Towards A Healthy Economy + Marketing World

While many understand that podcasting is a combination of the words iPod and broadcasting, this definition is very misleading. Because you can listen to a podcast on any device that has speakers and can play an MP3 file, the current definition of podcasting needs to be broadened.

Here are 3 ways to explain what a podcast is that will not confuse someone into thinking they need to run out and purchase an iPod.

• Personal On Demand Cast. This term was developed by Jon Watson on his bizpodcast.com blog. He says that Personal On Demand Cast really highlights the strength of podcasting. He can listen to whatever he wants when he wants to.

• Presentations On Demand Cast. I developed this term because many podcasts that I’ve listened to are simply individuals who have something to say and are looking for an audience to say it to. A lot of these podcasts are based on a talk radio format and hence the reason I call them presentations.

• Publishing On Demand Cast. Lee Gibbons, the CEO of Podango.com developed this explanation for podcast. He explains that because people can deliver content quickly to users, a podcast is simply publishing based on that demand.

Whether you choose one of the terms above or develop one of your own, the time has come for podcast enthusiasts and experts to start explaining what podcasts without the connection to iPod. This will help to shed a more accurate light on what podcasts are so people can better understand them.

(c) 2006 Leesa Barnes. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

An Internet maverick with a solid technology background, Leesa Barnes helps businesses use podcasting to drive search engine traffic to their website and build profitable relationships with their customers. She is co-author of Jump Start Your Podcast and she comments on podcast optimization techniques in her blog called Podonomics. Visit http://www.leesabarnes.com and sign up to receive a free ecourse called 5 Ways a Podcast Can Boost Your Search Engine Ranking.

Travelcasting is the commercial application of podcasting for the travel industry. Travelcasting is the distribution and publishing of audio and video feeds, that offer travel information delivered over the Internet, for on demand listening.

“This is a new step in the evolution of on-demand travel information delivery, making it accessible, informative, useful and appealing” says Ryan Hoback, CEO of What I Want Podcasting. This mix presents the travel industry with a very unique opportunity to reach its audience through this new medium. Those individuals, who are already seeking travel information actively, will use RSS subscription technology built into each podcast feed, to receive information immediately as it is updated by each organization. With one click of a button, a user can subscribe to a feed that may be interesting, and any related information that is ever updated to that feed will be automatically processed to their personal aggregator. An aggregator is able to subscribe to a feed, check for new content at user-determined intervals, and retrieve the content.

To take this process one step further, podcasting publishes each feed with the capability to be transferred to any portable audio or video device. So with the growth of the ipod and all the other portable media devices, you have the ability to grab travelcasts and place them on your portable player for listening or viewing. Most users attach their portable players to their computers daily or weekly, and once the player is attached they automatically receive the new travelcast updates.

The flexibility of this medium is what will drive the growth of Travelcasting tremendously over the next few years. There are a numerous formats that can be used in developing a travelcast. Virtual audio and video tours, give the power to the listener or viewer to receive on-demand travel tours for their destinations. In addition, podcasts are being placed on portable video devices to offer high-end guests tours of the property when they check-in.

The best thing about travelcasting is that the marketing opportunities are endless. With normal media, once a program is developed it only lives for a certain amount of time, and then it goes dormant and no longer exists in society. With podcasting, these feeds can be published to the web so that they will live forever, or until the organization request for them to be removed.

Here are some examples of how podcasting will affect the travel industry. The best sales associates for most resorts are travel agents and agencies. Travel agents and agencies rely on each resort to constantly update them with new deals and promotions, as well as supply them with the tools they need to promote the resorts, in order to keep clients satisfied. With podcasting, and its subscription based technology, you can put out audio or video updates of information that you would like the travel agencies to use, and they will receive as soon as it is posted on your server.

