If you produce video podcasts, you have to make sure that your video content is will come out in search results. This is important because you increase the chances of someone stumbling on your video podcast and ending up liking it enough to come back for seconds by simply being searchable. After all, whether they really meant to find your video podcast, or was just looking for similarly themed videos, the point is that once they see your podcast in the search results you already get the benefit of increased awareness for your podcast and a chance at getting viewed.

To make sure you search engines find your video content, you should create a video sitemap and submit it to Google and other search engines. Video sitemaps work just like your ordinary XML sitemap, except that it points out all your URLs or pages that contain video content. Note that the video sitemap can contain content other than video podcasts.

When creating video sitemaps, note that Google requires you to include the following information for each URL in the sitemap:

• Title
• Description
• Play page URL
• Thumbnail URL
• Raw video file location and/or the player URL (SWF)

Videos found for each URL should also be tagged accordingly (see Google Video Sitemap Guidelines for details) putting in information such as duration, category, whether it requires a subscription or not, etc. These information will encourage search users to click on your video podcast when they appear in search engine results because they will see at a glance the information they need.

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One thing you should realize is that podcasts are unlikely to attract an audience on its own. It should be part of your overall marketing strategy. Even if the podcast itself is the “main product” you are trying to sell, you should use other marketing strategies to get the word out. This means blogging about it, using social media, and other everything else in your bad of marketing tricks to grow your podcast.

If you find that despite putting your best efforts produces little or no results, then it might be time to go back on the drawing board with the podcasts itself. Get honest feedback to find out why people are not listening to your podcasts. Could it be the content itself, technical problems, the way you present the content? Find out what you can do to improve your podcasts. However, if the content itself is the problem, then you might indeed have to throw out the whole idea and think up a whole new concept. While this can be pretty painful, especially if you feel like you’ve put in much to the podcast, you should always be open-minded about ending and starting new projects. After all, you can only learn from failed ones.

Don’t be afraid to throw out podcasts that do not produce results, at least if you want to end up successful in podcasting.

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I am obviously not referring to the much too long pauses that lead to noticeable dead air, after all since they are noticeable, people DO take notice of them and keep them in mind when doing post-recording processing. What I am talking about it the little pauses that people usually do not notice during recording, but can be more glaring to listeners. This includes the little uhmms, and short pauses between sentences. These pauses may not seem much, but if you do it often enough it can get irritating. Since such pauses happen without you really thinking about it, it is really important that you be on the watch out for it while editing your podcast. As I have mentioned before, this means isolating each recorded track to be able to give it full attention.

The problem with pauses is not only in the having too many, but having too few. If you are a fast talker, like me, then probably your problem is not pausing too much, but in forgetting to pause at all. It takes a conscious effort on my part to pause after each sentence so that my words don’t get garbled. Since you’re probably used to your speaking speed, it would be a smart to ask someone to listen when you do the editing so they can tell you if it is understandable to them.

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With so many things to consider when mixing your track, there is tendency to sometimes neglect the tiny details that sets a well-made podcast from a poorly made one. Here are two simple tips that addressed commonly overlooked issues:

Review individual tracks – Sure, the overall sound of the mix is what you listen to in the end, but each individual track you add to your podcast affects the final track. Make sure you don’t miss the small sounds that may not be much but can prove to be distracting (i.e. muffled cough or sneeze) by muting the background sound and music while editing the narration bit, or whichever specific track you happen to be editing at the moment. You can do this easily if you are using GarageBand by choosing the “Solo” option, or just drag the volume of all the other tracks down if you are using a different software.

Center all tracks – I hate it when my earphones go haywire and I just happen to be in transit with no option but to listen to glitch sounding podcasts and music on just one earpiece. What bugs me more than this though is when I have to listen to a podcast that wasn’t properly so that the people speaking sound like one they are speaking on each side of my ear. This can be easily remedied by simply making sure that all the recorded tracks are centered (Set the Dial on the Mixer in the Center or to Zero, depending on the mixer/software you are using). This way, the sound will be coming out from BOTH earpieces and not from the left or right.

