I have been seeing the word podcasting floating around the Internet for a while. And actually, read an article that stated its arrival. However, it never really gave me any information about podcasting. And yes, my curiosity got the better of me. I decided it was time to find out more about podcasting, and learn the what and how—and if it could help a business. And, most importantly, how much one would have to spend to partake in this technology.
What is Podcasting?
Podcasting is
simply a web blog that is in an audio format.
And the audio portion is presented by way of an MP3 file. In essence, it is your own radio broadcast,
relating to anything you want. The transmission of the podcast is through an
RSS (Real Simple Syndication) technology.
How Can I Use It in My Business?
How Can I Use It in
My Business? To me, that is the most
important question to answer. Why get
the technology if it is not going to be of any use to you. Right? Well, I feel that it can be of use to any
business. For example: let’s say that
your site is based around a niche market, say cats. You could base your podcast
on your niche market, supplying them information and tips about cats, with an
audio, and then tell them to follow up to your website or blog, for that
matter, for additional information.
What can audio do
for your business? It puts a voice
behind the website, and makes you a real person. And, by also supplying the same information,
with follow-up material in your blog, you have made a connection. You are now a real person, with a real voice,
and not a façade.
Where can I get a Podcast service?
If you’re new to
podcasting, know very little about it, and you don’t want to spend very much –
if anything -- to experiment with this new product, (like myself), then I would
suggest getting eBooks on the topic. If you have time on your hands, you can do
your own research in this area, some podcast service providers can even give
you training for how to use their services.
To conclude, it’s
always good to be open to new technology when it comes onboard the Internet,
and to see if it can work for you and your website. Sometimes it won’t, but other times, it may
be what you need.
And remember,
people have their own internal comfort zone to retrieving data for
themselves. Some like eBooks, while
others prefer books. Some like to read,
and others like to listen. So, you see,
if you can give your visitors the best of both worlds, you have a better chance
of making them a customer and/or a return visitor.
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