Podcasting is a form of marketing that's not going to be for everyone.
Unlike a newsletter or an article or even a YouTube video, which can all be very short, a podcast is typically much longer.
Fifteen minutes is about the minimum length of time you should aim for and even an hour would not be too much.
A podcast is really nothing more than an audio file users can download to an iPod or MP3 player and listen to later.
Something to talk about One of the keys to a successful podcast is that you must have something of substance to present.
This also isn't a one-and-done platform.
Prepare to commit to a series of podcasts released at regular intervals.
A series of interviews would be ideal if they are with interesting personalities or cover interesting subject matter.
Anything entertaining is always a good bet.
So if you ran a theater or entertainment venue, you could produce podcasts based on that.
Say you have a bar with stand-up comedy or live music on Friday nights.
Interview some of the acts, record snippets of their performances then get someone to edit that into a cohesive, engaging audio product for you.
They key for business people to remember is that your podcast is not a product in and of itself.
It is a means of promoting your business.
So you want the podcast to be entertaining and engaging enough to make people want to download and listen but at the same time build desire in listeners to come out and see the acts first-hand.
To see an organization that really nails it when it comes to using podcasting as a marketing tool, check out the Capital Steps (www.
capsteps.
com).
They are a comedy troupe in Washington, DC that specializes in political satire.
All of their income is derived from sales of CDs and selling tickets to their live shows.
They record a podcast four times a year which also gets broadcast live on both traditional and online radio stations.
Other Outlets for your Recordings There are other things you can do with your recordings.
In fact, one of the most productive is done while the recording is being made: internet radio.
There are internet broadcasting sites such as BlogTalkRadio.
com and ShoutCast.
com which allow you to create your own "radio" show.
These shows are usually broadcast only online (though many traditional radio stations also use these sites for simulcasting their own shows).
You determine your own broadcast schedule.
Listeners and fans who find your show, or who are directed there by your promotions, can listen live (if they log in while the show is airing) or can play back previous episodes.
If you record these episodes as they're being aired, you'll have the material available for your podcasts.
Your Own Recording Studio It isn't necessary to rent a professional recording studio.
Any reasonably quiet space where you can record without interruption will do just fine.
If you record in an office, be sure to turn off or disconnect the phone.
Post someone outside to prevent unwanted intrusions if that is a possibility.
Buy a decent quality microphone.
The cost of such microphones is surprisingly affordable.
You should easily be able to find one for under $50.
Doing Triple Duty and More Even better than recording your radio show while it's airing, set it up to be recorded on video.
With a single expenditure of effort, you have the radio show plus can have someone edit the audio track for your podcasts and also edit the audio/video together to post on video hosting sites like YouTube.
Depending on the nature of the content, you could even have it transcribed and use the written content in other promotions or on your website.
There is a fine line to tread with this.
It's very smart to get multiple uses and benefits from each expenditure of effort but you must also have a deep variety of content.