An effective podcast can provide your company or brand with a refreshing medium for reaching and engaging your consumers. While they have only been popularized within the past five years or so, podcasting has quickly presented itself as an effective online marketing tool. This article will provide an overview of podcasting and will delve into a few fundamental principles that can help to ensure a successful podcast.

Podcasts are media files that can be downloaded or streamed periodically over a course of time. They can take the form of both audio and video files. The podcasts can be downloaded from the website of the podcaster, through third party hosts or from central locations such as iTunes. They can be streamed and listened to straight from the internet or saved onto a mobile device to be listened to at another time. Podcasts can last anywhere from a few minutes to upwards of an hour, and the majority are free to download - though some can charge a small fee. Most podcasts operate on a subscription basis, where, once subscribed, you are automatically updated with the latest episodes from your favorite podcasters.

Initially, news broadcasters and journalists utilized podcasts as a method of taking a more in-depth look at certain stories or general news areas. Entertainers also benefited from this medium by publishing snippets of their content for public consumption. However, today's internet is awash with companies and brands publishing their own podcast material. The key for any company interested in producing a podcast is to make their content interesting and relevant. The podcast is not an advertisement for your company's products or services, and the idea of using the podcast to blow your proverbial trumpet should be the furthest thought from your mind. Instead, position yourself as an expert in your field and generate content that a consumer would want to consume.

For audio podcasts, provide a news overview of your industry, and perhaps give an irreverent slant on the latest events. Invite high profile guests to talk about their experiences and their forecasts for the future. With video, utilize a similar format except visit new places, and attempt to visually stimulate interest. It is also very important with video to be succinct and keep the length at a digestible amount. Within your podcast, create regular segments that will prompt familiarity with your consumers; for example the 'one-minute round up', or 'the week's top ten. '

Consumers will eventually become subscribers and spend time with your brand, to which they now can assign a voice or a face. If you are successful, consumers will recommend and share your podcast, such that your audience is seeking you out and not vice versa.

Podcasts usually have a sole sponsor whose brief advertisements bookend the show. This in itself provides an opportunity to advertise either your own company if you wish, or to showcase another organization's message for a fee. However, the idea of revenue generating should not be the focal point of the podcast.

Domenic Carlson writes on behalf of inSegment, Boston's leader in Search Engine Marketing, Digital Marketing, and the home of Boston SEO.

Are you a user of a Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) device? If so, did you know you can use it to listen to your favorite podcasts? One look around and you will discover a plethora of available podcasts on and for your PSP. Many of those you will find on the device are simply directed at the distribution of information on the PSP and portable gaming. Many of them, simply act as clearing houses of information on the subject, distributing audio and video files.

If you do not use a PSP to watch videos, now you can. Developers integrated a software program that converts video formatted files such as.avi and.mpeg to PSP language files. Now, the PSP holds the ability to allow its user to download and play movies on the device.

When designers took the first step in creating the video conversion software for the PSP, it was a simple transition to allow it to do the same with podcasts. Podcasters were simply developing files as.avi or.mpeg then converting them to PSP language files. The podcasts could them be distributed via RSS feeds.

Anyone subscribing to RSS feeds or media aggregators are now able to download or instruct their RFF program to download anything new that comes out on a subject important to them. These files can be directly downloaded to their PSP and listened to at any time. This is no different than downloading movies that exist for the PSP. Today, what began as a simple gaming device has evolved into an all in one media player for gaming, audio listening and movies.

And you thought a PlayStation was only for kids. Podcast On!

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Dr. Dave Hale, aka The Internet Marketing Professor, is the founder and CEO of DHI-Communications, a world leading business coaching firm specializing in how to integrate Web 2.0 strategies into marketing and HR management systems.

Like a lot of things podcasting is a mix of art and science. That's one reason the broadcasting field of which podcasting is one part is known both as Communications Technology and Media Arts -- at the same time. On one hand there are definite, determinable answers. On the other guesses and judgment calls. On the one side technology. On the other the human equation.

So what is the art of podcasting?

What parts of podcasting qualify as art?

In this article I'm going to identify five different elements of podcasting that are more art than science. That are more judgment call than determination. Five elements where you can be wrong and you can be right -- at the same time.

1. Picking a format for the podcast

There are a number of different formats that you can choose for your podcast. To make matters worse you can even change formats for every podcast. Yes, you can ask your audience what they think. You can even get smart and ask your non-audience members. But ultimately, it comes down to making a decision. To picking the format that you like best.

2. Determining the length of the podcast

Podcasts do have a perfect length. It's called short. But what that means is anyone's guess. Some podcasts run 5 minutes. Some run 15 minutes. Some a half hour. A few last for an hour. Some go longer. The truth is the proper length is whatever makes your audience happiest. And while you can ask them -- and the people who've left you, the ultimate decision is going to be yours. And it's going to be arbitrary and based on your best guess.

3. Picking topics for your podcast

Each week you're going to need to pick a topic for your podcast. Or you may need to pick a theme and a number of related topics. Yes, you can -- and should -- ask your customers what topics would interest them. But ultimately you're going to have to guess at what topics they will be interested in. Guess right and you're a hero. Guess wrong and you're the goat. But either way, it's going to be a guess.

4. Picking guests for your podcast

One of the neat things about podcasts is that you don't always have to do the work. One of the most powerful formats is the interview. While you don't have to write the interview, you will have to pick the theme, topic and the person you will interview. And picking one that your audience will appreciate can be tricky.

5. Performance (Recording your podcast).

The final piece of art in your podcast (at least in this list), is your performance itself. The way you talk. The words you use. The attitude you project. Ultimately you need to be honest to yourself because that is the only thing you can be certain of.

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Glen Ford is an accomplished consultant, trainer and writer. He has far too many years experience as a trainer and facilitator to willingly admit.

For anyone who isn't aware what Podcasting is, be advised that you are missing out on one of the biggest technology trends since this little thing we like to call "The Internet" first got started!

Yes, despite all the nay-sayers the popularity of Podcasting is increasing at an astronomical rate. The question is no longer whether Podcasting is a fad, but on how large an audience this new media can sustain!

If you peek back in time, it was around 1994/1995 when the National Science Foundation opened its main backbone to the Internet, giving way to the flood of popularity that followed.

Similar to Podcasting now, people in the mid 90's claimed the Internet was just a fad and would never amount to more than a fancy means of research. Of course, with advances in software and technology, we began seeing pictures, graphics and yes, even streaming video crop up and it was only a matter of time before it was adopted by tens of millions, and eventually hundreds of millions of people.

Podcasting Is Not The Internet!

No, you're right. Podcasting is NOT the Internet... technology-wise. They're like apples and oranges. However, they're cut from the same mold and if you were to draw comparisons between their lifecycles, you will see that Podcasting has already surpassed the Internet in its meteoric rise in popularity.

The technology that makes Podcast deliverability possible was first developed back around 2000, but the first real Podcasters didn't surface until the fall of 2004. Yes, 2004! The format was developed and pushed by two notable Podcasters, Adam Curry and David Wiener before it was quickly picked up by hundreds of others and the rest, as they say, is history.

Now, barely a year after Podcasting exploded onto the scene and was embraced by Podcasters, Bloggers, and Marketers alike, you can find over 10,000 Podcasts and over 100,000 episodes at popular online Podcast Directories like PodcastEmpire.com.

