Blogging & Podcasting
What is it and how do I use it?

Introduction
• Blogs and Podcasts can be a very viable and
useful communications tool for any
organization.
• The best part about these are that blogs and
podcasts are virtually free to build and operate
due to the open source software that is
available.
• Anyone can create and distribute a blog or
podcast.

All About…
BLOGGING

Blogging
• A blog is a personal or corporate website in the
form of an online journal, with new entries
appearing in sequence as they are written,
especially as dealing with reflections or opinion,
and typically incorporating links to other articles.
• Blogs should be written conversationally to
speak with the general audience and can be
written on any topic by anyone within your
organization.

Blogging
• “…blogs are not only
having an impact on the
speed and availability of
news, but also influence
the tone and editorial
direction of reporting.”
(Brodeur, 2008, p. 1)
• Blogs are a regular
source for journalists.
• Journalists are
increasingly active
participants in the
blogoshpere.

Blogging
• Things to consider before making a decision to blog:
• Culture: Does your company have a particular cultural trait
worth revealing, or conversely, a bad reputation they want to
repudiate?
• Transparency: Transparency is crucial to establishing
credibility and trust with and audience.
• Time: It takes time to write a quality blog, a company should
be sure to give one person or a group of people the time to
make the blog successful.
• Dialogue: Be able and willing to engage in a greater
dialogue with the blogging community.
• Personalization: Bring a human side to the blog by sharing
experiences and opinions. This will help build personal
connections with your audiences.

Blogging
• Blogging can be FREE!!
It all depends on how in-
depth you want to get.
• There are many different
pieces of software that
can be used for
blogging. Some do
require in-depth
knowledge of web
programming, though.

Blogging
(Backbone Media, 2005, p. 49)

Blogging
www.buffaloweatherblog.com
(Courtesy WIVB, Buffalo, NY)

a Public Relation tool
PODCASTING

Podcasting
A Podcast is…
“a digital recording of a
radio broadcast or
similar program, made
available on the Internet
for downloading to a
personal audio player.”
- New Oxford American Dictionary
MP3 + RSS = Podcast

Podcasting
• You can podcast just about anything…
• Speakers
• Lectures
• Interviews
• Broadcasts
• Or a Podcast Blog

Podcasting
• Guide to Podcasting
1. Plan what you want to say
2. Write an outline and practice it
3. Record in an audio editor/recorder
4. Export to MP3 or other compatible format
5. Upload file(s) to a server
6. Create a post or a web page linking to the media
file(s)
7. Create and send RSS feed address to podcast
directories

Podcasting
• Recording a podcast
• Should be simple and
easy
• Several free software
packages can do this
• Just need a sound card
http://audacity.sourceforge.net
and a microphone
www.apple.com/ilife/garageband

Podcasting
• Podcasts can NOW also be video
• Advances in cell phones and iPods now make it
possible to create video podcasts
• Require a bit more knowledge and technology
• News broadcasts now video podcast so that you
can download the news and watch it on the go

Signing Off…
CONCLUSION

THE END

Bibliography
Backbone Media. (2005). Corporate Blogging: Is it
Worth the Hype? Boston, MA: Backbone Media.
Brodeur. (2008, January 8). Brodeur Blogging
Survey. USA.
Cass, J. a. (2006). Blogging Success Study.
Northeastern University and Backbone Media.
Free, D. &. (2007, August 19). Podcasting and
Videocasting Bootcamp.
Mairn, C. (2007, June 1). Podcasting in 15 minutes...
FACC Conference, St. Petersburg College.