WebmasterRadio.fm’s Daron Babin gives you the podcasting 101

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I just watched Dan Rather on Larry King Live speaking of this new media he now gets to explore called the “Internet,” now that he’s departed CBS.  The BBC recently reported that they have increased the number of programs they will podcast. They had no idea how popular podcasts really were until, one day recently, some savvy tech stumbled upon the download stats.  My partner and I attended the Portable Media Expo & Podcasting Conference expecting 300 to 400 people, only to encounter approximately more than 2500 attendees and exhibiters. Like it or not, podcasting is past the tipping point.

Get this show on the road

As a long time search engine optimizer (SEO), I became empowered with the knowledge of placing targeted content in the hands of the searcher, based upon the searcher’s intent.  I did a weekly web radio show on the topic for more than a year. Teaching on web radio with a live chat room was fun, but I also learned a lot about those who consumed my content. Over the course of 44 episodes, I saw a lot of the same avatars in the chat room and heard the wishes of those who wanted to take the show “on the go.” Listening to it live didn’t always work with their schedules. Work, family, travel…these things made getting to the live show next to impossible for some.

This also presents opportunity for smart publishers who have the gift of gab.  Podcasting technology is an enabler of passion. To convey passion to a targeted, passionate audience is a recipe for a successful podcast. 

Spell it out 

Some other variables to a successful podcast are sound quality (controlled by compression, a quality microphone, and a good soundcard), engaging content, ease of accessibility (bullet proof hosting or a Content Delivery Network (CDN)) and overall file optimization. Take the time to transcribe your content. Include the transcription in a completely and thoroughly filled out ID3v2 Tag (see Podcasting Resources, below for more information). Make your content searchable by the ever evolving media search engines.

Keep it (really) simple (syndication)

So how does one go about distributing these golden files of optimized content? RSS! By virtue of specially formatted XML, a media file may now be syndicated to users via RSS (Really Simple Syndication), making web casts accessible on-demand. This means pushing content to users by subscription. As a longtime broadcaster, this wasn’t a surprise to me. I could see this coming. However, what did surprise me was how many people consume podcasts on a weekly and even daily basis. What excites me most about this has been the dramatic shift in consumer access.

Podcasting is evolving now at such a rate that it’s hard to keep up. You can now listen to a podcast on your iPod or portable MP3 player, but you can also listen on your Tivo, PSP and even your mobile phone. Imagine both live streaming and podcast delivery right to your ears via your BlueTooth enabled mobile. Web site owners utilizing podcasts will need to keep up with the times to meet consumer demand. This also means better multi-media search and delivery mechanisms to improve consumer experience and retention.

Find a need and fill it

Lastly, I would also recommend targeting a niche. You might be able to compete with big brand topic, but it is making yourself heard over the dull roar of competition so that you stand out that’s important. Being compelling is only half the battle, delivering something where there is a demand and you can be compelling about it as well—that’s a recipe for success!

• ID3v2 Tagging
• Wikipedia on Podcasting
• Yahoo! on Podcasting
• Useful article on understanding RSS
• Media RSS as supported by Yahoo!
• Useful article on where to submit your podcasts

—Daron Babin, Co-founder, WebmasterRadio.FM