In Fact, the adoption of Podcasting has been overwhelming. The allure of the People's Radio becomes quickly obvious when you listen to Podcasts such as 'Dawn and Drew' or '5 Minutes with Witchita' - a real entertainer!

Listeners around the world are speaking out and clearly DO prefer the frank conversations, great information and raw emotions that are delivered via Podcast MP3's!

There Be Pirates In Them There Waters!

Maybe it has something to do with a generation who is still longing to have their own pirate radio station, like Christian Slater in "Pump Up The Volume"... Perhaps it's just that more people have something to say, desperate to climb above the masses and make their voices heard...

Either way the 'Waters of the Podverse' are filling up with self-proclaimed pirates, and why not? There is no policing of the Podcast airwaves, it costs very little to get started and anyone with something to say can find an audience!

The reason so many of these Podcasting rebels succeed is the same reason why so many traditional radio stations are beginning to fail. With no FCC regulators knocking at their doors, Podcasters don't need to hold anything back. You can say anything you want, whenever you want, as loudly as you want. And listeners are flocking to the raw, honest format.

X Marks The Spot! Arg!

After a solid year (Podcasting was even named Word Of The Year in 2005!) and a drastic increase in popularity, advertisers are slowly beginning to come out of the woodworks, enabling some Podcasters to see a return on their efforts.

Unfortunately though, Podcasting is not yet a medium where you should expect to become rich overnight and this may be one area where terrestrial radio stations have an advantage over the Podcast Upstarts. With gold in the coffers already and more advertisers lining up each day, it doesn't really matter what they do in the medium, traditional radio stations have all the money they need to keep their Podcasts in the game indefinitely!

Also, the entire concept of commercializing Podcasting has become a heated debate, splitting the Podverse in two ever since advertisers began trickling in last year. The same issues that we saw in the '90's around commercialization Online are starting to crop up. Podcasters and Podcast listeners alike are refusing to conform, and many are refusing advertisers outright.

We are slowly starting to see changes in this mentality though as more and more Podcast Creators are adding commercials and name drops to their shows to help keep costs down and keep their content online. And the pervasive fear, that listeners will go so far as to stop listening if they hear any advertisements, have so far, proved unfounded.

Walk The Plank, Ya Filthy Skallywag!

Where does Podcasting go from here? Can it survive? Well it was back in May of 2005 when Bill Gates commented in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung:

"As good as Apple may be, I don't believe the success of the iPod is sustainable in the long run. You can make parallels with computers: Apple was very strong in this field, with its Macintosh and graphic interface -- like the iPod today -- and then lost its position,"

The comment was realistic, but does it also offer some insight into Microsoft's own plans?

Microsoft has a proven track history of moving into an existing and established arena and quickly slaying the dominant forces! So was Gates simply foreshadowing his own companies venture into this industry? With the success of Windows Captaining their ship, Microsoft could be the ultimate pirate, sailing the seas looking, not for simple treasures, but for entire colonies to conquer.

So far Microsoft has not made any moves although Yahoo!, one of Microsoft's leading competitors in the Online Search world has jumped into the fray with their own solution for Podcasting and in typical fashion has released their own directory.

Meanwhile, Apple remains unphased and continues to roll out new incarnations of their wildly popular iPod players.

You Have The Power!!!

At the end of the day the emerging Podcast Industry will evolve as it does, without ever consulting any of us, but the continuing appeal of Podcasts and Podcasting is that, for possibly the first time ever, you and I have a very real opportunity to influence mainstream media, or at least, bypass traditional media and influence the masses; which really amounts to the same thing anyway.

Overall, you should expect to see sustained growth in Podcasting in 2006. So, if you have something to say, anything at all, pull out your eye-patch, slap a parrot on your shoulder and dive into the world of Online Pirate Radio while the Booty is still good!

Brent Paine is a writer and partner at PodcastEmpire.com [http://www.podcastempire.com], Canada’s leading Podcast Directory who also offers services designed to help Podcast Creators increase their listenership and capitalize on their efforts.

Have you been searching for the best podcasts to listen to? Well here's a list of the 22 most popular podcast directories for your listening pleasure.

You can find the links to these podcast directories by doing a search for them on your favorite search engine.

1. Podcast Alley - podcasts by topic, name or ranking

2. Audio.Weblogs.com - last 100 podcasts made/updated

3. Podcast.net - podcast directory (organized like Yahoo.com)

4. Odeo - a place to find new podcasts or create your own

5. iPodder.org Podcast Directory - categorized directory of podcasts

6. Podcast Central - Podcast RSS feeds

7. Potkast - Podcast search engine

8. The New, New Podcast Review - reviews of podcasts

9. DownloadRadio.org - peer to peer (P2P) network of podcasts

10. PodcastDirectory.com - international podcasts

11. New Time Radio - Podcasts and radio shows

12. Podcast SA - Podcasting in South Africa

13. Loomia - podcast/videocast search engine

14. Podcasting Station - podcast directory arranged like Yahoo.com

15. Podsafe Music Network - Music podcasts

16. Podcast Shuffle - a podcast shuffle & directory

17. My Podcast Center - directory of podcasts and podcasting web sites

18. Podscope - podcast search engine

19. Yahoo! Podcasts - find & subscribe to podcasts

20. Teen Podcaster's Network - Podcasts created by teenagers

21. Podfeed.net - find or share your own podcasts

22. Women in Podcasting: The List - list of podcasts hosted/cohosted by women

As you can see there are quite a few podcasting directories and we haven't even scratched the surface. The next time you're looking for a podcast try one of the above mentioned podcasting directories.

Reed Floren is the author of How to Podcast for Fun and Profit [http://www.howtopodcastforfunandprofit.com] the book that teaches you how to profit from your own podcasts and creator of Podcast Teleprompter Software [http://www.podcasttelepromptersoftware.com] the software that makes you sound like a professional news anchor every time you do a podcast.

In a recent networking situation a small business owner asked me an interesting question.

"Have I missed the boat with Podcasting?"

She went on to explain that some felt that the podcasting wave had crested and anyone who was going to be anybody in the world of podcasting were already doing it and anyone else that tried to join in now would just be lost in the crowd.

I blinked through several moments of silence while I gave that some thought. There is so much in her words that can spark a great conversation. What is meant by "anyone who was going to be anybody" for starters?

Okay, leaving all that behind - her question can be answered easily enough.

No, you have not missed the boat with podcasting.

Podcasting is still a young media. We haven't fully tapped its potential. There will be many more beautiful-young, cranky-old and quirky-offensive podcasting stars born in the months and years to come. We'll read about them on blogs and forums and see their faces in the iTunes Music Store Directory. It is truly not too late for someone to become somebody in the world of podcasting.

Sure, only a tiny percentage of podcasters will make it to the big time. But does that mean that everyone else is wasting their time? Not at all, in fact most people who should be looking into podcasting can be looking at it from a fresh perspective and not even think of podcasting as the chance to be the next big media sensation.

Podcasting is simply making media content available via RSS - and when you think of it that way, you realize that you should be podcasting in one way or another sooner or later.

Here are three reasons why.

1. Your Market Wants It

Your market wants to choose how they will consume your content. If you are writing articles for your website or for distribution, there are many in your target market who would prefer to listen to that article than stop to read it.

I multitask. I would like to keep an eye on new articles being written by more of my favorite people - but I don't have all day to sit and read. I do however have two ears and can easily give one over to listening to an audio feed of articles that I have chosen to monitor.