Image credit: Knight Digital Media Center

While it would be great if we can all get featured on the iTunes store, which virtually means that you no longer really need to sweat the promotion bit, the unfortunate reality is that most of our podcasts would just end up among the many that will never get the chance to ever be featured. That means that you just need to find other ways to promote your podcasts.

I have already written about distributing your podcasts using other podcast distribution sites. That is one good way to increase visibility for your podcast. If you are done with that though, I would suggest promoting your podcast via a podcast-related blog.

Your podcasting blog contain the actual podcast for download, or just the podcast transcript. You can also just summarize the content of each podcast instead of publishing the entire transcript, and use the blog like a news blog for all your different podcasts. Once you have your podcast blog set up, you then need to promote your blog, which you can do through social media, SEO, directory submissions, and the usual promotion strategies.

If you are looking for good web portals to submit your blog details to, you might want to try Blog Search Engine. Subscribing to the basic package ($14.99) will get your podcast blog reviewed and will earn you a back link. You can also sign up for upgraded packages which will help you promote your blog further by getting you more back links from the different blogs in their blog network, and featuring your blog on their homepage.

If explained in simple words a podcast is a digital audio or video file that is program-driven, downloadable, and episodic, mainly with a host and/or theme. It is convenient to use and is generally used via an automated feed with computer software.

Podcasting is innovative and new in this internet world but gained a huge popularity because of its effective features. Although it is not as popular like online videos so far, few researchers guess that it will exceed the fame of video in coming 5 years.

Podcasting can be an effective and ideal medium of advertising if you are launching your latest product to target the market or if you want to magnetize big traffic to your site. For all this, you need to do some sort of preparation as research and preparation is very important in making you confident that you have everything you require when it comes to planning your podcast.

Set the basis properly and you will have a painless recording session and an excellent satisfied podcast. Your podcast can be writing, interviews, audio book, radio shows, or testimony. Choose the best way to give out any idea you have. As we talked earlier in this article, we are going to talk about Podcast Interviews.

Podcasting Interviews is continually becoming popular because it is very convenient. You can create audio content; you just need a microphone and editing software that are available on the Internet free of cost. So get going and make a habit of giving time for getting outstanding podcast interviews by following these few tips-

1. Set your questions

It is must to set the questions, as this would give out the best achievement in interviews. Prepare a sheet of question before taking an interview. Do it even if you have deep knowledge of the subject. This would save your precious time and will succeed to take out the more from the meeting. For getting accurate question, carry out some research. You can get more questions from this deed. Make a list of few questions about 6 to 7 and give the chance to ask further questions on the subject especially if the issue goes on in the depth of the subject. Always send questions beforehand and confirm that the person is willing and able to respond to them. Open questionnaire are the best for a topic like some journalist questions in which there is possibility to get answers that are helpful for the listeners. For example what are your interests, why you are interested and what are the benefits you get from it etc.

2.Test out your levels

There are a lot of research showing that students are very concerned about the quality of sound. A great but badly taped interview is not bound for hitting the spot. Some points are must to keep in mind to ensure a quality result like arrive early to watch the recording location, monitor sound levels and noise fluctuations, some background noise may be useful but too much can be terrible and most important keep your headphone active so that you can evaluate the background sound.

3. Get footage

When you are all set to take an interview just keep some things in mind beforehand, like ask questions to the topic and make sure they are prepared and able to meet compliance. Check out the available timing so as you can shortlist the question if you don’t have much time for it. You can check out the recordings repeatedly to make some required modification.

4. Edit it up

Use audacity to edit it. For this first you have to import files, cropping and deciding selections, select sound, cross-fading, sound adjustments, adding intro and ending comments. If you do not have much time and space for using audacity then use free downloads to get great tutorials and info.

