Podcasting is simply a way for people to have a radio show on the internet. It’s really no different than regular radio programs except that the show is delivered via the computer. There are several benefits of being interviewed on a podcast (radio show). These include convenience, a potential increase in audience reach, and cost.

You don’t have to travel

When you are interviewed on a podcast you don’t have to leave your house. The interview is conducted remotely – over the telephone (preferably a land line). This not only saves you money on transportation and gas, it also allows you to be interviewed by someone in the next, city, or state.

This is an especially attractive option for work-at-home parents because some podcasts air during evening hours or on the weekends when childcare issues can be prohibitive.

It can also mean that you don’t have to also find a babysitter and you don’t have to adjust your travel time to include drop-off and pick-up.

It doesn’t matter what you wear because it’s an audio interview.

Since most podcasts are done in an audio format (over the phone), you do not have to stress out about what to wear to that important interview. You can do the interview in even if you are having a bad hair day because no one will see you.

Exposure to a broader audience.

When you are interviewed on a podcast, you get exposed to the audience of the person that hosts the podcast. They may reach a segment of the population that you would generally not be in touch with. In this way your message gets delivered to people who would not have otherwise heard it. And that can be very good for business.

A no cost way for you to get traffic to your website.

It typically costs you nothing to be interviewed on a podcast. On occasion you will need to be responsible for the cost of the telephone call (which is a business expense). But you don’t have to find the fancy equipment or figure out how you are going to host or promote the podcast. The one hosting the podcast has taken care of all of that, oftentimes including advance mention of you, your business and website. Many podcasters have e-newsletters, blogs, and websites that they use for this very purpose. Plus they often announce on the air topics and guests for upcoming shows. All you have to do is show up and tell others about you and your services.

It helps solidify your position as an expert in your field.

As with all media visibility, your appearance or presence as a guest on a podcast adds to your credibility, helping to contribute to your role as an expert in your field. Listeners follow the show host’s cues; so if he or she positions you as someone who knows what you are talking about, listeners are likely to accept that and may even contact you for your services.

So now you want to be interviewed in a podcast.

Great, but how do you find podcasts on your niche market? Start with http://www.blogtalkradio.com to find a wide range of Internet radio shows. These show are particularly attractive because all that they require of you is a telephone. Another site to check into is http://www.podcastalley.com. It is one of the leading podcast directories on the web.

Being interviewed in a podcast is a fantastic opportunity for you to promote your business or service in a convenient, cost effective way that broadens your audience. So what are you waiting on? Start contacting podcasters today so that you can be a guest star on a podcast tomorrow.

Side Benefit

The podcast is generally archived on the host’s podcast site. That archive can be linked to your website or blog, can be added to your press room, etc. so that others can listen to interview at a later date.

Number One – Reading from a script. While I strongly recommend writing out an outline of what you want to cover in your podcast it isn’t necessary to read verbatim from a script. When most people try reading directly from a script they wind up sounding like Ben Stein. “Bueller?” It isn’t entertaining and you’ll lose your audience before you even have a chance to get started. So unless you have a background in acting or extemporaneous reading it’s probably a good idea to forgo the script. An easy solution is to make a list of talking points, note cards, or even a more detailed outline of what you intend to say in your podcast. So long as the format leaves room for improvisation it will come across as more friendly and conversational. It may take a few tries to get used to “winging it,” but you’ll sound much better. It’s still advisable to rehearse and edit your podcast whenever possible you not to the point where it sounds too scripted or contrived.

Number Two – Sound. While not everyone can afford really slick production values it is important to appear at least somewhat professional. This means investing in a good quality microphone, some headphones, and an editing program of some sort. This doesn’t necessarily involve a large investment though. The mic and headphones can be obtained for a reasonable amount, and you can download a free program like Audacity which will allow you to edit your show. Audacity will allow you lay down tracks of music, edit out coughs, “ums”, or even portions of the podcast that you aren’t happy with. It’s also worthwhile to do a sound check before spending 15 to 30 minutes recording a podcast that is unintelligible. Check that the mic volume is properly adjusted and that there isn’t any background interference.