2. Competitors Want It

Other website owners, newsletter editors and podcasters who reach your desired market would enjoy having more audio and video content to choose for inclusion on their projects. Someday we will be visiting Audio Directories and Video Directories to find media content for inclusion in our podcast or blog the same way that we visit Article Directories today.

You may never host a podcast that reaches 100,000 people - but if you create segments of content that other podcasters can grab and use (giving you appropriate credit) you may just end up reaching 100,000 people after all.

3. You Want It

You want to be making the best use possible of the internet and that means embracing all available technologies. You don't have to launch a podcast 'radio show'. You can simply be podcasting the content you already have. Think about your seminar audios, articles, special reports, ebooks, etc.

If you do love the radio show format, go ahead and do that. But also consider how you can implement podcasting into your business in other ways as well.

Using audio and offer an RSS feed for your content is extremely simple. You can use an all in one solution like Audio Acrobat which allows you to create audios by computer microphone, telephone or by uploading your own recording files; and then lets you create a quick and easy podcast feed of your content.

Now that you have a fresh new view of podcasting, what are you waiting for?

Kelly McCausey owns Mom’s Radio Network (http://www.momsradionetwork.com), a casual network of podcast programs of interest to Moms. Learn more about podcasting at Shoestring Radio [http://www.shoestringradio.com]

Podcasting has been around for quite some time, but there are still a lot of people who don't know about it, let alone use it for their business. This is a common problem as with other new marketing technologies.

In this article, I'll answer 5 of the most frequently asked questions about podcasting.

1. What is podcasting?

Podcasting simply is the automation of time-shifted portable media. Consumers can choose the content they want to get on a regular basis and automate the whole process of checking new content, download them and sync them to portable media players.

2. Do you need an iPod to enjoy podcasting?

Not by all means. Although the name may implies that, you can listen to a podcast just like you consume any other audio files. You can listen it on your desktop computer, or on any portable media player, or even on most modern cellphones.

3. What technologies do you need to start publishing a podcast?

Getting started producing and publishing a podcast can't be easier. All you need is a way to record your voice. You can do it via a mic that is attached to your computer, using a portable recording device, calling a phone recording service, and so on.

To host the podcast, you need web server -- yes it it the same web server that you use to publish any web site, no proprietary technology.

And finally, you also need a platform to publish podcast notes. A blog provides an easy way to manage podcast site.

4. What is a podcast RSS feed?

The only thing that is different between an audio file and a podcast is RSS feed. A podcast file is just another media file, but the podcast feed provides the automation to the file. Podcatching software will grab this podcast feed to check for updates, find reference to the newest podcast file, and download them to the user's computer.

5. How do you create a podcast feed?

Blog software allows you to create podcast feed automatically so you don't have to know any technical detail.

You can type this manually but they are too much work. By using a blog, you may not even know that a feed exists. It saves you a lot of time so you can focus more on the other side of your podcast like content and promotion.

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A podcast is similar to a radio show that you can subscribe to or download at any time. In fact, it may help to think of it as a sort of TIVO for audio programs. A podcast is a web feed of audio or video files placed on the Internet for anyone to subscribe to, or download. Search online and you'll find a range of Podcasts available on nearly every topic imaginable. They range from entertainment focused to educational to business oriented and everywhere in between.

A podcast differs from a simple download in that new content may be automatically delivered. Users need not click into your website for important specials since all of this information may be automatically downloaded. A podcast show consists of a series of individual episodes that you can listen to and view on-line or offline whenever and wherever you want.

While podcasting has been around for about five years now remarkably, the term itself, has only been around since 2004. It's a contraction of IPod (The most popular MP3 player) and broadcasting. However, you don't even have to have an MP3 player to listen to programs. You can 'subscribe' to an entire podcast series using software on your PC or listen to a single episode at a time by using a web browser. Subscribing to a podcast ensures that all new shows are automatically downloaded to your computer as they are published, and even better subscribing is generally free. If you do happen to have an MP3 player, the next time you sync your device, your podcasts will be downloaded for listening on the go. If you don't want to subscribe, but rather just want a copy of a particular episode, you can just click the "Download" button to save to your hard disk. Once downloaded you can then manage it and play it like you would any other audio file. What distinguishes podcasts from other audio or video media is that the content is accessible to its audience(s) whenever, wherever, and however they want.

What are the business applications of Podcasting? The podcast is a real advantage for business travelers and salespeople who are constantly on the go. Since they are frequently in transit they can learn about what a company is offering while they travel. They're able to stay in the loop about changes that are occurring in the industry or a particular company while on the way to their next meeting. Whenever a business wants to change its marketing emphasis, their podcast will change with them. Podcasts enable potential customers to find out more about a particular company and its range of products and service without feeling pressured by a salesperson. Rather, a friendly voice explaining what makes the company unique will better serve to convert a potential client into a customer. Podcasts also save on manpower. An extensive sales force is typically required to detail a company's newest offers and innovations. With a podcast, visitors click in and are directed to any new information the company wants to present. The other really great thing about podcasts is that they have an incredibly wide reach. Clients from across the world can access information on companies or products and learn about them in a simple, direct manner at any time, and without having to be tied to a computer.

Especially important is the utilization of pod cast directories which list podcast shows along with the links to their original websites. These directories publicize the available podcasts. Among the more popular of the podcast directories are Yahoo Podcasts, Odeo, Podcast Alley and Podcasting News. When using directories it's important to select genre and content categories that make it easier for listeners to find your podcast. Once you are listed with a directory, you will begin to get visitors from these directories to your website. In order to encourage visitors to listen your podcast you'll need to start by creating an enticing title that tells them just enough about your product to intrigue them. More important than having a great title though is having even better content.

An outline for your podcast will enable you to be sure you don't lose your audience, and cover all the points you want to hit. How long your podcast will be is directly related to how much news you have to share and the extent to which you can keep that news fresh and exciting. Frequency of updates is also an important issue to address. This will likely depend on the nature of what you're discussing and how quickly things change in that industry.

So to sum up: Podcasts are basically like online radio shows that can be downloaded, or subscribed to. When used effectively they can be a powerful marketing tool for any sort of business. To learn more about the basics of podcasting check out our informational podcast at www.itsontarget.com/podcast [http://www.itsontarget.com/podcast] and get ahead of the marketing curve.

Jennifer Kothe is the talented marketing coordinator at Internet Traffic Solutions (http://www.itsontarget.com) which is a full service marketing agency that offers clients a profitable way to get the attention of their target audience online.

Portable audio and video players are everywhere. With this new technology comes the fast growing industry of podcasting. So how does your business use Podcasting?

Podcasting has evolved over the past year as a new medium for broadcasting. It has merged the terms "ipod" with "broadcasting" and formed what we now know as "Podcasting", or personal on demand casting as industry insiders are labeling it.

Major corporations are just now beginning to see the benefits of podcasting on a national basis. But the best part about this new industry is that it serves the local city and state communities as well, by using nanocasting services. Nanocasting is a model for commercial podcasting based on established media and direct marketing principles. Nanocasting differs from early podcasting by beginning with a clear definition of the target audience, the business model, the revenue model and use of a system specifically developed for targeting commercial audiences called RTS (Really Targeted Syndication). The objectives go beyond advertising, sponsorship and subscription based thinking to use podcasting in very creative, customized, commercial applications designed to achieve specific measurable business goals.