5. Launch the outcome

When the podcast is ready to be listened and evaluated, you must create an RSS feed so that viewers via podcast aggregators such as Doppler or iTunes can locate a podcast and latest episodes. Numerous free programs similar to Podifier can guide you through this process. If you do not like to generate an RSS feed, you can upload files to your LMS or internet.

In case you’re wondering if your podcast has any chance of getting features on the iTunes Store, here’s the list of Podcast “must haves” straight from Apple’s mouth.

To be featured by iTunes, podcasts must have:

1. An attractive, original image that does not include the iPod or other Apple-branded content (Must also adhere to Apple’s image specs).
2. A robust and accurate description for the podcast and all related episodes.
3. A valid author listed.
4. Proper language, category, and explicit tagging.

Don’t be mislead by the too easy to follow list though, because the above list is merely a list of the prerequisites for being featured on iTunes. However, while the list guarantees you nothing, you still need to pay close attention to it since not satisfying any of the above prerequisites will guarantee that you DON’T get features on iTunes store.

As for getting an edge over other podcasts and trying to catch Apple’s attention to be featured on the homepage, it takes a lot more creativity and work than being meticulous with your descriptions and tags. You need fresh, regularly updated content that is either unusually interesting or plain unusual. In short, you need edgy content to get an edge.

And in case paying Apple to be featured on the homepage crosses your mind, forget about it because its their policy not to accept such payments.

Source: Apple.com – Making a Podcast
Image Credit: Apple

Increased Exposure

Even though you have visitors to your blog, a great podcast can do wonders for driving traffic and increasing your blog’s exposure. With podcasting, you’re focusing on a very niche market, and the one’s who are visiting your site over and over again will create a brand loyalty and pass on your podcast and blog to other targeted visitors. Plus, you can put your podcasts out on the Internet and not just on your site, which can help branch your reach out further.

Branding Yourself as an Expert

Podcasts are great for branding yourself as an expert. While blogs can be very niche and specific, podcasts take this one step further. With a podcast, you’re able to develop a specific voice and recognition as an expert in your field. Podcasting takes more time than simply shooting out a blog, and your visitors will recognize your dedication to your field or interest.

Growing Your Network

If you reach out to notable experts in your field and offer to interview them on your podcast, you will be able to build your network exponentially. That person will then want to promote your podcast to their own network, and you’ll ultimately build your network with their help.

Minimal Cost

Podcasts are basically free advertising for your site. They help drive visitors to your site at little to no cost to yourself. You’ll need bandwidth, online storage, a domain name, recording software, a decent headset and microphone, and you are good to go. And, guess what? All of this is incredibly cheap.

Advertising Revenue Potential

You don’t create a podcast in the hopes that you’ll make money, but if your podcast does fairly well, you can most likely angle some advertisers to buy spots on your podcast. Podcasting opens you up to the possibility of making revenue off of potential advertisers.

Podcasting takes relatively little time and effort and can enhance your revenue stream so that you don’t have to turn lending sites be it some gov site or other sites in the event of a financial emergency. You’ll be amazed at just how much more traffic and participation your site gets from readers when you add one. Give it a try!

However, many people are still unaware of the podcasting and its benefits. People still don’t know how to create a good podcast and how to listen to one. If you are one among such people, don’t you worry, you are at right place. This blogpost will clarify all your doubts about the podcasting and will also let you know about a few professional podcasting tips.

Actually podcast is not much different from a webcast, it is a show that is broadcast through internet and is broken into small episodes. The podcasts are generally similar to the radio programs which deliver the information on a regular basis. A podcast could be a comedy show, gospel or even a special music broadcast.

Though the podcasts can be enjoyed from different computers but it is best on Apple’s iPhone and iPods.

