcast, you might ask?

It is very simple. Once they have clicked the link on the directory or your website,

the podcast will automatically download and play in whatever audio player is

appropriate for the podcast file.

Then VOILA, they are listening to your podcast.

The beautiful thing about an RSS file is that once it is registered with a directory,

you don't need to go back to the directory if you decide to add new podcast

episodes. All you need to do is update your RSS file to show that there more

episodes associated with the podcast. Listeners will be made aware of this if they

locate your podcast after a new episode has been added.

Millions of listeners and Google users are searching for information in podcast form

to listen to at their leisure. This is the most beautiful part of podcasts. The listener,

once they have downloaded a podcast, can listen to it many times over, at their

convenience.

How can podcasting help your business?

Simple, a key part of your RSS document is your website URL and company

information.

When someone listens to your podcast, this information is made clear to them

inside your podcasting information. Consequently this can generate a serious boost

in Internet traffic to your website which can result in more sales.

You don't need to be a radio professional!

If you speak with customers on a daily basis about your specialized knowledge, you

are perfectly positioned to record and release a podcast.

Where to start?

First, get a decent microphone for your computer - USB microphones are best - and

practice recording to get comfortable recording yourself and delivering your

message. The process is the same for video, but a video file will be created instead

of an audio file.

When you have a recording you're happy with, save it as a file in its own folder, and

contact a podcasting service provider. You can find one on the Internet.

Once you have located a podcasting service provider they will help you with the rest

of your podcast, right down to creating an RSS file and properly posting it on a

podcasting directory.

It is important to find a host that provides 'unmetered' hosting. If your hosting is

metered, the more often your podcast is downloaded, the more your service

provider will charge. An unmetered host charges a set rate regardless of the number

of downloads.

Podcasting is a wonderfully affordable way to be heard and found. It is portable and

easy to access. Once you get the hang of it, podcasting can be an easy way to reach

potential clients.

Podcasting truly is a great gift for small business.

Sean Paddison is the president of Northstreams Inc., a company that specializes in the production of audio and video podcasts and electronic press kits (EPKs) for clients in the Greater Toronto Area.

[http://www.northstreams.com]

Essentially, podcasting allows you to select the things you'd like to listen to, subscribe to them, have them downloaded to your computer or portable audio device, and listen to them when you want to. Once you’ve subscribed, they will update automatically for you, like a magazine you don’t think about until the subscription arrives in your mailbox every month.

What is the advantage of a podcast over other types of broadcasting? Podcasts assimilate radio, portable CD players, and satellite radio, into one convenient format, and allow new uses not previously available. So what is it that you can listen to? What kinds of podcasting are available? The answer to those questions is this: everything you can possibly imagine! You will be amazed at the volume and variety of podcasts out there and the possibilities that exist.

Just as the Internet has allowed pretty much anybody to create visual files of information and entertainment, called web pages, podcasting has allowed virtually anybody to create audio files of information and entertainment. While the technical details are not important here, all someone needs in order to become a podcaster is a computer and an Internet hook-up. You don’t even need a microphone to create your first podcast. (You may want to get one later, but you don’t need one now). In fact, if you have a telephone and can browse the Internet, you will be able to listen to podcasts and even create your first podcast by the end of the next chapter!

Who can podcast? Anyone can podcast! We’ll go into much greater detail later about who might want to podcast, but generally speaking, there are several reasons why everyone would want to podcast:

• Organizations like churches and nonprofits will podcast to keep people up to date with what’s going on, providing news, seminars and speeches, meeting transcriptions, etc.

• Businesses will podcast to maintain their name in the marketplace, offer information on products or strategies, and position themselves as the expert in their industry.

• Individuals will podcast if they have something to say to the world. Opinions, rants, and artistic offerings are all fair game in podcasting.

Podcasting formats are as varied as the types of podcasts available. Some podcasts are like monologues where one person simply shares their ideas into a microphone for the listener to hear. Other podcasts are a dialogue between two or more people and may or may not follow format. Some podcasts are unscripted while others seem to be very scripted. Podcasting contain music, interviews, and while audio podcasts are quite popular now, audio/video podcasts [http://www.podcastingforprofit.net/newsletter.htm] are slowly gaining popularity as well.