In order to develop a highly effective business podcast, the first and most important factor is targeting; a plan must be developed that identifies your ideal customer. Podcasting is a medium that offers unparalleled access to niche markets, based upon consumers accessing content on-demand to their specific tastes. In most cases these podcasts are series, where subscription based "tagging" or RSS technology, allows the user to click a subscribe button once, and receive all the updates to come in the future as soon as their published.

This sort of medium, coupled with this technology, allows businesses to identify consumers, and it gives direct input into their lifestyle preferences, habits, wants and needs. This makes podcasting an extremely viable and quantifiable business tool.

Here is an example I will give you:

Let's say you are Pampers Corporation; you have newborn mothers and expectant mothers all over the world buying your diapers and using your products for their kids. At the next P.R. and marketing meeting when the discussion arises, "How do we better reach our mothers?", and "What will form a stronger bond with our company over Huggies?"

You mention podcasting, and here is an idea for free. "Well, how about we utilize this new medium of podcasting to target our mothers with informative audio and video podcasts. We can put out 10-15 general 1-3 minute podcasts, which will detail an array of topics from "what to do about diaper rash" to "choosing the right size diaper for your baby"." This will give mothers the ability to go to the website to hear and see this information, or better yet, they can subscribe to the Pampers feed and receive on demand updates to their personal MP player.

This is how a business can integrate podcasting on a national level, and be highly effective with their usage of the technology. On a smaller scale, podcasting can be used to target highly specific niche demographics, using nanocasting models.

Here is an example:

Let's say you are a local accounting firm with a customer base of anywhere from 1,000 clients to 50,000 clients. You have been sending out monthly newsletters and quarterly advisory notices, however you are looking for a more effective medium to get this information across to your clients.

You can develop an audio podcast, which can be used in streaming emails as well as downloaded to personal devices that will cover these important topics. You could develop a standard 5 minute nanocast, which speaks on the specific topics of information you are looking to make public, and do it through an appealing listening experience.

Another example could be local restaurants, looking to offer promotions to customers to help drive traffic in their business. Nanocasting allows you to target specific demographic regions; states, cities and even zip codes. A restaurant could use a local podcast directory to reach markets that are centralized to his location and will convert into new customer traffic. You can already imagine the local pizza shops' weekly podcast featuring their half off secret item of the week; you have to know the secret word to get half off the item.

Business podcasting is an incredibly valuable advertising, marketing, and public relations tool for any business, when practically applied. The idea behind podcasting, regardless of what size business you may be, is; define your market clearly, and be creative with the information you are relaying. These concepts, mixed with a professional podcast production, will lead your business to on-demand success with your target audience.

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Podcasting is a means to publish audio and video content to the world via the Internet. Audiences are able to subscribe to their favourite shows and automatically receive the latest episodes in iTunes or a similar client. Creating a podcast of your own is almost as easy as watching or listening to one. All you need is knowledge of tools, we have made it simpler for by creating a list here.

Having its roots in the blogging world, part of the appeal of podcasting is the ease with which audio content can be created, distributed, and downloaded from the Web. Both professional broadcasters and amateurs are using podcasting as to share opinions and content. The potential audience for these audios is increasing at a fast pace.

Podcasting is therefore becoming an important framework when designing a social media marketing strategy.

We have compiled a structured list of the best tools; these will make it easy for you to create or distributing a podcast.

1. Podcast Hosting, Sharing and Networking

Talkshoe - Create your own live talk show or interactive podcast.

Waxxi - Audio shows streamed live, mainly with notable technologists. Once recorded, the live shows are available as podcasts.

Feedforall - A tool to that allows users to easily create, edit and publish RSS feeds. This would easily record and edit audio files for podcasts!

Evoca - "YouTube for voice recordings": create audio recordings from your computer mic, your phone or Skype, share them with others and embed them on websites.

MyPodcast - Podcast hosting solutions offering unlimited storage, bandwidth, and free templates for your podcasts.

PodcastPeople - A service that enables you to post text, audio and video materials to your own customized show, and even earn some income from it through sponsors.

Hipcast - Create audio, video materials and podcasts and post them to your blog.

Libsyn - Liberated Syndication will host your podcasts for a monthly fee.

Podbean - Free podcast hosting and publishing.

Castpost - Free hosting for audio and video clips.

2. Video podcasting

Video podcast (sometimes shortened to vodcast) is a term used for the online delivery of video on demand video clip content.

Veodia - Create live TV shows and convert them to video podcasts.

Blip.tv - A "video podcasting" service. Similar to YouTube, but focusing on independent creators, who get a share of revenue.

3. Mobile Podcasting

Podlinez - Allows listening to podcasts on your phone.

Gabcast - Allows recording podcasts straight from your phone.

Yodio - Record audio from your phone, add photos and captions.

4. Text to podcasts

If you are tired of reading you might want to know about Text to podcast tools. These tools will help you in listening to the content.

SpokenText - It allows you to record PDF, Word, plain text, PowerPoint files, RSS news feeds, emails and web pages, and converts them to speech automatically.

YakiToMe - Convert blogs to audio podcasts.

Odiogo - Convert RSS feeds, text articles and blog posts to podcasts.

ReadTheWords - Another free web based alternative to convert text into speech.

5. Podcast Directories

PodcastAlley - A podcast directory with over 30,000 podcasts.

Podcast.com - A podcast directory that contains tens of thousands of podcasts.

Podfeed.net - Host and share your podcast, find podcasts, as well as read and write podcast reviews.

Everyzing - Audio and video search engine.

Delven - provides a complete online video solution to manage, publish, measure, and monetize high quality video content on the web.

PodNova - The best way to find, subscribe to, share, play and download your podcasts.

6. Podcast creation software

Odeo - Perhaps the most popular podcasting platform. It allows recording audio within your browser, embed it anywhere and create your own audio channels.

Gcast - Record, mix and broadcast your podcasts. You can record messages by phone and upload MP3 files from your computer.

Audacity - Free, open source software for recording and editing audio, works offline.

Adobe Soundbooth - Advanced audio editing from Adobe, works offline.

Podomatic - This site lets you record video and audio online directly from your browser. You can also receive in line calls from listeners wanting to leave voice comments.

7. Podcast Advertising

Podbridge - Provides podcast metrics and advertising.

Podtrac - A service that connects podcasters with advertisers.

SysComm International provides focused Internet marketing services including fully managed and highly successful Search Engine Marketing and Social Media Marketing, Mobile Podcasting, Podcast, Podcast Advertising, Podcasting, Spoken Text, Text to podcasts, Web Campaigns.

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!

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If you follow the blogging and social web worlds, you've probably heard the term "podcasting." Podcasting is simply the creation of audio files that are designed for easy distribution over the Internet, generally using the popular MP3 format. Thousands of people are creating podcasts now and their creations are widely distributed across the net, so it's definitely a hot trend - but don't worry about the sizzle outweighing the steak, because podcasting adds real value for almost any business.

Many business podcasts use the format of a radio talk show, with a host (often the site owner or business manager) interviewing guests who have something informative or interesting to say on the topic of the podcast. Other podcasts follow a lecture format, or take an infomercial-type approach. In general, before starting a podcast you should consider who your target audience is, and what you want them to take away from the podcast. Then you can choose a format best suited to distributing that information.

So why podcast? The first and simplest reason is that podcasts bring in audiences. People love podcasts, and they search the podcast directories and iTunes daily for new podcasts to listen to. You can bring in dozens or even hundreds of new visitors to your online site just by having a podcast out there.