Below are a few tips to record a high quality podcast-

1. Use good microphone

Microphone plays the most important role in recording a podcast and thus it has to be the best. If you find your microphone giving crappy sounds, do not hesitate to change it, or else it may damage your podcast badly. The directional microphones which capture sounds directly in front of them are said to be the best for podcasting. Remember that there must not be any echoes and hums in the room when you are recording the podcast. A microphone is said to be good if it makes your voice sweet and nice. You can also get a pop filter for your mic if you want the best result. The pop filters are quite affordable and can squash off the popping Ps which usually ruins the podcasts.

2. Select a Good place to record

It is but obvious that you need a quiet place to record your podcast, but make sure that you select the right room. Going for an empty room with big windows, black walls, large table tops and wooden floors would not be a great idea. It may echo the sound which further may ruin your podcast.

However the directional mic would avoid these echoes but it may not eradicate them completely. These echoes in the room will make a noticeable difference in your podcast. Select a room with thick carpets, and soft furniture pieces.

3. Record in different channels

If you are looking for the best quality podcast you can use the software like Pamela. This helps you creating a podcast with a co-host which comes out as the best. Another approach that you can use to record podcast with co-host is to record it in different channels and then edit them together. Using ‘Audacity’ is also an excellent idea as it provides good sound recording.

4. Mono or Stereo

If you are recording the podcast with different participants you can also use the option of balancing the voices at stereo field. You can adjust the right and left stereo to get a good output.

5. Compress the audio

If you are using any good editing software you may get the feature of compressing the audio. It is not about compressing the file, but it is a filter which reduces the volume from the loud parts of your recording so that they are nice to hear.

6. Normalize

Now after compressing you need to normalize your audio. Normalizing the audio boosts the volume of the recording and it may use the full volume range according to the capacity of your speakers. Compression followed by Normalization gives a good podcast.

7. Export to MP3

Podcast usually offers some different formats of storing the audio files but you need to save it as an MP3 file. The bit rate of an MP3 file controls the quality of sound directly. Higher is the bit rate, better is the sound. Remember that better is the sound, larger will be the MP3 file. A voice podcast need the bit rate of 96kbps (64kbps for mono) and if the podcast has the frequent music then the bit rate must be 192kbps (128kbps for mono). You can select the constant bit rate compression or the variable bit rate compression as per your need.

8. Don’t forget to tag it

After you are done with recording, find some software to set the MP3 metadata, these are commonly known as ID3 tags. You can also use iTunes. You need to tag it with- Track number, Title, Album, Artist, and Genre. To give it an extra effect you can add an image as your podcast logo, showing the album artwork.

Following the above mentioned tips may leave you with a solid podcast and you just need to publish it.

Script – or at Least Outline

A lot of people think that if they have a script, they’ll lose their “mojo” and create nothing more than another boring, corporate dissertation that sounds like the speeches politicians give after they’ve been caught committing their latest crime. In some cases, a word-by-word script is fine, while in others a mere outline is more appropriate. Either way, if your podcast is completely formless, it will tend to sound like just a rambling rant. You might be able to pull that off, but most people can’t.

Practice

This is especially true if you’re reading something, but it really applies no matter what kind of podcast you’re doing. If the first time you read a book aloud is the time you record it, you’re going to stumble a lot. On top of that, it’ll sound mechanical. Just because you’re reading something doesn’t mean it has to sound like you’re reading it. Another reason to take a dry run is to make sure you’ve got your audio settings right before you dive in. It doesn’t matter if you’re talking about installment loans or something highly scientific. It’s better to review two minutes of sound and decide you have to radically change your settings than to get most of the way through and have to start all over again.

Dedicate a Space to Podcasting

One of the great things about podcasting is that it can be done almost anywhere. The bad part of this is how many people try to multitask while they podcast. If you’re cooking or playing video games, it might be possible. But if you’re frequently interrupting your podcast to yell at a family member or do something else, you need to put more discipline into the process.

Podcasting is a great way to advertise yourself and your business. You can also get into great depth on a topic without having to write something most people are never going to read. Just be sure you make your podcast sound good, which is half technical and half you.