All the best for your online success

Written by Darryl Power editor of Podcasting for profit [http://www.podcastingforprofit.net/newsletter.htm]

Discover how To Start Make Money The Easy Way By Podcasting? [http://www.podcastingforprofit.net/newsletter.htm]

But first, what is podcasting?

Podcasting is a relatively new kind of technology so here is a bit of background for those who haven't come across this term yet. The definition on wikipedia is pretty good:

"Podcasting" is making audio files (most commonly in MP3 format) available online in a way that allows software to automatically download the files for listening at the user's convenience.

The way I see podcasting is a cross between a radio show and a blog. The great thing is anyone can produce a podcast with little outlay and only very basic knowledge of IT. Once you have produced a podcast you can allow people to subscribe to receive updates when they are uploaded to your website. This is done in a very similar way to using an RSS reader to syndicate blog/news feeds (more on this later).

How did I make and publish my first podcast?

The first step for me was research. I wanted to find out what other podcasts sounded like and what other people were already doing (particularly in my field of personal finance). This was also a useful activity to remove any fears that all of the podcasts already produced would be of a highly professional quality - some are, but most are not!

Once I had established that nobody else was doing what I planned to do (with the exception of Martin Lewis, the Money Saving Expert, but this is more about saving money than financial planning) it was time to work out how to record my first show.

I planned to record ten minute shows which would cut down on production time and also keep the file size quite small. Because this is an audio file hosted on our website I wanted to ensure that it was not too large (to keep download times fast but also save on bandwidth restraints).

To record the content for my podcast I first tried using 'Sound Recorder' that comes with Windows XP. This wasn't ideal for a couple of reasons. The recording time is limited to 60 seconds which would have meant cutting my planned show into ten perfectly timed segments then editing them all together. It also wouldn't have allowed me to speak over backing music (something I felt was important for a professional sounding show/introduction).

I searched the web and found some free to try software on download.com. This software is called Propaganda 1.0 and it offers a complete solution to the would be podcast creator. I downloaded the free trial to ensure it did everything I wanted it to and then shelled out the $49.95 to activate the full version.

I wanted to ensure that my podcast wasn't ten minutes of me talking about pensions so I asked my sister to record some sound bites for me. These were just simple bits of audio that I could use to introduce the show, break up the content and use to finish the podcast (my regulatory warning/disclaimer).

In terms of hardware I just used a microphone headset; the same system I use for Skype. This cost me £10 in Dixons and does a good job in terms of recording a single voice.

Using Propaganda I could record content for the show, line up as many as 16 different audio tracks (including some backing music) and play with the timing. This whole process took just under 2 hours before I was happy with the final version.

Publishing my podcast

The Propaganda software makes this pretty easy as well. Essentially there are three steps to publishing the podcast.

1 - create an MP3 file of the podcast. MP3 seems to be the most common file format for podcasts so I stuck with tradition. Propaganda allowed me to convert the 16 tracks of audio I had lined up into a single MP3 file and choose the most appropriate file quality. I opted for something mid-range, not too low as the sound quality suffered and not too high to keep the file size reasonable (under 4MB).

2 - host the MP3 file on your website. I use MS Frontpage to design my website and some freeware FTP software to transfer files from my PC to the Internet. To host the file I also built a basic website page that would tell prospective listeners a bit more about my podcast in general and more about this particular podcast show.

3 - make an RSS feed. Again, Propaganda did this for me with its publication feature. The RSS feed is the syndication feed that allows podcast players to find your podcast and subscribe to updates. When you produce a new podcast show you update this RSS feed (which is hosted on your website) and the various podcast players notice the update and download the new podcast for the listener.

Promoting my podcast

Now that I had a podcast I had to get some listeners! I posted a request for help on an online network, Ecademy.com, and got some very useful responses. It seems that the main podcast directory is Apples iTunes so I started there. It is really easy to get listed as all they need to know is the links to your podcast, website and RSS feed. There is a vetting process so I had to wait a couple of days to get listed but by Sunday morning I found my link and was able to use iTunes to download, listen to and subscribe to my podcast.

There are loads of other podcast directories but one that caught my attention was Britcaster.com. As this only lists UK podcasts (most of the directories, including iTunes, are US centric) it should result in a more relevant audience.

