To Podcast or not to podcast…

Podcast. This is a very interesting word to me. It’s a word none less interesting than, say, widget. Apparently, in order to be inducted into social media mainstream use, the word in question has to sound like it comes from a far, far away, fantasy land. I’m sure to get into the strange words of social media and SM networks in the near future; but for now I digress. This post is intended to be a primer for anyone that is interested in podcasting from a business standpoint.

A gentleman named Ben Hammersley first coined the term “Podcast” in 2004 as a synonym to audioblogging. He combined broadcasting with iPod and came up with the term as we know it today.

Since then, other organizations have added to the definition. I won’t get more into the history of podcasting; I’ll instead let you know the gist of the whole thing. Podcasting is a system that lets subscribers of podcast channels be delivered the most relevant, up to date, audio or video content. A podcast is a set of related media files that is tied to an RSS/Atom feed. When new content for the podcast is available, subscribers are notified via their podcast software and can then view or download the latest content. If you’re familiar with Google Reader, then it should be easy for your to understand the feed concept - just apply it to audio/video media instead of news. This content is available for use on a subscribers computer or may be in a portable format for use on certain portable devices. You can think of a podcast as your personal radio show on the Internet that can be downloaded, streamed, and is portable. A more elaborate definition can be found on wikipedia.

What can a podcast do for a business? Think of podcasting as another marketing channel. Like all social media tools, podcasts can extend a companies market reach. Podcasts can create loyal followers. Podcasts can help “sell” your business, your services, and your products. Podcasts CAN lead to conversions. Podcasting can be direct, relevant, targeted marketing for existing and potential clients.

There is a lot of data out there that shows just how many podcast listeners there are. Let’s just say the number is projected to be in the tens of millions in a few years. So you ask yourself, “Is it worth it?” Remember, these listeners will pull your messages, as they have to opt in to your shows. You can’t get any more relevant targeted marketing than that. If you learn to do it yourself, the ROI from podcasting can be enormous.

There are a couple of ways you can go about creating your own podcast. One way is to hire podcasting consultants. PodWorx is a consulting firm that created the Four P’s of Podcasting, and specializes in podcasting for business. You can also create your own podcast. Here is How to create your own podcast.

Posted by Rick Garcia in Podcasting