Number Three – Infrequent episodes. No one wants to subscribe to a show if it only airs sporadically. Why? Mainly because it’s hard to get into and maintain interest in a show if it isn’t on enough to keep you engaged in the content. At the very least try to have shows broadcast ever other week if not weekly. It’s true that some shows are only released monthly but generally the more frequent the show airs the higher its ratings are.

Number Four – No call to action. It’s rare that a listener will come to find your podcast in the context of your site. Most people will probably stumble across your podcast via podcast directory that’s why it’s important to make sure you include a call to action at the end of your podcast. The fact is that if you don’t provide a clear way for people to interact with you then they won’t.

Number Five – No album art. This really only applies when submitting your podcasts to the various podcast directories and podcatchers. iTunes, for example, allows album art and more often than not people don’t even take a second look at the podcasts without it. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, and you can even use your logo as the album art so long as it communicates something about the podcast.

Potential customers are looking for you through search engines, directories and forums. We help them find your website. How? Check out our marketing techniques at www.itsontarget.com and sign up for our podcast and we’ll let you in on some interesting internet traffic solutions.

TV is the most popular form of media. As much as we all might complain about its quality, we still find ourselves drawn to that warm, antiseptic glow of that entertainment box. As such, radio, which was popular with the previous generation, has begun to lose its luster. We enjoy music, but radio, especially the radio show, seems to be declining.

From the ashes of the radio show rises a new form of social media: podcasts. Podcasting is gaining plenty of popularity, so it’s a good idea to know some of the basics surrounding the medium.

About Podcasts

A combination of the words “iPod” and “broadcast,” podcasts are a type of episodic digital media that users can subscribe to and download through web syndication. They generally take the form of audio, though video podcasts and slide shows have also been used.

Originally, podcasting was an arena reserved for the techie demographic, but it soon caught on with the general public. Content in podcasts now ranges from music to magic to sports to popular culture and beyond.

Podcasts and Social Media

Podcasts came at a time when social media was beginning to make major headway as a viable online tool. Social media, which most people broadly understand as fancy, web 2.0 terminology related to Twitter and Facebook, is a means of opening up the lines of communication and interaction between a person, brand, or organization and its audience, fans, or followers.

Podcasts allow for a broader interaction with audiences, due in part to syndication feeds. Feeds give users the ability to download podcasts upon release and to listen to them on a variety of devices, whenever they want. This is contrary to radio, in which listeners have to “tune in” at a specific time and date.

In most cases, podcast producers become consumers and the consumers become producers and thus engage in conversations with each other. Podcasting calls for active listening and participation.

Freedom and Content

In a lot of ways, podcasting is much more empowering to both listeners and podcasters. For listeners, being able to listen to a podcast on just about any digital media device at any time is much more freeing than waiting for (or missing) a radio show.

The great thing about podcasts is that pretty much anyone with a microphone and a computer can participate. Podcasting doesn’t have the restrictions of radio, which is often seen as a gate-kept media that requires high production values and tools.

Podcasts have become a unique way to share content, and with the broad audiences, lack of restrictions, and ease of application, podcasting is sure to become a major form of media, quite literally giving the average listener a voice to be heard.

Podcasting is an innovative technology that is receiving currently a great deal of attention. This nifty tool empowers you to distribute on the Internet video or audio files. Your audience can download and view your podcast on computers or mobile phones. Besides when someone is subscribed to a podcast, it is delivered to their devices automatically and there’s no need to do anything to get it. Let’s assume you have already concerned yourself with your goal, your key messages and audience.

What equipment do you need to create a podcast? When we talk about an audio podcast, one should record an audio program and broadcast it over the web. The required equipment is computer with Internet access, microphone and recording software. Video podcasting is good for delivering visual information or for showing something you wish your viewers could experience in the way you’re experiencing it. Undoubtedly, with this sort of podcasts the technology is now entering whole new level. If you are creating a video podcast try to use feed from multiple sources to produce interesting content. Here’s a simple and efficient schema of how to do it. In this example the content is taken from a camcorder, PowerPoint slideshow and some materials captured from an iPad screen. To capture video from these sources the VGA2USB LR frame grabber has been used.

