by Inez Underwood
Podcasting and RSS go together, but can Podcasting and Ezines go together? Let's explore the advantages of using your ezine to build your Podcast audience. Podcasting Brief History & Definition seems to be credited as one of the sources that made the term "Podcasting" popular. The technology was developed thanks to contribution of an enclosure element within the RSS protocol. Now, before we completely lose you especially if you have not latched onto RSS yet, what this really means is that you can download post casts via an RSS feed so that if you computer is left on at night, you could pick up your broadcasts overnight and download them to your iPod. They call it automatic synchronization of syndicated content, but you can call it "convenience.
No capitalists after any war were ever so well paid for money loaned to the nation that carried it on. No class of money-makers ever gained such prosperity by any other war, as our War for the Union brought to the money-getters of America. All this was due in great measure to the rank and file of the Union army. Now let no rich man haggle with a needy veteran of that war about his right to a pension!
—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)
Podcasting is really about time shifting, giving your audience the ability to get your content on their time schedule at their convenience in a most likely mobile environment. What's an iPod? This is Apple computer's MP3 player. Do you need an iPod to download a Podcasting? Any MP3 player will do. Podcasting Demystified: Lots of fancy terminology here but the reality is that Podcasting just means you create short audio segments (5-20 minutes or so) and give them away (or charge for it) via the MP3 format. Your audience can then download your content and take you into the gym with them after work rather than having to be in front of the computer to enjoy your works.
Podcasting RSS Transport & Ezines, you don't need RSS (Really Simple Syndication) to transport a Podcast! Strip the branding away and we're really talking about transporting an MP3 file. Granted, your ezine won't give the convenience of providing your audience with a behind the scenes automatic download of a 5-20MB MP3 file from their subscription, but your ezine can serve many other purposes, such as: Promoting your Podcasts, finding guest experts to be interviewed for your Podcasts, reaching a wider audience (let's face it...more people have EMAIL than have RSS!). You don't want to actually deliver the MP3 FILE via your ezine as that would not be appropriate but you could promote the pickup location of the file or your Podcast website where the file can be downloaded instantly.
A common and natural result of an undue respect for law is, that you may see a file of soldiers, colonel, captain, corporal, privates, powder-monkeys, and all, marching in admirable order over hill and dale to the wars, against their wills, ay, against their common sense and consciences, which makes it very steep marching indeed, and produces a palpitation of the heart.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
You can use your ezine to either link directly to the MP3 file to download or to your website where the file can be instantly downloaded. There's much more to this Podcast thing as you'll no doubt here more about it this year, but know that you don't have to become an RSS expert to get your hands on the Podcasting concept because your ezine is a great way to begin or supplement your Podcasts distribution & marketing. Thankfully you don't need an iPod to download a Podcast. This is what makes the whole Podcasting ordeal great for the general consumer, you not only do not need an ipod, but you can pretty much be assured that it is a snap to make a broadcast such as a Podcast. There are virtually thousands upon thousands of Podcasting options that can be had. With the new programs out these days to assist in the new pod casters out there, there really should be no problem getting up and running in no time.
It really does not take a rocket scientist to figure out what needs to be done, when it comes to setting up a Podcast. There are many new aids that can make the newbie a successful pod caster. Once your Podcast is up and running you will find that the best tool for your Podcast was your web site. They in turn will go hand in hand, the web site developing the Podcast, and then the Podcast feeding traffic to the web site. This is in every sense of the word, a perfect marriage between programs. Once you have merged the two, they will work conjunctively and help each other run smoothly. This would be especially useful if you are running an affiliate site where the audience is directed to the site, then they are able to click on a link. This will generate traffic to your site, and make you money in the long run.