Another example of its use could be in coordination with existing web pages. Most resorts have numerous web pages which deliver travel information in text format. By providing an audio or video link on that page it gives the user a different and potentially more effective format for receiving the information. So not only can these audio and video feeds be placed on web pages where “one-click” lets you listen or view a travelcast, it can be sent to portable devices as well. This is also a great way to teach your existing users how to start utilizing travelcasting services by easing them into it, fusing your current website with new technology.

The options are wide open for the development of travelcast programs that are cutting edge, and highly opportunistic in terms of converting listeners into consumers.

The popularity of portable on demand information will grow even greater as wireless internet services continue to flourish across the country. These portable devices will no longer have to be connected to the internet; they will receive information wirelessly as it is updated. In addition, as cell phones and portable devices continue to merge together, the market grows larger.

For organizations that have members worldwide, the distribution of company information is very important, and once again this offers each institution a method of on-demand delivery which is convenient to all. Travelcasting can also be used as a direct line of communication, by recording video-casts of company messages from executives for company wide distribution.

There are numerous uses for travelcasting, and over the next few years it will explode in popularity. It is beneficial to organizations as well as the consumer, and it will be seen as a great tool in any travel organizations’ operations.

Ryan M. Hoback is CEO of What I Want Podcasting.

They specialize in developing podcasts & nanocasts for a wide range of industries. Their development team guides each client through the process of creating podcasts that incorporate brand integration and deliver the target message through a positive visual & listening experience.

http://www.WhatIWantPodcasting.com

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.

Khieng ‘Ken‘ Chho - Online Podcasting Resources. For more, visit Ken’s website: http://podcasting.1w3b.com/

Podcasts have been popping up all over the Internet in the past year or so. I have come across podcasts on anything from the latest tech gadgets to gardening tips. With millions of listeners out there and plenty of new people listening to podcasts every single day, now is a great time to start your own podcast and make some money along the way.

So far podcasts sound pretty similar to an Internet Talk Radio Show, doesn’t it? Even though the two have many similarities, there are also quite a few differences. Podcasts are unusually not as structured as an Internet Talk Radio show. The tone of a podcast is very informal. Podcasts are usually on blogs and are also available for automatic download to your mp3 player through RSS. Podcasts also don’t have guests on every show. The host of the podcasts does a lot of the talking him or herself. Podcasts be shorter or just as long as a talk radio show, plus they can vary in length from one show to the next.

There is a little bit of both hardware and software you will need for a good sounding podcast. Podcasts are usually broadcast as mp3’s, so you need some sort of software to record your show as well as a decent microphone. Plantronics has some great mike’s available. You can either use software like Allrecorder or a complete service like Audio Acrobat that will also host your audio files for you. Having your files hosted through a service like audio acrobat has the added benefit that people listening to and downloading your podcast will not eat up your bandwidth. This may save you quite a bit of money in hosting fees. You also don’ t have to worry about troubleshooting when there is an issue with the audio files.

Let’s talk about how you can start making money with your podcast. Your two main sources of income will be paid advertising and affiliate programs. You can sell 30 – 60 second ad spots on your podcast, as well as advertising spots on the site that links to the audio file of your podcast. As far as affiliate marketing goes, you can promote related products on your website and mention them in your show. If a listener follows your recommendation and buys the product through your link you will make a commission.

Another, newer source of income for podcasts that’s starting to pop up is sponsorship. Companies will pay good money to be mentioned as the main sponsor of the podcast both on your podcast website and in the show itself. Once your podcast attracts some listeners and you start getting some publicity, it should be easy to attract a corporate sponsor. In the meantime you could contact a few small businesses in your target market that may be interested in sponsoring your podcast for a few months.

Now sit down, grab a pen and paper and come up with a great topic you can talk about for hours. Jot down a few ideas and start recording. Before you know it, your first own podcast will be up online.

Nell Taliercio is the owner of a leading work at home mom resource website packed full of unique information for the telecommuter, business owner and virtual assistant. Visit www.mommysplace.net today