Introduction to Podcasting

People have a natural inclination to what is trendy.  In fact, it is this “cool” factor that fuels most industries.  Sales are determined by how fashionable the products are perceived.  Determining market trends can also be predicted by knowing what is “cool.”

Take for example Apple’s highly successful portable mp3 player, the iPod.  The iPod has been hailed as a cultural revolution, as it changed the way society has come to enjoy their music.  A great part of the iPod’s success is because of the “cool” factor associated with it.  Apple has positioned their wonder toy to be at the top of the industry it has created for many years to come. 

As an Internet marketer, you could capitalize on this popularity enjoyed by the iPod as well as similar gadgets that have been made available to the market the past year.  This is through a channel that has been fondly labeled as podcasting.

Podcasting, quite appropriately, traces the roots of its name to iPod owners as well as owners of similar devices.    Podcasting is much like broadcasting, making use of new technology on Internet content delivery.  RSS 2.0 is the medium of choice for podcasting.  But instead of syndicated text, RSS 2.0 would deliver codes that, when decoded, are translated to audio that could convey any message, whether for entertainment, for business, or for personal purposes.

Podcasting has brought about a renaissance in radio broadcasts.  Portable mp3 players have dislodged transportable FM receivers, after all.  Many Internet radio stations have sprouted left and right because of the many wondrous possibilities that podcasting has brought to the plate.

Podcasting also opens many doors for advertising opportunities.  This, of course, is what should concern you the most.

The best way Internet marketers can capitalize on podcasting is through on demand broadcasts.  This much like on demand video, where the viewer can watch the shows he prefers anytime he wants to.  On demand podcasting would allow your listeners to listen to your broadcast at anytime they please.  All you have to do is to host your podcast in your web server. 

Even if a million subscribers decide to listen to your podcast, there wouldn’t be any problems at all.  Your bandwidth would be able to withstand such volume of requests because podcasts come in very small files, thanks to the RSS 2.0 technology to which they are embedded.

Basically, anyone who has access to the Internet and is blessed with a modicum of programming sills can build his own podcasting studio.  It is an easy technology to master, and involves very minimal financial investment to set up. 

As with every online medium, however, content is king.  People would listen to your podcasts if you have something interesting and informative to share, much like how they would visit your website if you have equally interesting and informative content to give.  If you wish to try podcasting, make your content your number one investment.  No one wants to listen to junk, after all.

You could convert any of the known Internet marketing strategies into tactics that would make your podcast the ultimate promotional vehicle.  You could include your links, recommend your products, and even invite your listeners so that you may capture them as leads.  You could even podcast some interviews you have conducted with some experts on the field you’re catering to.

You could decide to use podcasting as an advertising vehicle or as an information product in itself.  You could prepare some audio lessons and deliver them through your podcasts, for a reasonable fee that your subscribers could afford. 

The best thing about podcasting is that it is a relatively new technology.  Not a lot of web entrepreneurs are into it as of present.  You could have little competition in this area, and you’ll be able to brand your business as an amazing cutting edge enterprise for using such a technology.

So hop aboard the podcasting bandwagon today, and get the head start that could possibly propel your business to the next level!