As well as listing in the various directories I added a blog on my website and a mention on my Ecademy signature. The combined effect of these two items is to get a high result on google.co.uk when the search term 'personal finance podcast' is used.

I think that I had a fairly good story to tell the press now as this is a first for a UK podcast (personal finance from an Independent Financial Adviser). I have already had some positive responses from the trade press so this week I plan to move onto the consumer financial press.

What next?

Well, apart from working on show number two I plan to improve the production quality of the show as time goes on. I might consider getting some 'jingles' produced that I can mix into the show to improve the feel and quality of the production. There is, of course, a business motive for producing this podcast as (I hope) it will lead to new enquiries and a higher profile on the web and in the press.

For anyone who is considering their own podcast (or has read this article and thinks it might be something they could do) I would suggest go for it! Podcasting is still in a very early stage and not many people in the UK have caught onto the technology just yet. With the explosion in iPod and other MP3 player ownership all of the predictions are for massive growth in the podcast market.

Because relatively few people produce their own podcasts now is a good time to get your own show up and running before your competitors catch onto the idea.

Martin Bamford is an Independent Financial Adviser and also the Managing Director of Ciris Business Development Limited (http://www.cirisbiz.co.uk). At only 26 years old he combines traditional finanical advice for high net worth investment clients with cutting edge use of technology to help market and develop the business of professional advisory firms in the United Kingdom.

Podcasting is helping revolutionize the world of entertainment by empowering millions of people with the ability to create and distribute their own comedy podcast online. Popular stand up comedians like Adam Carolla, Greg Fitzsimmons and Jim Jefferies have already started podcasting as a way of expanding their reach as a performer and helping to spread their unique brand of comedy. Thru podcasting comedians who may have been stuck in a small market and never discovered now have access to a global audience. Podcasts have a variety of formats and genre, but the comedy podcast seems to be one of the more popular. Creating a comedy podcast can be broken down into three broad steps, planning your podcast, recording your podcast and distributing your podcast.

When it comes to planning your comedy podcast, the format is one of the most important decisions and should be the first one you make when creating your comedy radio program. Some comedians choose to pick a specific theme for their podcast, like Doug Benson and his I Love Movies podcast. Other comedians like Adam Carolla choose to go with a format similar to that of a traditional morning show, complete with a news girl, sound effects and interview segments. The minimalist approach has worked for some stand up comedians like Bill Burr and his Monday Morning Podcast, which features just the comedian speaking into a microphone. Successful comedy podcasts often have recurring bits, which help create a structure for the program and aids in building listener loyalty. If you aren't a seasoned comedian, or just beginning in broadcasting, I would recommend picking a genre that you have some experience on or at least a lot of strong opinions. Starting a comedy podcast that doesn't focus on one specific theme, may be too overwhelming for someone just starting out.

Recording your comedy podcast can be done through a number of ways but the easiest way involves setting up some microphones and having them plugged into a recording device or a computer. You'll want a room that is not only quiet, but will also provide solid acoustics for your comedy radio recording. You will need to make sure that the microphones are spaced out properly to avoid feedback and that the microphones are held in a stand to make it easier to talk. The microphones can be mixed using a simple mixer, and that feed can be sent into the computer which will be recorded using a software program. Having someone monitor the podcast as it's been recording, is also important. You wouldn't want to waste an entire hour performing a comedy radio show, only to realize that the audio is unusable. Garage Band, is a popular program that many people use to record their podcasts. After you've finished recording, you can edit it down if you'd like with an audio program, I recommend the program GoldWave.

Now that you've planned and recorded your comedy podcast, the next step is getting it distributed. First your comedy radio show must be uploaded to a central location for download, whether it is your personal website or a free file server there are plenty of options when it comes to housing your podcast. Publicizing your comedy podcast there are a multitude of options, Facebook, Twitter and iTunes are great ways to get people to check out your podcast. There are even podcasts out there that review other podcasts, you can submit your show to them for review and a good way to gain more exposure. Posting your comedy podcast on iTunes requires a separate tutorial that can be found at Apple.com. Additionally a great way to get your comedy radio program noticed is to be a guest on other people's podcast, or to post on forums to generate listeners to your podcast.

