Use Podcasts to Promote Your Business

My last post was on why you might listen to podcasts and audiobooks. Have you ever thought about using podcasts to promote you, your products and/or your business? Why not?

Here's a list of the basics of what you need to do to create your very own podcast:

1. Choose your content, decide how long your podcast will be and write a script.

2. Make sure you have the right equipment: a Mac or PC and an inexpensive microphone will do (like the one that came with your computer). Serious podcasters might consider more expensive microphones, a preamp, a digital recorder, headphones and sound-editing software.

3. Open your sound recording software (e.g. Audacity which can be downloaded free) and create a new project.

4. Record, save and edit your podcast.

5. Export your podcast to MP3 format and edit the ID3 tags (for identifying information).

6. Create an RSS feed (using something like Feedburner) to distribute your podcasts to listeners. Upload your RSS feed to a (your?) website and get it listed on a podcast directory (do this for great exposure to lots of potential customers).

Here are some links with excellent podcasting "how-tos" and tips:

IPodder.org: http://www.ipodder.org/
Podcast Central: http://www.podcastcentral.com/
Podcast.net: http://www.podcast.net/
Podcast Alley: http://www.podcastalley.com/
Podcasting Tools: http://www.podcasting-tools.com/
Podscope: http://www.podscope.com/
Podcast about the Podcast: http://reelreviewsradio.com/archives/2004/12/27/podcast-about-the-podcast/

By the way, as a followup to the last post, here's a link to a directory of some more business podcasts:
http://www.podcastingnews.com/forum/link_10.htm

Should you wish to read some books about podcasting, try your local public library. Many of these books have great appendices which list podcasting-related websites. At the bottom of this post is a link to the results of a title search that I did at the Oakville Public Library. Some of the interesting and informative book titles included:

1. Secrets of Podcasting: Audio Blogging for the Masses by Bart Farkas, 2006
2. Absolute Beginner's Guide to Podcasting by George Colombo and Curtis Franklin Jr., 2006
3. How to Do Everything with Podcasting by Shel Holtz with Neville Hobson, 2007
and, of course, a Dummies book:
Podcasting for Dummies by Tee Morris and Eva Terra, 2006

Here's the link to the book search: http://cat.opl.on.ca/ipac20/ipac.jsp?session=B1X63658524O2.137007&menu=search&aspect=subtab13&npp=50&ipp=20&spp=20&profile=ma&ri=3&source=%7E%21oakville&index=.TW&term=podcasting&aspect=subtab13&x=7&y=8#focus

Give it a try!