Second, you can use your podcast to directly promote your products or affiliate links. Not many people are interested in downloading a commercial, but if you are providing valuable information and mentioning how your products or your affiliate's products are relevant to the topic of the podcast, you will be advertising your material without a heavy sales pitch.

Third, podcasts can help you develop relationships with your customers. Hearing someone's voice adds another layer of perception to their experience of you, which may currently be limited to the written text and visual imagery on your site. Adding your voice adds credibility and believability to all your messaging, not just what's directly on the podcast. Podcasting on informational topics will cause people to view you as an expert on your topic, particularly if you are providing valuable information in your podcasts,

Finally, podcasting can be a direct revenue stream for your business. If you start to develop an audience for your podcasts, you can accept advertising and/or sponsorship for them. Again, you want to avoid turning your podcast into a purely commercial endeavor, but dedicated listeners don't mind hearing some sales talk or advertising if they are getting something of value in return.

Getting started with podcasting is straightforward. You can do it for free with a variety of free tools out there, but the simplest way is to sign up with Audio Acrobat. AA has a modest monthly fee, but they take care of all the details for you. You can record audio files at your computer with a simple microphone or using a call-in line with your telephone, and the resulting podcasts are easily streamable. You can post your podcasts to your sites as well as to the podcast directories.

Podcasting is an inexpensive and easy way to open a direct line of communication to your customers and community. It might not be right for every business, but the odds are very good that it is right for yours. Give it a try!

Teena Rose is the author of "Start Your Resume-Writing Business: The Ultimate Resource to Building a $100,000 Business." Want to earn some bucks? The author is looking for affiliates who want to earn $$'s from her latest book edition. Details about the affiliate program are @ http://www.resumebiz.com/affiliate-program.html.

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]

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Podcasting is the newest craze on the internet and it continues to expand on a daily basis. Former MTV host Adam Curry and software developer Dave Winer are credited with developing podcasting. Curry wrote a program called iPodder which allowed him to automatically download internet radio broadcasts to his iPod and Winer was instrumental in promoting RSS. (Really Simple Syndication).

What is RSS? RSS allows people the ability to subscribe to their favorite blog or podcast and the information can be automatically downloaded to their computer. Subsequently, Curry and Winer devised a way to send audio files through RSS feeds.

The term Podcasting comes from "iPod" and "Broadcasting". However, you don't need an iPod in order to record or listen to a podcast. Anyone with a computer or mp3 player can listen to a podcast.

From radio talk show hosts Al Franken to Rush Limbaugh, traditional radio is embracing podcasting. In addition, talk show host Sean Hannity and NPR (National Public Radio) are offering their shows in the form of a podcast.

Television is also welcoming podcasting. ABC News, CBS "60 Minutes", TV Guide and Ebert/Roeper Movie Reviews are all available through podcasts.

What is Podcasting? Podcasting is an audio file that you create on your computer and then upload it to the internet so other people can hear it. All you need is a computer, microphone and voice-editing program.

Anyone can podcast. It is perfect for women, men, students, work-at-home-Moms and seniors. If you have something to say, podcasting is a great way to accomplish this goal.

Do you have a favorite hobby that you would like to share with others? Are you a business owner who would like to increase customers? Have you ever dreamed of being your own talk show host or disc jockey? With podcasting, all of the above things are possible.

You could have your very own podcast up and running today.

What do you need?

1. A Microphone

You will need a microphone for your computer so that you can record your show. You can purchase a decent microphone at any computer store or Radio Shack. (http://www.radioshack.com).

2. A Voice-Editing Program

Voice-editing programs allow you to record and edit your show. There are two free programs on the internet that you can use.
(a) Wavepad: (http://www.nch.com.au/wavepad)

(b) Audacity: (http://audacity.sourceforge.net)

3. Upload Show to Website or Hosting Company

After your show is recorded, you will need to upload it to the internet. You can either put it on your website or you can use one of the many hosting companies. Podblaze.com (http://www.podblaze.com) is one company where you can host your podcast.

As you can see, podcasting is very easy to start. We are at the beginning of this roller coaster ride that will hit astronomical proportions as time goes on.

The only way to decide if podcasting is for you is to start. Take the first step and see how you like it.

About the Author: Patrick Curran is a professional disc jockey that has worked at both FM and AM stations. He shares his knowledge and expertise so that anyone can produce a professional podcast that equals the quality of shows that you hear on your favorite radio station. Please visit: http://www.radiosecretsforpodcasting.com

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In my last article we looked at what a podcast is, basically a pre-recorded, online, radio show that is distributed via RSS to all those who subscribe to the feed. OK, so it may sound like a neat concept. I've always wanted to do a radio show, but is this really for churches? Should your church podcast and, if so, why?

Church Resource Podcasting

Podcast For Your Members:

If your church is like my church, you never have perfect attendance from all your church members, except maybe on Christmas and Easter. Sure some members are just lazy or not all that interested, but some, if not most, miss church for legitimate reasons. Maybe they are sick. Maybe they had a family emergency. Maybe they're traveling. Your church also probably has some members physically unable to make it to church each week. For those who are interested, they may very well wish they could have been there and would love to be able to participate in the service or at least listen to the sermon. Podcasting will let them.

Not Just Sermons:

Podcasting can also give you a way to engage your congregation. Sermon podcasting is a great place to start, but you can go beyond sermons to short bible lessons, announcements, a youth group podcast, and others. Podcasting can help make church a 7 day a week activity instead of just a Sunday and possibly Wednesday activity.

Podcast For Your Church's Budget:

You may already provide CD's of sermons for people who miss the service. That's great, but I'd suggest that podcasting has three great advantages over CD's.

1.Podcasts are accessible from anywhere as long as you have a computer and an Internet connection. If a member is traveling, they don't have to wait to listen to the podcast. This is especially nice because usually people have time and would love to listen to something while traveling.

2.Podcasts are free. How much does your church spend on CD's? Now imagine if you can get 25% of the people who get CD's to start using the podcasts instead. That could save your church a couple hundred dollars over a year.

3.Podcasts are quick. If you reproduce CD's, it probably takes a significant amount of time. For most churches each CD burned takes from 2-5 minutes. If you burn 100 CD's, that will take 3-9 hours just for the reproducing. With podcasting you just make a digital copy on your computer and upload it for the podcast. Not including any editing time (which you would have to do for a CD as well) you could be done in a just a couple minutes instead of a couple hours.

Church Marketing Podcasting

Podcast For Other Christians:

Many Christians are looking for additional resources for their spiritual walk. I mentioned in my last post that iTunes allows churches to post their podcasts on iTunes for free. This makes your podcast accessible to anyone, including Christians who do not attend your church. By making your sermons and other podcasts available to everyone, these non-member Christians will be able to listen to your podcasts as part of their daily walk with the Lord. These people may just walk through your church doors one day.

Podcast for Non-Christians:

There are people all over the world going through struggles, searching for an answer. You have that answer. Podcasting on sites like iTunes can let your church minister to these people. You can do this with sermons that deal with specific issue, Bible lessons about certain topics, or Q and A podcasts addressing various questions people may have. Podcasting about coping with marriage issues or addictions can a good way to reach out to the non-believing world desperately wanting answers and help. Podcasting about pop issues and subjects is another way to reach people. Some people aren't looking for help, but are looking for information and opinions about various current events and people.