Now that you've planned, recorded and distributed your comedy podcast you can repeat the same formula for the next episode. Or if the formula needs tweaking make adjustments, but the keep to a successful comedy podcast is consistency. People get accustomed to enjoying a show and you want to keep them coming back and continuing to listen. As far as monetizing the podcast, seek out advertisers or affiliate programs as a way to generate revenue. Many comedy podcasts are not yet profitable, however with the seismic shift to online advertising those days could be few and far between, so strike while the iron is hot and start your own comedy podcast.

Sean Green is a hilarious stand up comedian that performs regularly on the LA comedy stages. Listen to Sean's show, one of the best comedy podcasts The Green Room with Sean Green at http://www.seantgreen.com

The Corporate Podcast Push

What do Duke University, IBM, Capital One, Newsweek and Barenaked Ladies all have

in common? Answer: they are all reaching out to staff, students, and customers with

a new and powerful tool - podcasting. You may have heard about podcasting from

your kids or on the news, but podcasting is much more than some phenomenon

started by the rock and roll or techy crowd. Podcasting is a powerful communication

tool being used to reach global and mobile audiences, save people time and, most

importantly, really connect with their audiences in news ways - in today's

communication/message glut. But let's take a look at what podcasting is, who is

using and why it is so effective for both business and individuals.

First, we'll look at the size and scale of the podcasting phenomenon...

-- A recent study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project found that more than 22 million American adults own Ipods or and MP3 player and 29% of them have

downloaded podcasts or listened to podcast that have been "pushed" to them. That

equates to 6 million people listening to podcasts. Market researchers and analysts

continue to buoy up podcasting's future with latest figures suggesting a US

audience alone of 56 million by 2010.

-- Jupiter Research recently predicted that US digital music player sales would

grow to 56 million by 2010, up from 16.2 million in 2004 and by 2010, three-

quarters of all people who own portable digital music players will listen to podcasts,

a growth from less than 15% last year.

What is podcasting?

Whether you describe it as the greatest communication tool since email, or as an

RSS feed for audio, podcasting is a way to "push" audio content to subscribers for

virtually zero cost. Podcasting allows anyone (me, you, IBM, or NBC) to post audio

content that gets pushed to any subscriber's desktop and then directly to their iPod

or MP3 player. This is global. Anyone, anywhere can "tune in" to your podcast and

learn what you have to offer or say. You don't need to be NBC with a global

distribution infrastructure. Now people can "subscribe" to a podcast and have new

content "pushed" out to them without them having to surf the web, download MP3s

or burn CD's.

Ideas/Stories/Voices ? Audio/MP3's ? Internet ? PC ? MP3

player

All the arrows go in one direction. Once someone has subscribe to your podcast,

your content get "pushed" out to them. There is no turning in to stations with

podcasting. You don't have to visit a website to find streaming podcasting. Podcasts

show up (pushed) when new content is produced. If you are a subscriber, you get

the podcast right then. All you need is an Ipod or MP3 player of any kind for

listening, thus the word podcasting.

The term "Podcasting" is derived from the iPod (Apple Computer's popular device

for playing compressed audio files) and "broadcasting." Podcasting allows for audio

files that would have been previously downloaded and played on a personal

computer to be automatically downloaded and listened to on portable music playing

devices (such as the iPod and other MP3 players).

Having originated in the world of blogging, some have even referred to podcasting

as "audio blogging." For many, podcasting is a logical next step from blogging. As

Business Week Senior Writer Stephen Baker observes, "The heart of the podcasting

movement is in the world of blogs, those millions of personal Web pages that have

become a global sensation. In a blogosphere that has grown largely on the written

word, podcasts add a soundtrack."

Now that you know what a podcast is, let's look at where they come from: who is

producing the "pushed audio content."

Who is producing podcasts?

The answer is wide ranging. Teenagers, techies and rock musicians were early

adopters. Today you see the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Business Week, ESPN and news

programs of all types producing, distribution and marketing podcasts. The number

of podcasts available is growing at a very rapid pace. In late 2004, there were close

to 500 podcasts available. Today there are over 10,000 different podcasts to choose

from.

Now that podcasting has becoming more mainstream, corporate and non-corporate

organizations are getting into the act, using podcasting to connect with customers,

students, staff and partners. Here are some examples:

-- Duke University handed out iPods to their entire 2005 freshman class so they

could receive podcasts that included university news, class work and social content.

