Last weekend I attended my first Podcamp a volunteer driven free “un-conference” for people interested in Podcasting, Social Media, Blogging and PR. All week I’ve been explaining to friends and family not only what Podcamp was about but also what Podcasting means.
What is Podcasting? A podcast is a series of digital media files (either audio or video) released in episodes on the Internet. The term “Podcasting” was derived from combining iPod and broadcasting. This can be confusing because you don’t have to use an iPod to listen to a Podcast; you can access the files using a different brand of portable media player or any computer that can play media files.
Listening to Podcasts: Before you even consider Podcasting you should start by listening to Podcasts. I’ve never listened to a Podcasts, hey I don’t even own a portable media player. At PodCamp Toronto 2010 I gained an appreciation for the ever-increasing popularity of Podcasting and for the first time I’ve started to think about listening to Podcasts. One Podcamp presentor said he listens to a Podcast while he does his grocery shopping – a great way to multi-task. There are a wide variery of Podcasts available on the Internet from the big name broadcasters to amateurs on an endless array of subjects. I’ve been missing out!
5 STEPS to PodListening:
- get a portable media player an mp3 player or iPod – my kids have an mp3 player that they no longer use
- download a podcatching program such as iTunes
- find a Podcast and click subscribe using iTunes. You can find a Podcast by browsing the web or searching the Podcast Directory within iTunes. Podcasts are FREE to download.
- allow the program to download the Podcast
- plug your mp3 player into your computer and sync the Podcast from iTunes to your mp3 player
WHY PODCAST? At Podcamp Toronto I attended a Panel discussion Podcasting for Amateurs; it’s Priceless. The Panel members were four Podcasters who aren’t in it to make money: Scarborough Dude, of the DicksNJanes Podcast, Doug the Slug of the Slug Is Doug Podcast, John Meadows of On the Log and The B-Side, and Katherine Matthews of Totally Filmi. Here are some of the reasons they gave as to why they Podcast:
- Podcasting can help you build your credibility within your niche
- Podcasting as therapy. Sometimes it is just good to talk things out
- Podcasting is intimate, people are listening to your voice and your stories; you can develop relationships through podcasting and relationship-building is at the true heart of social media
RECORDING A PODCAST: You don’t need a large budget to start Podcasting. [Podcasting on a Budget – Russel Hale]
- A portable recording device such as an H4 or H2-Zoom is ideal for face-to-face interviews but you can start with an even less expensive portable recording device.
- Skype works well for interviewing people at a distance.
- Edit your Podcast with Audacity which is free to download from http://audacity.sourceforge.net/.
- You can also find free music to use in your Podcasts from http://www.podsafeaudio.com/ and http://www.archive.org/details/audio
EDITING YOUR PODCAST: [Finding the Song: Editing an Interview as if it were Music – John Meadows]
I was surprised that a number of Podcasters at Podcamp said they don’t edit. This session made a case for why you should edit and gave some great tips for what to listen for when editing to be able to keep the original intent and cadence of the speaker.
POSTING YOUR PODCAST: [Podcasting and WordPress Sitting in a Tree… Optimizing a WordPress site for your Podcast – AngeloMandato]
PowerPress is the Podcast Plugin for WordPress. It will allow you to easily add podcasts to your blog posts and pages. PowerPress is compatible with iTunes adding iTune-friendly tags to your feed. The Plugin also comes complete with an integrated audio & video player. It is a Podcasting Plugin built by Podcasters so it delivers what Podcasters want.
I know I’m a long way away from ever making my first Podcast but here who knows maybe some day?…
What did you learn at Podcamp Toronto? What Podcasts do you listen to? Where do you like to listen? Please add your comments.
Related posts:
nice round up of what you learned at podcamp! i had a great time this year.
nice round up of what you learned at podcamp! i had a great time this year.