Podcasting is becoming a great marketing tool that offers efficient and portable ways for individual users to consume your content by downloading and uploading it onto a telephone or audio device. An important aspect of creating regular audio and video podcast content is to have a format to follow. Similar to the way news shows are structured, you want your podcast to have a strong introduction where you discuss the key topics you will be speaking about. You should also plan to have short segments about a few different topics where you can go into greater detail about the key points you referred to in the introduction. By developing segments and creating a show made from those segments, you will be able to pack a lot of juicy content into a single podcast.
Another technique that many top podcaster and web shows employ is to have multiple people on the show. Having different voices and faces on the show will keep it interesting in combination with multiple topics and segments. By hearing voices of real individuals, podcasting creates a more personal and enriched experience for the audience that will encourage them to hear more about your business and download future podcasts. This will not only make the show more interesting, but will also be more informative for your audience.
Does all of this seem daunting? Don't let it be. Start small with an introduction, create a feature story and then wrap up the show. Your podcast topic can range from a broad overview about your business to information about one of your products or services. Although a typical podcast may be a bit longer than a web video, you can also parallel your podcast with some of the content discussed in previous videos on your website. Another great way to add content and provide your own unique point of view in your podcast is to pick some top news stories from the week, discuss the background (don't forget to acknowledge the source of the story) and then describe your own point of view. Make sure your opinion is clear and concise. If you are still having trouble, there are also a few instructional software tools that can manually guide you through the process of creating a podcast. These include:
ePodCast Creator: http://tinyurl.com/do7sq
Pod Producer: http://tinyurl.com/9dwrh
FeedForAll: http://www.feedforall.com/podcasting-tutorial.htm
The use of podcasting as a marketing tool is gaining popularity among many large companies and small businesses. According to Forrester Research, podcasting is expected to have about 12.3 million listeners by the end of 2010. With all this increased usage among consumers, podcasting can be a vital tool for marketing and providing information regarding your products or services. This simple, inexpensive form of promotion is just another way to create more buzz about your business. Also, with the introduction of the new iPad approaching, consumers may be even more motivated to search and download podcast content. This, coupled with various marketing strategies, will undoubtedly enable podcasting to enhance and engage customers in a more personal and interactive way.
In summary:
1. Start small
2. Develop unique segments focused on a particular topic
3. Include multiple people and personalities to keep things fresh and entertaining