-- Capital One University has handed out over 3000 iPods to support corporate

training and communications. This includes, leadership training, sales, customer

service and other topics.

-- IBM has created podcasts to show their thought leadership to customers

investors and prospects.

-- Keane Inc. has handed out over 100 ipods to their global sales force to share

training, customers' stories and organizational content.

Why have these and other organizations gotten into podcasting? They have gotten

into it because they know their audience (whether internal or external) is inundated

with text-based content: emails, articles, the web portals, and marketing messages.

Podcasting allows them a unique medium to reach and connect with their audience.

iPods will be part of Duke University's new Duke Digital Initiative (DDI). "We've been

focusing on iPods and other mobile computing, but our wider goal is to integrate

technology broadly into the teaching and learning process," said Peter Lange, Peter

Lange, the university's provost and senior academic officer. "The iPods have helped

jump-start this process, and we plan to keep pushing ahead."

Listeners love podcasting because it delivers rich content directly to them, in a form

that allows them to save time, control what they hear and listen to while

commuting, working or whenever it works for them. No longer is learning tied to a

book, PC screen or web portal.

Content is still king in any communication, especially recorded podcasts. Podcasting

is the delivery tool. Compelling content ensures continuous listening and not a flip

of the power switch or turn of the dial.

Should you podcast?

Podcasting is not answer to all your learning and communication problems. As great

as audio is, like any medium, it has its limits. While audio allows users to multi task,

it is not easily scanned - which means you consider the listeners needs very

carefully. You must provide value.

Corporate podcasting is different that individuals or media podcasting. The

standard for a corporate podcast is much higher than for individual or media. Your

staff and customers expect certain from your communication with them. You can't

just offer long-winded rants, self serving commercials or cute content. It is all about

value. When producing that value, ask yourself; who and how will you produce your

podcast? Who will review it and how? Will you get it transcribed? There are legal

issues to consider as well.

Despite these issues podcasting can be simple. Once you have determined your

format and established a process the whole process gets much easier. Still

podcasting takes a proactive effort, a planned approach, creative development and

the courage to try new things. But if you have the courage, and are willing to put the

front-end work into it podcasting and mobile audio can provide huge benefits. If

you would like to:

-- Reach a global audience

-- Connect with that audience in a new and effective ways

-- Save your audience time

-- Share the passion, experience and stories of your business

...try podcasting - it works!

© 2006 Tim Keelan, StoryQuest Inc.

Tim Keelan is the founder of StoryQuest Inc. A Chicago based firm that produces peer-based mobile audio learning and communication tools. You can reach Tim at tkeelan@storyquest.us or by calling StoryQuest at 312-258-0111.

Podcasts are literally ways the ordinary average person can have their own broadcast media. What makes Podcasts different from other types of audio content is the users must use RSS protocol. However, it also allows you to produce and create your own self-published radio-type shows.

Several radio stations use Podcasts either as their entire format or as part of their format. These stations include KYOU Radio in San Francisco, 99.5 The Mountain in Denver, and KFI in Los Angeles. Of course, the Internet provides listings for where Podcasts can be found as well. At http://www.Podcasts.net, you'll find a list that is based on any topic you're interested in. This includes entertainment, politics, arts, science and nature, business, lifestyle and shopping, with many of the categories broken down into more specific categories.

If you don't have an iPod, you may wonder why you would even want to find Podcasts. The term Podcasts doesn't mean a person has to use an Apple iPod. Podcast, though, is a term merged from the words iPod and broadcast. Any digital audio player or computer with the proper software can be used to listen to or create Podcasts. But, users must have "Podcatching" software, also known as "aggregator" software, to be able to listen to Podcasts.

Those wanting to either listen to or make their own Podcasts will need something called iPodderx. This is nothing more than a newsreader that can interpret RSS 2.0 feeds. While the iPodderx allows for listening to Podcasts, it is also needed to help with the broadcast side as well. Other Podcasting products available, as shown on http://www.alesis.com, include the 10/2 2-channel portable audio interface. This is a 24-bit /96k USB product. The Photon X49 is a keyboard controller, as is the Fusion 6HD and 8HD. The MultiMix Mixers are used to mix sounds for the Podcasts. M1 Active 520 and 620 nearfield reference monitors are also available. However, be ready to spend some serious cash if you're planning on doing any major Podcasts.