Help Them Find You:

If you want non-church members to find your podcasts, the first thing you need to do is make your podcast available online through various sources. The two key places you should make your podcast available is your church website and iTunes. Facebook is another good place where your members can let people know about recent podcasts. The second thing you need to do is use titles and descriptions which include words and phrases people search for. That may mean that you need to "de-christianize" the title of a sermon to use words and phrases used by the rest of the world. Regardless, the key is to think about the words and phrases people may use to search about the topic of the podcast and then incorporate those words and phrases into the title. You should also use your Church's name as the author/artist. That way people will see your church's name and, if/when they decide to visit, they will know where to go.

Podcasting can be a great outreach and/or inreach tool for the church. The average American has an 80 minute commute. They want something to help pass the time. Podcasting can also help keep people company (listening to someone speak to them) and start to build a relationship. If you listen to talk radio, as I do, after a while you start to feel as though you know the people you listen to. By podcasting, people can start to form a relationship with your church. That may lead to some of those people visiting and joining your church. Even if they never step foot in your church, you may still have a life changing impact on their lives for Christ. And isn't that what we are trying to do?

Kurt Steinbrueck is the author of the Church Marketing Online blog. He has been providing Christian SEO services for church marketing solutions. You can find the original version of this article at http://churchmarketingonline.com/2009/04/why-should-your-church-podcast/

In addition to capturing stereo sound from meetings interviews and other critical information expected of digital recorders you can download and create podcasts with the DS-30. The super-high-quality sound is also great for listening to audio books and music - it's the ideal all-in-one audio device.

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Who knew that audio files would still be a hit these days? At first, this generation is going video crazy with the advent of MTV and other music video channels. However, this changed when iPod and other mp3 devices were introduced in the market. This paved the way for the creation of podcasts, which is now one of the marketing tools being used by online businesses to reach their target market.

A podcast is an audio file that you create in mp3 format that is uploaded to the Internet using RSS (or Really Simple Syndication) to create subscription feeds. The user will be receiving automatic downloads once a new podcast is available. Podcasting is a very inexpensive tool to help you promote the things that you are offering to the world and get in touch with your customers at the same time.

To advance in podcasting, here are some useful tips to think about.

1. Your purpose of creating a podcast should be clear and its description should give an accurate representation of its contents. It is indeed a reality that not all people will be interested in listening to your podcast. However, a good thing to note is that your target audience will be able to hear you. This is at least an achievement on your part.

2. Plan the content of your podcast. With a lot of podcasters around, you have to find ways to standout above the rest. You can also seek the help of various podcasting service providers to help you in uploading your podcast.

3. Promote your podcast by submitting it to a lot of podcast directories or join forums that discuss the same interest as yours. By doing so, a lot of people will be able to hear what you have to say and thus, it will widen your prospective market.

By the way, do you want to learn more about using articles like this to drive traffic to your website and increase online conversions?

If so, I suggest you check this out: article marketing traffic.

A podcast is defined as a series of digital media files mostly in the audio format. Apple's very popular portable media player iPod formed the basis of the term podcasting. In fact, the term has been coined from the words "pod" and "broadcasting". Podcasting gained instant popularity in the year 2004, and today, online businesses use it as a powerful online marketing tool.

Some advantages of podcasting are:

? Podcasts are downloaded by interested customers and thus, they remain stored in their computers and media players till they want to hear them.

? New software and setups allow newly added podcasts to get automatically delivered to subscribers.

? Podcasts target audiences that are interested in listening to the content you provide.

From the business point of view, here are some advantages of podcasting in the field of online marketing:

? Podcasts can spread the business message to the global audience.

? A regular mode of communication with listeners and customers is established through podcasting.

? Value-added content is supplied to subscribers that that make up a significant percent of the loyal audience.

? Podcasts increase the market visibility of the business and also have a positive affect on sales and conversion rates.

Here are some ways to make use of podcasting as a useful online marketing tool:

Providing News and Updates to Subscribers

The subscribers to your business website podcasts receive news and updates about your business and products on a regular basis. Whether it is the opening of a new branch, launch of a new website, or an announcement for a new business product, the information is effectively delivered by podcasts to the subscribers.

Establishing Internal Marketing

For a business to grow online and offline, it is important to keep all employees involved in various company events. Podcasts can help you establish internal marketing within the organization, which further translates to efficient external marketing. Here are some ways of doing so:

? Business presentations and conferences that are not attended by all employees can be podcasted to keep them updated.

? Sales representatives can be easily updated on new products and guidelines using podcasts.

Marketing Your Business Expertise

Podcasting helps a business group create programs that offer guidance, suggestions and advice, and solve common queries of the customers. You can involve the expert members of your staff in discussions that can be recorded as podcasts and made available to subscribers. This maintains the interest of subscribers to keep in touch with the podcasts released by you.

Podcast the Business Feedbacks

Podcasts are quick ways to inform subscribers about the feedback received by the business in the market. You can integrate customer feedback in regular podcasts and make them available on the internet. It is a good way to make an impression on those who have recently joined your podcast subscriber list.

Distribute Your Podcasts

Podcasts can be easily distributed across the web by submitting them to online directories. The links to podcasts can also be distributed on social media marketing platforms. This helps enhance the market reach of your business.

How to Make Podcasts Effective

Here are some useful tips to make the best out of podcasting for online business marketing:

? Just like online videos, podcasts must be short in length, but should carry valuable information for subscribers.

? Quality is an important factor in podcasting. For this, you must use popular recording devices and editing software.

? It is important to make the content informative and entertaining to bind the interest of the listeners.

? Regularly update the content of the podcasts, and don't allow much gap between two consecutive podcasts.

? Make sure to submit podcasts to genuine online directories and search engines.

Podcasting provides a great opportunity for online businesses to regularly communicate with their targeted prospects. Remember that podcasting is the medium to build up long-relationships with the customers and to enhance the brand value of your business.

Abe Malik
Information Products for Targeted Business Marketing
http://www.UnitedOnlineMarketing.com

Reach a targeted and influential audience using the medium that's gone from underground scene to mainstream. How to Do Everything with Podcasting walks you, step by step, through the process of creating, broadcasting, and promoting your own podcast. You'll get tips for targeting your audience, refining your content, integrating various technologies, and profiting from your podcast. You'll also discover how businesses can use podcasting as a fresh, inexpensive way to communicate with customers, investors, and employees.

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Podcasting is blogging with audio instead of text. Essentially, you post an MP3 file instead of an article.

5 Reasons Why Podcasts Are Great

1. An increasing number of people are downloading new podcasts every day.

2. Unlike TV, podcast can be played whenever the listener wants.

3. People can listen to them in their cars on their way to work or when they go for a run. You will get their full attention.

4. There is a lot less competition in the podcast market than there is in the article market.

5. Podcasting is a lot easier and less time-consuming than blogging and getting your articles published.

5 Steps to Producing a Podcast

1. Download Audacity at audacity.sourceforge.net/download/ or any other audio editing tool.

2. Get a good microphone.

3. Write the script (so the podcast doesn't sound improvised and amateurish).

4. Record it in a noise-free environment.

5. Apply the noise-reduction filter in your audio editing software and save the podcast file.

Where You Can Submit Your Podcast

PodOMatic - podomatic.com/

Podcast Alley - podcastalley.com/index.php

iTunes - itunes.com/

Yahoo Podcasts - podcasts.yahoo.com/

Digg Podcasts - digg.com/podcasts

Podcast Directory - podcastdirectory.com/

Podcast Pickle - podcastpickle.com/

PodFeed - podfeed.net/

Odeo - odeo.com/

Digital Podcast - digitalpodcast.com/

Podcast.net - podcast.net/

Singing Fish - search.singingfish.com/sfw/home.jsp

Blog Universe - bloguniverse.com/

All Podcasts - allpodcasts.com/

Big Contact - bigcontact.com/

Collectik - collectik.net/collectik/

PodNova - podnova.com/

PodTech - podtech.net/home/

How to Save a Lot of Time When You Submit Your Podcast

I absolutely love these two tools because they submit your podcasts to the major podcast directories for free and they save you a lot of time.

