Monthly Archives: August 2008

The Business of Small Business Podcasting

With anything, including a podcast, it truly benefits you to be prepared.

Whether you are in podcasting for leisure or business you will need a plan. Planning topics to discuss, possible guest interviews,

and monetization, and the duration of your show in advance will go a long way when producing a professional sounding podcast.

Since you’ll be recording your podcast in an almost live fashion, you will have the flexibility of going back and re-editing sections before committing your show as “podcast-ready”.

Before you started, you’ll need:

* A web publishing tool ( Try Blogger, TypePad, WordPress or MoveableType )

* A file hosting service ( Try LibSyn for free, AudioBlogger is also a good choice )

* Recording software ( Try Audacity for Window-based PCs or Garageband on Mac – both are free )

* Microphone ( Try a good headset microphone or better yet the Marshall Electronics MXL 006 Condenser USB Microphone for only $129)

Identifying The Theme – The Nucleus of Your Podcast

Developing your podcast description is a necessary step in the branding process. When you are brainstorming your podcast description, make sure that it explains the purpose of your show and accentuates the theme of your podcast. This description should be no more than two to three sentences in length.

Selecting a Name – Personify Your Podcast

When selecting a name, be sure that the name of your podcast reflects the content that you are recording. For example, if your subject matter is about travel, your podcast name should be branded to complement your show. To illustrate, a podcast about travel might be called Globetrotter, Passport Podcast, The Travel Guide, and so on. Make sure that the name you choose is also available as a domain name online. Try to make your name unique but easily understood and recognizable.

Acquiring a Domain Name and Blog Name

Once you have picked a name for your podcast, purchase the domain name for your podcast. This is extremely important because interested listeners and inquisitive searchers will be able to find your podcast in Search engines such as Google, Yahoo!, MSN and others. As a reward for consistently branding your podcast, search results will display your website and podcast accordingly.

The Perfect DIY Podcast Recording Studio

Avoid The Cheap Route

Experimenting with recording your podcast can be done with your existing computer, some free software and online tools. Experimental is the key word here, as you do get what you pay for. Bear in mind that this set-up won’t give you or your audience a good indication of your vocal quality and may reflect poorly on your business.

Yikes! For this reason, I’d strongly recommend investing a modest amount ( less than $500.00 ) in some basic recording equipment, specifically a microphone and a book about audio recording.

Doing It Right

rssheadphones One of the biggest trends in recent audio production involves merging digital recording with computer technology. The recording of audio onto a computers’ hard drive allows you to edit and manipulate your sound files. This data can be stored as a sound file such as .wav or .aiff. There are multiple advantages to recording and editing your voice-overs using your personal computer.

•The ability to record long and uninterrupted narration.

•Digital editing. Quickly and easily remove unwanted background noise or embellish the audio track with music and sound effects.

•Digital Processing. Add effects to your voice, such as reverb, or echo, and master your entire demo for sonic clarity.

Minimum Voice-over Requirements for PC

According to Gartner Research, Windows-based PC’s account for 90% of all computers world- wide. If you have purchased your personal computer in the last three years and you’re running Windows XP, your system should be more than adequate to record an audio file with a micro- phone, and then save the recording as an MP3 file.

•Personal Computer

•Intel Pentium 4 or equivalent Processor

•Windows 2000 / Windows XP

•iTunes for PC

•1 GB of available disk space

•512 MB of RAM

•Audio Line In and Audio Line Out

Minimum Voice-over Requirements for Mac

Recently with the launch of Apple’s iTunes, it shows that Apple is committed to the digital revo- lution. Since most iPod owners are also Mac owners there is also a lot of great software avail- able for the Mac platform. The misconception that the Mac is simply too expensive or that they are only for students and artists is quickly being proven wrong. Apple has also offers the Mac Mini, a scaled down ver- sion of the Mac that allows previous PC owners to make the switch but still keep their monitor, keyboard and mouse – all for just $499.

•Mac G3 or better

•Mac OS X

•iTunes for Mac

•1 GB of available disk space

•512 MB of RAM

•Audio Line In and Audio Line Out

Microphones – Amplify Your Voice

Whether you are using a Mac or PC, you will need a microphone to record your voice into your computer. One option is to purchase a microphone ( or you may already have one ) with a 1/ 8th inch jack. This is the size of the jack or audio line in port on your personal computer. The other option is to purchase a USB microphone, which have made significant advancements in their quality over the past few years.

