PODCASTING: AN OVERVIEW
Did you know that in 2004, only 215 podcasts existed? A year later in 2005, roughly 5,000 were active. According to PRWeb Newswire, podcasts will grow by over 1,000 percent in the next four years. Thanks to the growth of broadband Internet as well as mp3 audio compression techniques, podcasting is exploding as an extremely efficient way of communicating to customers and employees alike.
What is a podcast?
The term podcast represents the merging of two words, i-Pod and broadcast. It describes a newly developed method of publishing audio programs to the Internet or to your i-pod or mp3 player.
Generally short in nature, they are like mini radio shows (usually under 5 minutes) and produced exactly the same way. Once recorded, they are posted to a website and can be downloaded by the general public, free of charge in the form of an mp3 file.
TV networks and radio broadcasters have readily adopted this new technology, and corporations are following suit. Businesses are now using podcasts to communicate with their customers and employees. They help to target an audience with unique messages. That's why so many different podcasts on a wide range of subjects play on the Internet.
Podcasts enable people to voluntarily listen to what companies have to say. Companies have found podcasts help attract serious prospects and generate new clients. It's a medium that allows companies and organizations to get their message across, develop relationships with customers, and build a better business on the whole.
A great benefit is that audience response rate can be measured through website data mining. This enables companies to get a read on what is popular and what is not. More and more websites are including podcasts as a way of enhancing their corporate marketing and training.
What makes a good podcast?
A quality podcast is just like producing a quality radio show. Start with a good strong subject. A general narrative outline of what you want to cover is very helpful. It's important not to ramble but rather to be crisp and tight in your delivery. Since you're relying on audio to deliver your message, it's a good idea to add music or some other dramatics to make it memorable.
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