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Once the domain of self-described techies and audio geeks, podcasting has graduated to the business mainstream over the past few years. Here’s a quick Q&A guide to help you understand this medium.
What’s a podcast?
A podcast is a multimedia file distributed over the Internet and played back on a personal computer or mobile device. Think of an audio podcast as an Internet radio show. Podcasts can also be videos, but we’ll stick to audio for the majority of this article.
Do I need an iPod or iTunes to tune in?
Despite the name podcasting, you do not need an Apple iPod (or an iPad for that matter!) to listen to a podcast. You can tune in on your desktop or laptop computer, or by using any portable MP3 player—while exercising, folding laundry or commuting to the office. Although there are other ways to find and listen to podcasts, people often use iTunes. This free application from Apple runs on PCs and Macs.
Why would I use a podcast?
The sound of human voices makes podcasting an engaging communication tool that can augment traditional face-to-face, print and online media—for company news, investor relations, marketing, product announcements, employee recruitment, training and more. Think of podcasting when you want to inform employees, educate the public or reinforce your brand.
Why would I choose audio over video?
Some stories are best told through pictures, others using text and still others in audio form. To decide between audio and video, take an honest look at both your communication goals and your resources. Does your audience need to see anything to get the point?
In general, video is more expensive and time-consuming to produce and edit. With an audio program, you need to be concerned about the structure of your story and how it sounds. When working with video, you still need excellent story structure and sound, but you also have to be proficient with lighting, composition and so on.
Will I be expected to produce a podcast on a regular basis?
Most podcasts are serial in nature. If a weekly or bi-weekly schedule seems too daunting, why not try a limited series? Perhaps you can produce five or 10 episodes related to a particular topic. A financial institution might create a podcast about living within a budget or buying a first home. An internal podcast series could cover a new program being rolled out across the organization. You can think of the limited series as a pilot program, but your audience will see it as a finite set of podcasts. What a great—and painless—way to test your podcast concept.
How do I get started?
You can create an audio podcast with an inexpensive microphone, audio-editing software and your computer. You’ll also need access to a server on which to store the MP3 files and a Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feed to distribute it.
The difference between Internet audio (which has been around for ages) and podcasting (which made its debut five years ago) is podcasting’s distribution through an RSS feed. If you don’t understand RSS, don’t worry; RSS feeds are bundled into blog platforms, so publishing your podcast through a blog is an easy solution.
There are numerous ways to record audio, both in person and remotely. Serious podcasters often invest in higher-end equipment, but the essential technique for creating a podcast is the same whether you record on your iPhone’s little headset or with a professional microphone, mixer, and digital recorder. Some organizations handle their own recording and editing; others outsource this job.
How should I structure my podcast?
When planning your podcast, you have to decide how to best meet your communication goals as well as the needs of your audience. Should you try a talk-show format, a more casual conversation between two co-hosts or a simple audio address from the CEO? For interviews, will the interviewer and interviewee be in the same room or on different continents?
Here’s another idea: Record content at important meetings within your organization, then edit it down to its most cogent tidbits and produce a short podcast for employees or customers. This type of podcast can be very effective at conferences when far-flung teams are brought together for a few days to share ideas. What an opportunity to produce content for people at the conference—plus those who aren’t!
Here’s some advice before you get started:
- Take a workshop, read a book, or hire an expert to introduce you to podcasting techniques and technologies.
- Plan the topics of your first five shows.
- Be sure to invite listener comments and pay heed to them.
- Make friends with your IT department, and be sure they understand what you’re doing.
- Keep podcasting—you’ll get better each time.
Donna Papacosta is principal of Oakville, Ontario-based Trafalgar Communications. Dedicated to helping organizations communicate in print and online, she’s been producing The Trafcom News Podcast since 2005. Find her at trafcom.com and podcastyourconference.com. |