Stop Monkeying Around, Start a Podcast For Your Business Now

 

podcast monkeyA new proven-to-be-effective species of marketing has been established, one that effortlessly propagates information to targeted audiences and receives exposure to the masses online.

Allow me to introduce to you, the newest member of your marketing family, the Podcast.

To see how podcasting fits into your “family” of marketing, I’ve devised a scientific classification system for you that demonstrates where podcasting comes from and how it fits:

Kingdom: Business
Phylum: Marketing
Order: Public Relations
Family: Media
Genus: Digital Media
Species: Podcast

Faster than weeds are popping up in your garden and rising higher in popularity than Virginia Creeper are podcasts, abounding wherever fertile creative ground and a captive audience is available.

A successful podcast is designed to execute campaigns with distinct purposes, be they promotional or educational, and are able to penetrate consumer interest like no other marketing tool.

You have a direct say in how your podcast influences your customers and company culture, and best yet, you can even choose a voice to represent your organization.

This voice will deliver messages on a regular basis to listeners subscribed to your podcast, will become a trusted voice of your company, and will be a wonderful introductory source for new customers wanting to learn more about your business.

Podcasting, while not only a tool for businesses, is also used for the promotion of tourism, politics, and education.

A podcast is the perfect way to keep up with active people (your customers, current or prospective) on the go with their iPods or similar MP3 players.

Heads of state including George W. Bush of the US, ranging all the way to city leaders, for example, the Mayor of Limerick, Diarmuid Scully, in Ireland are podcasting, proving that all levels of government are using podcasting as a means of communication to spread their message and gain feedback from their respective audiences.

Scripting the podcast is not difficult. You probably already have some written material on hand that you use to promote your company, suitable for a podcast script or segment of a podcast.

All that you are really missing is a voice to represent your organization and convey your message.

Are you looking for a short cut to the best podcasting voice talent?

We’ve worked hard to consolidate the finest voices on the web, not to mention the most diverse voices available online so that you can find the perfect voice for your podcast.

If you’ve been thinking about starting a podcast for a long time or if this letter has sparked a keen interest in pursuing a new marketing tool, now is the time to get the ball rolling.

Here are 3 Easy Ways to Find the Voice of your Podcast:

1. Post a Podcasting Job
2. Browse the Featured Talent Categories
3. Search by keyword

Traditional media consumption is evolving and web savvy consumers who love podcasts are leading the pack, educating and converting others along the way.

 

Speak Everyone’s Language?

 

When you’re producing a podcast, it’s very important that you establish who your target market is, and for the purposes of this article, also where your audience is.

While podcasts can be subscribed to from anywhere in the world, bear in mind that voice overs for podcasts, accent and dialects included,  should be representative of both the brand image you are trying to convey and also be somewhat familiar to the listening audience.

What are Accents and Dialects?

Simply put, an accent is how someone sounds and a dialect involves the language and particular verbiage that is used to communicate in a particular region within a country.

Take Italian, for example. In Italy, there are many different regions and because people are separated by provincial boundaries, they often speak a different, localized version of the Italian language that has developed over time in their home region. The way they sound (their accent) differs from other regions, but also the language they use (dialect) varies as well from region to region.

This doesn’t just happen in Italy but also in many other countries. This is why you need to be aware of the kind of voice you choose, the accent the speaker has, and the dialect that the script is written in.

Regional, National or Exotic Languages?

If you know your target market and audience, this question may not pose much of a hurdle for you, but if you are unsure of exactly who it is that you are trying to reach, it may take some thought.

    • Is your podcast meant to be heard locally in your own city or region?
    • Will your podcast attract the attention of people all over your country?
    • Does your audience live all over the world?

If you are recording a podcast intended for local or regional consumption, it is in your best interest to hire a voice over talent that speaks fluently in your firstly your language, the dialect of the region and shares the same accent as your listening audience.

National Podcasts

Should you be going for a more national image, the voice over should sound polished like the people you watch on your national television news broadcast or national public radio station. The announcers on national news networks speak clearly, do not have a noticeable accent, and avoid the use of slang, speaking the high (or official) dialect of the language.

International Podcasts

Lastly, if you have a global audience, you have the opportunity to spice it up a notch and add some worldly voices! A great example of this is the Voices.com podcast called Voice Over Experts, a weekly program produced in Canada, heard across 6 continents which employs a British voice over talent as the host. The English accent (the talent is from Coventry, West Midlands) gives the podcast a cosmopolitan and sophisticated image as well as presenting the material with a universally recognized accent.