Before you start podcasting make sure you’ve properly installed all necessary hardware components and software for editing footage. To upload your video to the web you need a target computer with application for live video streaming production. It allows you to broadcast events and include them in your podcasts. In this example Wirecast application has been installed on a computer. Further to its streaming capabilities Wirecast can process feed from multiple cameras. Other media (such as movies and images) can be mixed too.

Video footage from the camcorder is saved on a computer. Frame grabber captures iPad screen and PowerPoint slideshows. Before using it you need to install free software from the Epiphan’s website on the computer. This software enables configuring image settings to provide accurate output of the captured feed. Alternatively you can use a tweak for the iPad for this purpose. The tweak (“Display Out”) can be installed from Cydia. After installation it is displayed in the Settings app and you can make necessary image adjustments. iPad is hooked up to the frame grabber using the iPad Dock Connector to VGA Adapter. The frame grabber transmits the data via the computer’s USB port. The iPad should be jailbroken.

VGA2USB LR is also used to capture a PowerPoint presentation so that you could add it to your podcast. This frame grabber uses the VGA output for capturing the video feed. VGA2USB LR is connected both to the VGA port of the computer with PowerPoint presentation and to the target computer’s USB port. The podcast has been produced using three video sources: camcorder, iPad and source computer with the slideshow. Since you have prepared the video content, let Wirecast create a video podcast and broadcast it to a website.

As a long distance cyclist I know I can go on a 150-mile ride and listen to 13-14 hours of lectures, which is about how much space my iPod holds. Indeed, I have to listen to the lectures which do not have video because that eats up the amount of play time the device can maintain – remember I need the full 13+ hours to finish my ride. Yes, I have a small back up iPod but it only has music on it, which is good to finish up with in the last 50-miles anyway, but that time one is half bonked especially if there are lots of hills to travel over.

When running a 50K workout (31 miles) the lectures will have you clicking by the hours without feeling all the pain, and that is a good thing. Well, truth be told, it's not all-good. Let me explain some of the draw backs to listening to lectures while doing endurance workouts or races, I have three main gripes:

1. Lead-In
2. Monotone
3. Paying Attention
4. No Visual Aids to Look At

First, the lead-in, this is where they introduce the guest speaker, many traveling lecture series, and really those are often the best, spend the first 5-10 minutes introducing the academic institution, then the provost, then the speaker and his or her long resume. Come on already, just give me the information and a shortened Bio of the speaker, that shouldn't take more than a minute or more.

Second, some speakers have heavy accents and while you are running it makes it tough to follow along, nothing wrong with foreigners who have the knowledge base, just that it is difficult to understand them and you don't know until you start. If you can't listen you have to stop and skip to another lecture, which breaks your rhythm.

Third, sometimes the topics, for instance quantum physics is hard to follow and pay attention, remember when trail running you have to watch for rocks in your path, cadence and pay attention to the trail so you don't face-plant, ouch.

Lastly, when listening to lectures on an iPod without video, often the speakers reference power points, short videos and pictures, pictures that you cannot see, and obviously cannot look at while cycling at 22-25 mph, and you certainly cannot look at anything but the trail on a trail run – face-plant!

It's best to try to find speakers who talk in pictures and use a few visual ques. Ted Talks are good for this, so too are authors giving speeches or book review talks. Please consider all this and think on it.

The very first podcast originated with the creation of iPod podcasting, which consists of the production of MP3 files to distribute and allow users to download them from the internet to play on their iPod. The incarnation of the iPod provided a very convenient and simple way to listen to all of your favorite songs. Because of the iPod’s success with music, people began thinking about other ways to utilize it’s amazing capabilities.

How Did The Term ‘Podcast’ Originate?

