Podcasting 101
By Ryan M. Hoback
You have heard the phrase……You have bought the product……or have you? Podcasting has finally arrived on the media scene and Ipods everywhere are listening closely. Do you have what it takes to create a quality podcast? Do you have any idea where to begin?

Let us start by saying that if you are not familiar with podcasting do not be worried, just yet that is. 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.

Producing a podcast can be as simple as plugging in your $10 microphone to your computer, recording your voice and uploading it through one of the many podcast directories. There is no charge to download a podcast, so the marketing possibilities are endless currently. On the other hand, companies such as Disney and BusinessWeek have taken the lead with high-level professionally produced radio quality shows.

While the “craze” is just beginning, and currently it is a “craze”, the markets are starting to scramble towards revolution in personal broadcasting that has just begun. Developing a podcast involves mixing your business concept and model with an interesting format of entertaining audio delivery.

Let me give you a quick introduction into developing a quality podcast. First you must develop the basic business concept you wish to deliver in creating this podcast. Next you need to find quality recording and mixing software or utilize a professional studio to sample and edit your

cast. Sound effects and music licensing may become a necessity in order to retain target market attention. Next you need to develop a fresh and interesting approach toward delivering your material, step one should be finding someone who has a great broadcasting voice. After developing your program you really need to drive your podcast with different forms of marketing and promotion in order to attract attention. Once you have begun to market your podcast you need to make sure that the target audience can find your podcast without too much effort. This requires submitting your podcast to the numerous directories which label podcasts according to different categories and collections. The final option is implementing an automated function on your website which allows users either to upload and hear the podcast through streaming media or allow the user to download the podcast directly from you website.

As we mentioned in the beginning the podcasting market and industry is still in the infant stages of development, however it is rapidly growing and will soon become a new dominating medium through which businesses’ can deliver their company’s marketing message. If you would like help developing a podcast for your business, please contact the associates at The Motivated Entrepreneur, at www.MotivatedEntrepreneur.com.

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About the Author

This article was written by Ryan Hoback. Mr. Hoback is founder and President of The Motivated Entrepreneur, a business incubation & consulting firm. www.MotivatedEntrepreneur.com