Podcasting presents a great opportunity for both large and small companies to get more exposure. A recent report by eMarketer said that the podcast audience in the United States will reach 10 million in 2006 and increase to 50 million by 2010. With this kind of growth you just can't afford to ignore podcasting as a marketing avenue.
But the question is "just exactly how do you create a podcast?"
There are literally hundreds of ways to create a podcast and with so many choices it can be confusing.
For beginners the easiest way to create a podcast is to join either Odeo.com or Evoca.com. Both sites give you the ability to create a podcast and make them available to a web community. Of course for greater control and distribution for your podcast, its better to create your podcast with your own equipment.
The first piece of hardware you need is a microphone. It's important not to go cheap with this. A poor quality microphone will produce an inferior sound and make you sound unprofessional. You can find high quality headsets with microphones for only 20 or 30 bucks at your local Radio Shack or Circuit City.
Next you need software. Audacity is a free software program for recording that is hands down the most popular and the most used for the do-it-yourself podcaster. You will also need an MP3 encoder to convert your audio file into an MP3. The LAME MP3 encoder is popular and iTunes for Mac and PC can convert recordings into MP3 for free. Using these resources will get you going without spending much money.
Now if you're looking to get the highest quality equipment for podcasting there are more choices. I would suggest using a Sennheiser e845 supercardioid microphone, connected through an M-Audio FireWire Solo Mobile Audio Interface, using Sony Sound Forge for the software.
Now if you need to record telephone interviews and make it into a podcast there are a few options. The first option is a mix and mash solution with Skype to initiate the call and Audio Hijack Pro to record the session. Another option is to use JK Audio Inline Patch to record the interview directly to your computer, use a Plantronic DSP microphone headset to record your voice, using Audacity to process the audio files, and then Audio Acrobat for the listen lines.
Clearly there a many ways to create a podcast. Make sure to use one of the options that I covered and you will be set to go in no time.
You will also find that a great deal of practice is important. Once you have your podcast sound smooth and professional, you will create content that others will like well enough to pass it along to friends and family.
By having your own website you are someone who provides such content, and as more people visit your site, it will become more attractive to advertisers wanting to promote their products.
For many website owners, advertising is their main source of income, so integrating advertisements into your site from the outset is a good way to get a foot in the door here.
Putting Up Ads
Of course, to say, "Advertise on your website" is a complicated piece of advice. How do you go about advertising? How do you receive payment?
Well, if you design your website with software that has an internet marketing focus, you won't have to worry about a lot of those specifics. And that's because they should come bundled with built-in advertising options, including implementation of Google AdWords, Amazon Product Advertising, and Oxado advertising.
Using these advertising options is a great way to earn income, and the best part is that the software code that makes up these advertisements will automatically display products and suggestions optimized to appeal to the viewers of your website.
A wise strategy for designing different pages for your website is to create a template file. This file will have all of the universal content that is featured on all of your pages.
For instance, if you have a website with a left navigation bar, banner on the top and advertisements on the right hand bar (a very popular design that is easily recognized), your template file can contain these features.
To add a new ad, simply upload the template you created and insert the new wording/banners, and your new web page is created.
What makes the template system even more efficient is that you can insert your advertisements into the template file and then never have to worry about inserting them manually ever again.
Many web site hosts start off doing it in their part time, so you want to make as much money for the least amount of time spent as possible.
By using a template and advertising solution like this one, you'll be making money in no time.
Both Jordan Williams & James Schramko are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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