Podcasts can be broadcasted world wide, adding an even broader base to the places you can find Podcasts. A couple of the global Podcast sites, according to http://www.wickmedia.com, are CBC Radio One out of Canada, Triple J Podcast from Australia. Podcast sites in the US can be found at [http://www.podarama.com-dj]. To find more podcasting sites, just log on to the Internet and visit locations such as [http://www.apodcasting.com/dir/HowToFindPodcastingSites] to do a thorough search.

There are no rules or regulations to individual Podcasts and their content, until some specific situations apply. That includes Podcasts that are broadcast over regular radio waves on radio stations across the nation. Those Podcasts are regulated by Federal Communication Commission laws because they are geared toward the masses at large. That means that, for an individual who wants to become a Podcaster, the sky's the limit.

Copyright 2005 by D. L. Randolph. All rights reserved.

Looking for information about podcasting? Go to [http://www.apodcasting.com]. About Podcasting is a Podcast Information Directory and Resource Site which provides a consolidated listing of the best Podcasting sites in one easy to navigate location.

Podcasts are web-based media files (audio, video or even text-based) that a user can download from the internet onto a computer or music player. Podcasting is different from media streaming in that it needs special software (example: iTunes) to be run/played. This software (also called pod catcher or media aggregator) works on retrieving readily available media files only after the user has subscribed to a Podcast. Podcasts are similar to magazine subscriptions in that they allow the user to receive updates all the way to his computer or iPhone. The update in a Podcast can be done manually or can be done automatically after a new episode is available depending on the setting the user has selected. Moreover, Podcasts are completely charge-free! Almost anyone could build a Podcast and make it available online. All that is needed to publish a Podcast is an account, a computer, a microphone, and an interest the user would like to share with other users over the internet. Two examples of Podcasts are radio shows and talk shows.

With its popularity increasing by the day, thousands of Podcasts are made available to users from all over the world. Podcasting has grown to be a very powerful tool to the extent that many musicians and artists have given permission to Podcasters to use their music or work on their Podcasts. Music, videos, or other media material would spread virally, especially on popular Podcasts.

Users associate many benefits to Podcasts. Some of the benefits are:

1) Aiding organizations, for example, keep their audience alert about recent updates, services added or current news.

2) Spreading awareness about a certain message, product, or service in an inexpensive way.

3) Combining several practical features possessed by radios and TV.

Going more in depth into iTunes's (the most popular in Podcasts) functionalities, the iTunes Music Store makes thousands of Podcasts available to its users for immediate, free access. In order to download those Podcasts, the user is required to select "Podcasts"from the iTunes left-hand column. Before deciding on the subscription, users can preview a Podcast in the Music Store through simply double-clicking on the episode of interest. If the user approves of the selection made, he can simply press the button "Subscribe" which is usually located at the bottom of the Podcasts page. Once the subscription to a Podcast happens successfully, iTunes now automatically checks the newly available episodes during specific time intervals. This update action may have the number of available episodes grow out of control, thus the user may subscribe to Podcasts that update once per day, for example, or more often than once per day. To choose the updating intervals, the user clicks on Podcast preferences and edits the rate at which iTunes checks for new readily available Podcasts; the rate may be adjusted to hourly, daily, and so on. Podcasts, taking into consideration the fact that they occupy a lot of disk space (from the computer or iPod space), may be kept in the library for as long or as short of a period, according the user's preferences. While the user browses Podcasts he has downloaded, he will come across a "Settings" button. After selecting this button, iTunes will take the user right to the Podcasts tab. From there, a "Keep" dropdown menu appears allowing the user to decide exactly how long to keep Podcasts, thus helping the user organize his library.

Also, at times, the user may find the Podcast number growing to an extent that he can no longer handle. Therefore, the user may choose to unsubscribe from certain Podcasts. Unsubscribing from a Podcast is easy. The user is only required to click the "Unsubscribe" button after highlighting the Podcast that is no longer in his interest. Moreover, the deletion of all related files to a specific Podcast is also possible through simply pressing the "Delete" key after selecting the Podcast.

A Podcast, though it may need management, is a practical technology that contributes to users in several ways, ranging from providing entertainment activities to educational ones.

