Learn More About RSS Podcasting
It seems that no matter where you turn to, everyone is talking about a mysterious “podcast” or “podcasting” thing. If you have no idea of what it is, don’t worry, soon you’ll find out all about it.
So what is a Podcast?
A podcast is a distribution of audio files over the internet using an RSS technology. Such audio files can be streamed via PC or using mobile audio devices, such as iPod, for example.
Broadcasting vs. Podcasting
Many people don’t know the difference between broadcasting (or streaming) and podcasting. The difference is that broadcasting appears at the set location and at the set moment. So the broadcaster has all the control. If you want to listen to it, you have to be in front of your computer at the exact time. Sometimes, if you want to listen to your favorite band’s interview on a radio online, or listen to a special webcast, you have to wait the whole night in front of your computer (if you live in other country where a different time zone is).
Now podcasting eliminates this problem completely. A podcast can be streamed whenever a listener wants to. So you have all the control over when and where you want to listen to the podcast.
Although, broadcasting can be recorder with an audio recorder for a later use, it requires you to do additional work. Podcasts are archived and allow you to listen to them at your leisure.
Why Podcasts Are Important for Your Business?
According to Forrester Research, by the year of 2010 podcasting will have about 12.3 million listeners. That’s quite huge audience isn’t it. So why you should consider your online business to start podcasting?
Well there are podcasts on different topics and your business could benefit from that. Second, think of the connection with your clientele. It brings your listeners to a whole new level. It’s not just a text on a computer screen anymore. It’s human voice speaking to them. Podcasting lets you communicate with your target audience and gain your prospects’ loyalty much more effectively.
Here are a few ways you can use podcasts:
- Offer an Audio Course – Just like offering an email course using email, you can offer your readers “listeners” some kind of course of short audio messages. It will give your target market much bigger impact than just email messages in the inbox.
- Offer Seminar Excerpts – You can record the seminars live and transfer them into your computer using MP3 format. If the recording is too big, you can find more interesting excerpts and publish some of them on the feed.
- Offer Industry Updates – Provide news and updates about your industry in an audio format. Whenever something new happens in your market, then you simply record a message and post it in your podcast.
You can think of your own, much more powerful ways of providing a podcast for your listeners. You just need a little imagination.
How Do You Podcast?
Ok. Now you realize that podcasting can benefit you in many ways. So the natural question comes into mind, how to start delivering audio content to your audience. It is accomplished in a few steps.
- First, you have to record an MP3 audio file on your computer. In that case you’ll need a microphone and a program that allows you to record audio to your computer.
- Second, you’ll need to create an RSS feed for your website. You can find a tutorial on how to create RSS feed here.
- Then you’ll need to upload both RSS feed and audio file into your server.
- The last step would be allowing people to subscribe to your RSS feed and inform them about your podcasts.
It’s just the basic information on how to create a podcast in your RSS feed. If you’re serious about making a podcast, then read a more informative tutorial about creating podcasts here.
In Conclusion
As many experts say, podcasts will not go away. Podcasting is big. The audience of listeners is growing. Mobile devices, like iPods are hot sellers worldwide. There are many other devices besides iPod that allow people to listen to podcasts.
Just like the demand, supply is also growing among podcast publishers. Podcasts allow almost anyone to become a radio DJ or interviewer and speak their message online to the whole world. With such a growing number of podcasts and listeners, there’s no doubt that adopting a podcast into your website RSS feed can bring your web business additional benefits.