The term podcast is actually a combination of ‘pod’ from iPod and ‘cast taken from the word broadcasting. Of all the portable audio players, the iPod was one of the very first to be able to implement systems in order to download files from a computer. The iPod became the driving force behind getting the podcast out to consumers without having to strictly listen to them on a computer.

Because the number of portable devices that can carry podcasts has increased tremendously, the term podcast has undergone a different meaning. A backronym has now been assigned to podcast, which is “Personal On Demand broadcast.”

Even popular radio shows are now turning their broadcasts into podcasts so their viewers can catch their show when it is most convenient for them.

Podcasting has completely changed the way programs are being broadcasted. Some of the most successful businesses utilize podcasting to give listeners and viewers a greater chance of receiving their content. If you happen to be interested in creating your own podcasts, the good news is that you can make it as simple or complex as you want it to.

When you create content, as a podcaster it is essential to understand that transcripts can be a large and time-consuming part of your content base. There are different ways to devour information, and everybody must have different fondness. Audio content is beyond doubt convenient, simple and easy to absorb, for most. Moreover, a few consumers like video, and some of the consumers like written. The simplest solution to this 'problem' is to offer a combination of content types that is good for all types of consumers. One of the foremost combinations for podcaster is to furnish listeners with an easy to use written transcript of every single episode.

Videos as well as podcasts as a form of content have been greatly increasing in popularity over the past couple of years and for the good reason as well. Both types and forms of content are simple and easy to consume for the purpose of people, and not everybody prefers to read blog posts all the time, the majority of people want to learn something new and excellent. This does not really mean that businesses should not call up the written word to go with the rich video content as well as podcasts however. There are benefits of written transcriptions beside the podcast or video that can truly help make this worthy content even more useful and help you to know how this will grab the wider audience.

Search Engine Optimization – Optimizing often critical in the time it comes to increase your podcast as well as growing your audience. Eventually, the more high quality written content you post in your website, the more opportunity you will have good rank in search engines result pages. Having a transcription for each episode will not only grow your site ranking but also make you more and more discoverable. So by getting your podcast transcribed and finally putting the content in the website, you are surely doing a good favor, because search engines will crawl and index the site based on the matter in the transcript.

Distributing A Variety of Content Consumption Styles – Some people prefer reading, and some people like audio, and even others prefer reading and audio both. So providing a good transcript to your listeners the opportunity to give them read and listen; Because the majority of people love option, so try to provide them as possible.

Giving Convenience to Your Listeners – Most of the podcasters, like you, may be, have shown with high quality as well as in-depth education material within every episode. This generally requires their all listeners to take a note, also help them jot down essential points for future reference. So giving a transcript can be a very helpful complimentary aid to ensure that the listeners do not overlook or miss any essential details during the dense information sessions. A great convenient way to make your listeners is to provide them an option to click on an embedded link within the transcript, so that they can go straight to a particular website or the resource mentioned in the time of episode.

Making a World View of Episode – In the time, someone listen an audio, he or she only hears what is generally being said at that moment. Nevertheless, in the form of writing, he or she has the opportunity and ability to read many words at once. By giving a transcript to a listener, he or she can quickly skin through, as the person will be able to see the entire content at once. This not only provides a better overview of the overall episode but also try to give all the points into a larger as well as global perspective.

Last, but certainly not the least, a valuable content can be extracted from every transcript and it can combine to create a specialized piece of an overall theme as well as key learning points from the podcast. One of the great ways to optimize this type of content is to combine tips as well as strategies from the tweets in the field into a valuable resource to and for your audience. One of the biggest takeaways is that there are certainly some of the major benefits to providing a transcript for your podcast episodes, not only for the purpose of your audience but also for you as a podcaster. Audio content is beyond doubt the content for present time, moreover, expanding your limit by just adding transcriptions for the purpose of those who either require it or just prefer it can help you to influence as well as penetrate the listener base.

Podcasting–named the “Word of the Year” last year by Webster’s Dictionary–is a form of broadcasting audio or video-style multimedia, which is transmitted over the internet and made available for downloading on to portable devices.