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TP Pro Podcaster Kit Ever wondered "what do I need to create a podcast?" This all-in-1 podcast kit comes with all the gear you'll need to get started podcasting: a mixer, microphone, mic stand & headphones. Start creating podcasts like a pro on your PC, Mac or recording device today! The mixer features 4 source inputs with 6 discrete channels; 2 gold plated 1/4"mic inputs; iPod/MP3 (RCA & 3.5mm) inputs; & Stereo Line level for additional audio such as CD (RCA). The mixer is powered either by using the included AC/DC adapter, or with a 9V battery for field recordings with a laptop. It features analog stereo line out as well as USB audio output. The mixer has excellent noise characteristics S/N -86dB & low distortion, a total of less than 0.09% THD. The microphone is pro-grade. Sensitivity is -56.5dB, Frequency response 80-15kH, 600 ohms impedance. Desktop mic stand is included. The headphones are based on Technical Pro DJ headphones. Sensitivity is 107dB +/- 3 db, Frequency Response, 20-20kHz. In addition to the podcast equipment, a tutorial is also included. It covers everything from scripting, podcast content community websites & tips on how to promote your podcasts. Also included is a CD of Audacity audio editor for PC and Mac. Audacity is a very capable open source package for recording, editing and exporting podcasts. Features: Individual bass, treble & volume controls for each input Power on/off switch w/ LED indicator Two 1/4" inputs 1 Stereo RCA input 1 MP3 input 1 USB output 1 Stereo RCA output 2 headphone outputs Frequency response from 10Hz-100KHz AC adapter included Wired microphones Microphone stand Digital headphones 1 MP3 to MP3 Cable 1 XLR to 1/4" Cable 110-220V Switchable Voltage

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There isn't much literature on the history of podcasting but you should know that this new technology hasn't been around for a long time. Podcasting is a relatively new concept and this form of marketing is still relatively new to marketers. I first got my introduction to podcasts when I was making a blog for my website.

When I made my blog, I had no idea about podcasts. I didn't even bother trying to figure out the history of podcasting because I was convinced that it was a passing internet marketing fad that would soon dissipate away - but I was wrong. Podcasting is still strong and is still an excellent way to get your message across to people.

In fact, podcasting is so huge, that even financial expert Suze Orman uses it to promote her business. For every episode that she has, she extracts the audio and places it on iTunes for people to download for free. This is what I love about podcasts. I can load them into my MP3 player and get awesome content for free.

There are all kinds of podcasts out there on the market today, but most of them share the same premise. Podcasts are all about giving out good information to people in a niche, and having them subscribe to your podcast's RSS feed to receive updates when new podcasts are created.

You can get a podcast RSS feed from a free service such as Feedburner.com. When you first sign up to Feedburner, it will ask you if you're using your feed as part of a podcast. You will want to check the box for this field to indicate that you are. This is the easiest way to get started with a podcast RSS feed. After you got your feed, it's time to start promoting it to the world.

One thing that you will want to do is to submit your feed and content to iTunes. iTunes is the largest podcast directory on the net today. This is how I know about Suze Orman's podcast - it's listed in iTunes and it's listed there for free. I highly recommend that you start listing your podcast here for free now.

Another way to promote your podcasts is to include a short blurb about it on every page of your website. This will be a new technique to do since not a lot of people know about the history of podcasting, but for those that do, they will have instant access to your materials all for free.

Another way to get the word out about your podcast is via referrals. Start within your own email list and let them know that they can download your content for free from iTunes. Offer them a gift or incentive of some kind for referring others to your podcast. The free gift could be a complimentary MP3 that isn't available on iTunes.

I can remember when I first got started out online, I offered ebooks for sale and my bonus product was 36 more ebooks. This isn't exactly an awesome bonus, but it worked effectively for getting me sales.

The history of podcasting is a history that doesn't have much past, but you should know that you can take advantage of this growing trend. A lot of people listen to podcasts on a daily basis, and you can capitalize on this growing opportunity by offering podcasts of your own.

Be sure to start incorporating podcasting into your daily marketing routine today.

Good luck with using podcasts to market your internet business.