PodPusher - podpusher.com/

Pod Submitter - podsubmitter.com/submit

Zeke Camusio
The Outsourcing Company - Creative Web Design Agency
http://www.TheOutsourcingCompany.com
info@TheOutsourcingCompany.com (1)877-581-3921 (Available 24/7)

There you are, flipping through the radio stations yet again, looking for SOMETHING, ANYTHING, worth listening to. Maybe you'll find a song here or there that you like, or a talk show on a subject you are interested in. Then it's time to flip the stations again. "What I need," you think to yourself, "is my own personal radio station."

Enter the world of podcasting! Podcasting is just like having your own radio station, programmed with your favorite items and ready for you to listen anywhere, anytime. With podcasting, you can listen to:

[o] WHAT you want

[o] WHEN you want

[o] WHERE you want

No more searching and hoping to find a radio station that plays your favorite music. No more missing a talk show broadcast because you are sitting in class or in a meeting at the wrong time. With podcasting, you get just the content you want, from the sources you want, when you want. And there are no ads or commercials! What Tivo has done for your TV viewing, podcasting can do for your radio listening, and there is no FCC regulations either!

So what exactly is podcasting? A podcast is an audio file stored on the Internet that you can download to your computer or MP3 player and listen to whenever you want. It might be music, or it could be a talk show, a lecture, a recorded tele-seminar, a sermon, a football game, etc. Podcasting gives you the ultimate in choice and convenience.

o Podcasting is all about... CHOICE

Podcasting offers you unlimited choices in listening. Even though podcasting is a relatively new technology, there are already thousands of podcasts to which you can subscribe. No radio station in your city that plays the indy music you love? Check out East Detroit Radio.

Want to improve the koi pond in your backyard? Subscribe to Koi Club of the Air.

Parenting questions? Try the Front Porch Parenting podcast.

You can find a podcast on literally any subject you are interested in! In fact, http://www.podcastalley.com currently lists 2,380 podcasts in 15 different categories, while http://www.ipodder.org lists 4,493.

Another advantage of podcasting is that, because podcasts can appeal to niche audiences, they can cover their topics in much greater depth and be far more informative than regular radio broadcasts, which must appeal to a wide audience. Also, with a podcast, you can back up and listen to a segment again if you missed something the first time. If you come to a segment that is boring, you can fast-forward. You can listen as many times as you want to all or part of the podcast. And you can stop listening all together for a few minutes, hours, or even days if something else comes up.

o Podcasting is all about... CONVENIENCE

MP3 files have been available for download from the internet for years. But what makes podcasting different and truly useful is that you can subscribe to programs you are interested in. This means you don't have to check your favorite podcast web sites every day for new episodes and manually download them.

Instead, free podcasting software automatically downloads new episodes to your computer as soon as they are available. This makes it easy and convenient for you to stay up-to-date with your favorite podcasts.

Once your podcasts are downloaded to your computer, you can synch them to your MP3 player, burn them to a CD for playback on your CD player, or simply listen to them through your computer's speakers. This gives you the ultimate convenience of listening to your programs at your leisure. You can listen to the podcasts whenever you want - as you are driving, walking, exercising, knitting, etc. With a podcast, you can be mobile, live your life, and listen to your content ANYWHERE.

o Podcasting is... FREE & EASY

Not only are podcasts themselves generally free, but so is the podcasting software you need! Both podcasts and podcasting software are easy to find on the internet and are easy to use.

Podcasting is... waiting for you!

If you haven't been exposed to podcasts yet, you soon will be! Podcasts are literally everywhere now, and more podcasts are being created every day.

Jeff Mills is a former Youth Pastor of 9 years, who is now a full time internet information entrepreneur, author, speaker, sales coach, and also an avid traveler. Jeff has passionately pursued learning everything he can about podcasts and has just released his breakthrough E-book that every Podcast Enthusiast should own. Visit http://www.podcastsecretsrevealed.com immediately. You can find Jeff?s podcast feed at: http://feeds.feedburner.com/jeffmillspodcast

What is podcasting?

"Podcasting" is a term coined from the Apple Computer Corporation product - the iPod, which is a portable digital audio device that lets its users store music from their computer to the device so that they can listen to it anywhere, anytime.

However, the term is no longer exclusive to the actual iPod product. It now can mean any software and device system that allows the user to download audio (usually in MP3 format) and store onto the device for the user's listening.

What makes this different from radio or other Web-based media is that podcasts allow users total control over when they access and listen to the audio material. It does so by using the RSS standard or Real Simple Syndication.

The difference from broad and Web casts lies in how the material is created and distributed over the Internet. Instead of a centralized source and stream, podcasting is capable of sending the audio content directly to individual iPods and similar devices.

Who does podcasting?

Practically anyone with access to the Internet can podcast. As much as blogging began in this way, so does podcasting, whose appeal lies in the ease and convenience of creating and transmitting any audio material via the World Wide Web.

Broadcast industry players and radio shows syndications are only now riding the bandwagon by formatting their material as podcasts. But the great thing about this technology is that even non-pros can use podcasting to share their self-produced content in order to voice out their own opinions.

How does podcasting work?

Podcasting is almost an inevitable outcome of the Internet where great ease is given to anyone to publish anything and distribute it anywhere.

Users can connect their audio devices to their computers, access a podcast subscription, and download the feeds from the site. The audio is accessed by the user from the source and is automatically stored in the device. Numerous resources on the Internet detail how to improve podcast quality in terms of sound, equipment, and content.

What makes podcasting so popular, and therefore powerful, is its aural (listening) nature, which many deem superior over text (reading). Listeners of podcasts are able to learn in conjunction with another activity such as during a commute or exercise.

Why is it important?

A great plus factor for podcasting is in the realm of education. While it cannot totally replace the classroom setup, podcasts can provide teachers yet one more way to connect with students. As almost all young people live on the Internet and many own portable audio devices, the possibilities of giving them something useful and educational through this means are great.

Where is it headed?

Enthusiasts have yet to find a limit to the uses of podcasting. This is most seen in the unabated growth of sites that categorize hundreds and thousands of podcasts and make them easily accessible to subscribers.

Even now, podcasting is developing at near breakneck speeds. Users and subscribers are becoming more discriminating, demanding new features for categorizing and indexing podcasts. As such, podcast producers are looking for new ways to enhance the simple audio format to deliver experiences that will not only entertain but educate as well.

The breadth and reach of podcasting is only now being realized but its growth is by no means slowing. With more and more rich media finding distribution on the Web, the quality of podcasts rely on how informed people are - both in creating and subscribing to content. The more you know about them, the better position you are to becoming a podcaster not only of popularity but, more importantly, of substance.

