Podcasting provides businesses with a low-cost way to connect with customers and other stakeholders through distributing audio files on the internet. It allows businesses to instantly broadcast messages and interviews similar to radio without the same barriers. Podcasts can be used to share customer stories, recordings of company events, and interviews with experts. Creating effective podcasts involves choosing a theme, title, structure, and tools for recording, mixing, hosting and publishing the audio files so they can be accessed through directories and podcast apps.

1. Web 2.0 and Social
Media for Business
Chapter 4: Beyond Blogging: RSS and Podcasting: Part B
Roger McHaney, Kansas State University

2. Why Podcast?
2 Podcasting emerged for same reasons that blogging did:
Provides easy, low cost method to get out a message
Uses same technologies as blogging
Comparable to radio, except without FCC oversight and many costly entry
barriers
Provides mechanism for businesses to instantly connect with clients, potential
customers and other stakeholders
A business becomes a broadcaster

3. What is Podcasting?
3 Similar to blog posts except text replaced with audio files
Involves uploading digital audio files (generally in MP3 format) to
a server where Internet users access material from an audio
player, mobile device, or computer
Uses XML format to ensure cross-platform compatibility
Can be syndicated and published using RSS technology
Web infrastructure has grown up around podcasting

4. Access to Podcasts
4
Apple’s iTunes and Podcastalley.com index
and provide access to thousands of regularly
produced podcasts. Businesses, organizations,
and individuals have created programs
ranging from political opinion to comedy to
business advice.
Some broadcasts are decidedly amateurish,
however many businesses produce
professional material and spend a great deal
of money to get their message out on the
Web

5. What makes podcasts desirable?
5

6. What makes podcasts desirable for business?
6

7. Business Enters the Picture
Traditional podcast formats modeled a radio show
using a charismatic host
Podcasting in business has progressed to become a
powerful tool used by marketing departments and
others to connect with prospective clients, existing
customers, and other strategic partners like members
of the media, shareholders, employees and other
stakeholders.

8. Primary Business Uses
Allow customers to tell their stories. Customer interviews can be
recorded and featured on company Web site or blog.
Company events can be recorded and rebroadcast. Training
sessions, expert talks, and other company events can be used as
podcast content.
Create connections with podcasts. Industry experts and authors
are open to interview offers.
Interview employees. By creating podcasts, employees,
customers and prospective clients can get to the staff
Build a strategic network. Interview and podcast key members
of a business or industry (e.g. trade associate president,
chamber of commerce president, and others).

9. Podcast Elements

10. Podcast Theme
A business podcast needs
a theme
For instance, a theme
might highlight new
products
Another example might
be to introduce members
of a business team to the
general public

11. CISCO Themes

12. Podcast Name
Themes are used in name selection for a podcast series
Name should reflect the expected content
Must consider Web searches that will use the name and link it to users’
key words
Acquire a domain name that matches the podcast name so listeners
find the broadcast more easily
Will enable additional indexing on Google, Bing, and other search
engines

13. Sample
Podcast
Structure

14. Podcast Structure (con’t)
A podcast script can help guide the program and provide a
sense of confidence as the recording progresses. Since most
podcasts are not live, the recording can be edited and
rerecorded in spots to make the final version sound professional.
Many podcasts are cleaned to remove the ‘ahhs’ and
misstatements that have been made.

15. Constructing a Podcast
Podcasts can be recorded in a variety of ways ranging from free
tools available for any computer to using expensive, professional
studios.
Quality of the broadcast will be affected by the resources
available for the project.
Depending on the goals of the podcasts, different approaches
should be considered.
Professional sounding podcasts can be created without a large
investment.
Balance between cost and quality is where many small
businesses set their focus.

16. Tools for
Podcasting

17. Tools for Podcasting (con’t)

18. Tools for
Podcasting
(con’t)

19. Tools for Podcasting: Audio Recorder

20. Tools for Podcasting: Audio Recorder

21. Specialized Software for Podcasting

22. Recording and Mixing Hints
Creating a podcast is more than just
hooking a microphone to a computer
and pressing the record button. It is
important to create an environment
for recording that will ensure that the
broadcast sounds natural and
eliminates distractions for the listeners.
One approach is to create a small
recording studio in a quiet setting with
acoustic material on the walls.

23. More Recording Ideas
A single person monologue is the most
basic form of podcast.
Podcasts can be become complex as
more voices are added to the
broadcast.
Interviews, guest speakers, question
/answer sessions, and call-in
contributors can make the podcast
interesting but also complicate
recording.

24. Podcast Hosting
Finished podcast
needs to be put
online. Self hosting
can result in
bandwidth concerns.

25. Podcast
Hosting
and
more
Services such as LibSyn and HipCast facilitate listing podcasts on
iTunes and other indexing and sales services. Tools for monetization
are also available. Advertising options, methods for selling and paid
subscriptions and other features are provided.

26. Publishing with Feedburner
Permits a user to publish
a blog or podcast URL.
This makes the podcast
available for subscription
using any newsreader or
feed reader. LibSyn
automatically does this
for an account holder

27. Publishing with iTunes
Podcasts published on an
organization’s Web site
can be submitted to
iTunes. The process is
straightforward:
1. Open iTunes
2. Login to the iTunes Store (the business
or user will need an account)
3. Click on ‘Podcasts’ (located on the
left sidebar menu)
4. Click ‘Submit Podcast’
5. Enter podcast feed URL that was
acquired from FeedBurner
6. Confirm details and submit
7. Receive email upon acceptance

28. Podcast Receivers
A podcast receiver or client is needed in order to find, subscribe, and
listen to broadcasts. Software used for this purpose may also be
referred to as a podcatcher. The first podcatcher, iPodder, was
developed by Adam Curry (a former MTV videojockey) and Dave
Winer, an early developer of RSS technology. iTunes is a podcast
receiver.

29. Summary
Businesses can benefit from using new Web 2.0 tools to
publish and broadcast content.
Potential customers can learn about new products,
coming business changes, and the people that run a
company by subscribing to RSS feeds to receive blogs and
podcasts.
New technology has made it possible to create high
quality online audio broadcasts using low cost equipment
and software.

30. Slide Media from:
Slides Prepared by Professor Roger McHaney
Kansas State University PresenterMedia.com
Twitter: @mchaney support@presentermedia.com
Blog: http://mchaney.com
Email : mchaney@ksu.edu
4416 S. Technology Dr
Sioux Falls, SD 57106