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X-OOM Podcast Studio is the leading software for anyone who wants to become active in the area of podcasting. Use this easy method for creating managing editing and publishing podcasts or for simply saving them to your PC. With X-OOM Podcast Studio you finally have the possibility to create your own podcasts in just a few steps. Let your fantasy run free and enjoy the easy operation of X-OOM Podcast Studio. Record music or sound from unlimited sources which are connected to your PC or convert your audio CDs to your desired format. You can also process your audio files with the integrated Audio Editor. The "Podcast Director" assists with the straightforward and automatic publishing of your creative and unique podcasts for millions of potential listeners. Instantly transfer your unique podcasts to the various portable storage media (USB stick iPod™ Sony® PSP™ PDA Smartphone CD or DVD). In addition to this you can subscribe and manage podcasts with the "Podcast Manager". The choice ranges from newscasts about science and technology to lifestyle religion and audio books.Features:The all-rounder for your podcastsPodcast Director: creating managing updating and publishing your own podcastsPodcast Publisher: assistance with entering your podcasts in various podcast directoriesPodcast Manager: subscribing and managing podcastsAlso supports video podcastsAudio Recorder: recording music and sound from unlimited audio sourcesSystem Requirements:Windows Me / 2000 / XP Pentium III 700 MHz 64 MB RAM 20 MB free disk space soundcard optional USB-Stick (USB 1.1 2.0) optional iPod™ (Version 2 iPod™ Mini iPod™ Photo iPod™ ViFormat: WIN 2000XP Genre: PRODUCTIVITY UPC: 842478012082 Manufacturer No: 1208

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Podcasting is just a tool that is doing very well right now. Podcasting is the online (on the Internet) distribution of audio or video files, like radio broadcastings and music videos, to listen to on mobile devices and computers. It is possible to download free podcasts online to listen to on your mobile device but the big difference between radio on demand and podcast broadcasting is the possibility of an automatic feed to your mobile device or computer. Podcasting is still malleable as it is an emerging technology. It will be interesting to see how it plays out over the next 12 months as it hits the mainstream.

Podcasting is a strong business tool. Podcasting is an evolutionary technology which would continue to gain popularity because of the convenience it lends to users. Forward thinking technologies like podcasting give more flexibility and ease of usage to the users. Podcasting is a way to automatically transfer files from server to client. The files can be in several formats, images, text, PDF, almost any type which makes this type of broadcasting very flexible.

Podcasting is actually relatively simple. In another article I will be including information on how to create a podcast using the telephone. Podcasting is a disruptive technology that is revolutionizing business communication. As such, it is a proven innovation that creates customers. Podcasting is cost effective, simple to do and can reach a worldwide audience. This means that students can achieve high quality exposure using school or library resources.

Podcasting is not limited to iPods. You can listen to a Podcast on any computer or any MP3 player.

Podcasting is a cutting edge technology which if implemented effectively will enrich our day to day lives. Podcasting is like the unexplored country, this means that anyone with something to say, has an opportunity to say it, whether they have political views or success tip for people. The result is you're going to get podcasts which provide real value and podcast which waste your time and podcast which can potentially offend. Podcasting is spreading like wildfire, and now is your opportunity to start reaching out to people today.

Podcasting is the mechanism in the same way that blogging is. Some blogs are as professionally done and well thought out as any book or magazine article and some are dashed off like a Twitter entry. Podcasting is generally inexpensive to implement. Investment in a good quality microphone will ensure that the recording is audible. Podcasting is extremely beneficial in the business environment for a variety of reasons. To begin with, the users can subscribe to whatever may interest the user.

Podcasting is a new trend, and there are a lot of people who haven't heard of it or don't know exactly what it is. Basically, podcasting is like blogging, but with audio. Podcasting is a new technique, and it's also something that people have been doing a lot of thinking about of late. It was our opinion that if it was financially/technically feasible for us to podcast our sessions, and see what comes of that, then we really had to do it to maintain our credibility as Web 2.0 boosters. Podcasting is a viable and interesting new method of communication. Use podcasting to boost your company to the forefront of your industry.

Podcast Marketing is the method of creating and publishing audio and video programs via the Internet. It allows companies or marketer's users, clients, and customers to subscribe to a feed of new information about products and services. Podcasters may indeed revitalize the art of radio itself. And they're hitting it in all four of radio's vanguards: Sound design, talent, revenue, and distribution.

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