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Imagine this: you're in your room facing your computer. Over the microphone you say, "Good day, listeners. Today's podcast is on... " And as you continue to say your piece, the recording continues. This record is what people in your neighborhood, in your city, across the country, and even in other parts of the globe can hear as they tune in from their computers or digital audio players.

What are you doing? You are podcasting! As science turns imaginations into realities, you can become a DJ or to be specific, a podcaster, and have your own radio show, and be heard. Anywhere. Anytime. Anyhow you want it. You think this is cool? This is sub-zero cool!

Just as we're getting accustomed to terminologies like e-mail, voice-chat, blogs, and so on, we now have PODCASTING. New Oxford Dictionary defines podcasting as "the digital recording of a radio broadcast or similar program, made available on the internet for downloading to a personal audio player". But really, what is it?

Podcasting is a conjuncture of the words "iPod", the most popular audio digital player created by Apple Computers, and "broadcast", which means to put on air; hence, the association of podcasting to iPod or Apple computers. However, any brand of digital audio player is okay and any computer with a built-in or add-on microphone and soundcard will do.

The recording is uploaded into a website and becomes a web feed, aptly termed a podcast. Podcasts can be any music, advertisement, or information in audio or video format that is downloadable. They range from talk radio, comedy shows, news, political views, evangelization messages, language tutorials, business reports, and so on. Any subscriber can podcatch - meaning, download - and listen to podcasts.

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"Podcasting" may be a new term for many, but really it's something we're somewhat familiar with, if we've ever listened to talk radio.

Think of it as a radio show where YOU get to star, talk about whatever you want (including, of course, your book), AND have it instantly available to thousands of people who can access it at any time THEY want.

But what does "podcast" actually mean?

According to Wikipedia, "pod" stands for "Portable on Demand." The "cast" part refers to how these "portable on demand" digital media files are distributed: over the Internet, often using syndication feeds.

The term podcast, like "broadcast," can refer either to the series of content itself or to the method by which it is syndicated; the latter is also termed podcasting. The host or author of a podcast is often called a podcaster.

Podcasting expert Paul Colligan says points out several unique things about a podcast:

It can be automated. (That's the syndication part. Once you set it up so that you're listed in the directories, people can find you and download your content automatically.)


It's time-shifted: People can listen to your content whenever they want to.


It's portable: People can listen where they want to. They're not bound by either time or place, in terms of listening to you.


You can deliver content in more than one medium. We usually think of a podcast as an audio, but it can be video or even a print file in a PDF format.

So why would an author want to consider starting a podcast of his or her own?

1. It's free and easy. You can set up a podcast on http://www.mypodcast.com. (They insert ads for you, though.)

Another place to podcast, almost for free, is the Yaktivate network. (There's only a one-time setup fee, which you will assuredly get back through sponsor income.) What's great about Yaktivate is that they get tremendous traffic (averaging 3 million downloads per month), you get at least 30 percent of your sponsor income (70 percent if you get the sponsor yourself), there is good cross-promotion among the channels, and as a podcaster, you have the opportunity for other podcasters to use you as their sponsor. There is also a program whereby if you get other podcasters to sign up, you get a commission.

2. It's a great way to expose people to your book's content - whether you've written it yet or not.

If you have a book already, you have content you can draw from for your podcast postings. Simply talk about a piece of your book. Mention that this comes from your book, and tell people where they can go to find out more about your book (including how to order). You can send them to your sales page or, if you don't have one set up yet, to your listing on amazon.

If you don't yet have your book written, podcasting is a way to test your material. Talk about what you want to write about. Come up with creative titles for your podcasts. Make a note of which ones seem most popular.

This is a very powerful way to test your material ahead of time.

3. A podcast gives you another "presence" on the Web, which means you will get higher ranking in the search engines. Higher ranking means people will find you-and read your book, buy your products, etc.

4. A podcast can be "repurposed" into an article, which you can post on ezine directories. This will also expose your message to more people, allow people to find you, give you higher ranking in the search engines, and allow you to test the interest in your content. (At EzineArticles.com, for instance, you can check how many people view and comment on your articles.)

5. A podcast can create a stream of income for you in a number of ways.

First, of course, if you have a product to sell (such as your book), you can sell it on your podcast. It's as easy as saying something like, "This is just one of the ideas I cover in my book, [title], which you can find at [your website] or at amazon.com."

You can also get sponsors for your podcast. When you do it the right way, as a recommendation much like Paul Harvey does on his show, sponsors will happily pay to sponsor you-especially if you can prove your podcast gets downloaded a lot, as with the Yaktivate podcasts.

(For examples of how to incorporate sponsors into your content, listen to my "Books 'n' Such" podcasts at reviewyak.com)

These are just a couple of ideas on how you can monetize your podcast. If this has piqued your interest, find out how to not only monetize your podcast, but get started on a podcasting network that currently gets 3 million downloads per month. Visit [http://www.podcastsecretsforauthors.com]

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Today's Internet users are getting more and more familiar with the term "podcasting."

A podcast is an audio file that you can listen to while browsing a site. Usually, podcasts come with a subscription option, whereby you can download the latest updates to computers or MP3 players. Let us check out what exactly a podcast is and all the benefits of podcasting.

How does podcasting work?

One of the specialties of podcasts is that they allow you to listen to what you want as per your convenient time. If you are thinking that podcasts only relate to music, then you are mistaken. Podcasts cover a wide range of topics ranging from programming to health recipes. Some people might think that podcasts can only be heard through iPods. However, the truth is that you don't need iPods at all. All you need is either an MP3 player or a computer with Internet connection.

Before discussing about benefits of podcasting, let us learn about the technology behind podcasts. Podcasts are syndication of audio files using RSS feeds. Podcasts work in a similar fashion like the RSS feed reader. The difference is that the feed you are subscribing to have an audio file embedded within it.

The benefits of podcasting

From the business point of view, the benefits of podcasting can be extended to several areas. Firstly, you can reach a new section of web audience. People invite new, innovative media to reach them. Audio podcasts also allow people to surf other sites or work with other applications while they listen to it.

Podcasting is being used in the following areas:


Self-instructional walking tours offering informational content
Brand promotional clips and interviews
News coverage
How-to-operate training materials etc.
Storytelling to the visually challenged children

Building a lasting relationship with the visitors of your site is also one of the benefits of podcasting. Podcasts are your company's voice. As podcasts are optional, people who feel drawn to them must have genuine interest in your company's products and services.

By podcasting, you can beam seminars and conferences and portray your level of acceptance far and wide to your clients. You can also podcast your expertise in various fields, showcasing your depth of knowledge and a deep sense of business to your clients. The benefits of podcasting might also extend to bring you greater advertising revenues. If your podcasts become popular, advertisers might queue up before you to buy advertising slots. Podcasting also allow you to respond to customers' feedback and concerns promptly. This prevents depletion of your customer base in the long run.

How to run a successful podcasting program

So these were the benefits of podcasting; but before going for it, you need to do an assessment of your expectations and circumstances. First, determine your target audience. Will podcasting reach the right customer segment that you are eyeing at? Research shows that males between 34 and 54 constitute about half of the podcasting audience. While going for podcasting, give stress on what you are about to broadcast.

If the content is of some value (say, informational or an insight into your product's underlying technology or a product demo) to viewers, then only it is likely to be accepted. Lastly, you need to update your podcast periodically. If you want your subscribers to be happy, you need to update that on a regular basis with fresh, insightful content.

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