The unveiling of Apple’s iPod in 2001 made podcasting the household name it is today, but the concept was developed in October 2000 by an internet-media mogul. It was four years later the term “podcasting” was coined, giving “techies” the opportunity to read up on “how to podcast” articles and then download podcasts for viewing on a computer or portable device.

Podcasting initially appealed primarily to those who wanted to broadcast (er, podcast) their own radio programs, but today it is used for a variety of reasons. Several religious organizations post sermons on the internet through public webpage servers that parishioners may have missed (what some refer to as “Godcasting”); television networks offer some of their programs as podcasts; politicians use podcasting as an outlet for supporters and potential voters to learn about their policies; professional sports teams use podcasting to post color commentary for their out-of-state fandom; newspapers use podcasts as another outlet for people to get their news, weather and traffic; even teachers and college professors use podcasts so students can get the notes on lectures they may have missed.

To put it simply, podcasting is big business, showing no sign of slow down, as data analysts like eMarketer predict 10 million people will download a podcast this year.

With the help of the electronic guide, you can produce a show that potentially millions will download. You’ll learn everything there is to know about the podcasting business, like how to guarantee your podcasts get downloaded, listened to and viewed, what equipment you’ll need (both for video and audio), experts’ rationale on why podcasting is king, quick start-up tips, and why podcasting has benefited everyone whose taken advantage of it. This and a whole lot more is found inside the e-pages of the electronic guide.

The biggest challenge for any work-at-home Mom is to present their business in a professional manner to potential clients or customers. On a daily basis, WAHM’s strive to present a positive image of themselves and their business.

How can a work-at-home Mom promote this positive image? A great way to accomplish this goal is through podcasting. It has been said that the greatest advertising for any business is positive word-of-mouth. The best way to accomplish this goal is with podcasting because it gives you a voice.

Podcasting allows WAHM’s to share their expertise, knowledge and even personality with potential clients. If you decide to podcast, you will be promoting your business in the best way possible.

When a possible client or customer listens to your podcast, they will hear your voice. As a result, they will develop a bond and trust in you over time. Subsequently, this will build more customers for your business.

When you are doing your podcast, don’t be afraid to share too much knowledge. If you hold back information, this could potentially hurt you and the image that people will have of your business. Your potential customers or clients will judge you based on the information that you share in your podcast. Thus, the most important element is to share valuable information.

An important element to keep in mind is that your podcast should not be an entire commercial for your business. If you do this, people will be turned off and they will turn off your podcast. You should strive to share helpful information with your audience. As a result, they will appreciate your sincerity and integrity. It is perfectly acceptable to share all of your business and contact information with your audience at the end of your podcast.

As a work-at-home Mom who is podcasting, you will build positive name recognition within your particular niche. The audience will look to you as an expert within your particular field. Consequently, this is the greatest promotion for any business.

The ultimate goal is to stand out above your competition. Is your competition podcasting? They are probably not podcasting and don’t realize the tremendous positive impact that this could have on their business.

When you record your podcast, it is imperative that you don’t have any background noises (children, pets, television, radio, etc.) This could potentially distract your listeners and they might turn your show off. Your goal is to present the best possible image that you can to potential clients.

As a WAHM, professionalism is critical to your success. Podcasting can be the greatest element for your business if it is done in the appropriate manner.

If you take the necessary steps to produce a professional podcast with valuable information, you will see an increase in clients and customers over time.

In a thick British accent, the travel podcast hosts’ disembodied voices discuss camping and ‘caravanning’ in the UK, ‘how not to make yourself smell of grease for a complete weekend,’ and the Cocktail of the Week (the Mosquito – a Mojito with a bite!).

The two hosts, who sound a bit like Sean Connery and Julie Andrews, are bantering about camping spots in the UK and the best kind of cocktails to mix up once you’ve arrived at your prime spot at one of the gorgeous ‘lochs’ on their list.

Welcome to the world of the travel podcast.

Podcasting has come of age in a flash. Less than two years ago, the term wasn’t even invented. A year ago, there were perhaps 5000 individuals podcasting out of their basements, or from a laptop at a local pancake house.

This year, with major companies joining the podcasting passion and tens of millions of online listeners latching on, podcasting has come of age. So much so, that ‘podcasting’ is the Oxford English Dictionary’s Word of the Year.

When you dip your toe in the podcasting waters, you’ll come up with audio programs that range from exquisitely amateurish and poorly produced, to professionally produced shows with music, sound effects, high-profile guests and thousands of listeners.

Choosing which podcast is worth listening to is a bit like groping for the light switch in a pitch-black room. You have to knock over a few water glasses and stub your toe before finding one that is helpful to your travel itinerary.

In the past few days, I’ve listened to travel podcasts on the best roller coasters in the world, camping and caravanning in the UK [http://www.campsitepodcast.com/], life in Japan for those who aren’t Japanese [http://www.joshinjapan.com], life in rural Australia, budget travel [http://redeyeradioshow.com] (exploring the world one dollar at a time!), amateur travel, South African travel and tourism information.

And not only are individuals and small businesses jumping in the travel podcast stew, several travel companies are offering podcasts of their own.

Virgin Travel publishes several travel podcasts at virginatlantic.loudish.com, [http://virginatlantic.loudish.com] focusing on the specific locations of Cuba, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Las Vegas, New York and Shanghai.

iToors.com is home to a gathering of some of the most professional sounding and most informative travel podcasts. Recently I took a travel podcast ‘toor’ of Prague, Czechoslovakia, where Wolfgang Mozart was loved and revered, his music ‘blowing down a storm.’ When Mozart died in 1791 at the age of 35, only a handful of friends and family showed up in his hometown of Vienna, Austria, and he was buried in an unmarked grave.

In Prague, though (as I learned from the podcast), 4000 people showed up for a funeral mass in St. Nicholas Cathedral, where the Mozart fans were overflowing into the street.

So not only do you pick up history and travelogues in a convenient podcast, you latch on to travel directions, listen to recordings of local bands or musical talents, and eavesdrop on chats with local shopkeepers or politicos.

The best way to find a travel podcast that suits your desire, whether its for a destination you’re traveling to, or to surreptitiously partake in a local culture, is to navigate online to any podcast directory and do a search for ‘travel’ or directly for your destination.

Since ‘travel’ is a specific genre, by pulling up everything in that category you should be able to easily sift through the myriad of travel podcasts, and find something that suits you.

My favorite podcast directories include:

• Podcastalley.com

• Podcast.net [http://Podcast.net]

• Podcasts.Yahoo.com [http://Podcasts.Yahoo.com]

• Podfeed.net

• Podcast411.com

• PodcastPickle.com

• DigitalPodcast.com

• And of course, iTunes music software

You don’t need a portable MP3 player such as an iPod to listen to podcasts, think of the freedom you’d have while strolling the Champs D’Elysee, listening to the history of the famous Arc D’Triomph on your headphones. You may get a few goofy looks, but only from the tourists who just wish they had downloaded a few travel podcasts to carry along with them on their travels!

Listening to and subscribing to podcasts: a podcast is nothing more than an audio file (generally an MP3 file) that is distributed or published via an RSS file. RSS (which stands for Really Simple Syndication) is an online distribution tool that allows content to be delivered to your computer without the need for navigating to a website or downloading your email.

As the development of RSS technology progressed, it became possible to include ‘enclosures’ in the RSS feed, such as audio files.

With this technology, MTV pioneer Adam Curry helped pioneer the burgeoning phenomenon of podcasting in late 2004. By summer of 2005, Apple had incorporated the ability to subscribe to podcasts in its popular iTunes music software, which literally turned podcasting into a mainstream medium overnight (within 48 hours of the release of the podcast subscription capability, Apple announced that over a million of its users had subscribed to podcasts).

The easiest way to subscribe to a podcast is to use your iTunes software, although there are other podcast ‘aggregators’ (as they’re referred to in geektown), such as Juice [http://www.juicereceiver.com] and PodSpider.