All it takes is an opinion, a microphone, and a computer and the world of Podcasting can be yours. As of September 2008, more than 173 million Ipods have been sold worldwide. Behind every one of these Ipods is a listener begging for interesting material. When the music gets old, oftentimes these listeners wander into the world of the audio podcast. This is where you come in....
Much like blogging, the key to a successful podcast is picking a great topic. A topic that will not only excite you, but resonate with your listeners. The most successful topics fall into one of two categories, informational and controversial. To get some ideas, simply log onto Itunes and download a few popular Podcasts in both categories. This will help you understand what sells.
Informational podcasters were the pioneers, discussing topics such as finance, medicine, or sports. They educated and entertained listeners at the same time, and by doing so, built a loyal fan-base. The other primary group of podcasters rose to prominence using controversial topics such as politics and religion. People like Rush Limbaugh made a fortune for themselves by appealing to a narrow group of political radicals on the radio, and you can do the same on your podcast. Because the cost of entry is so low, you can pick a topic that may only appeal to a limited number of people, but hopefully those people will be passionate and dedicated to your cause.
After topic selection, the next step is setting up the equipment to record and edit your podcast. Programs such as Recordforall, Replay Radio, and Mixcraft are good pay programs, but for me, the best option is FREE! Wild Voice Studio is a completely free program that is a breeze to use. You will be up and Podcasting in no time. While this software makes things easy, you must spend some time with the editing. If your podcast doesn't sound professional, your listeners won't come back, period. A couple of key things that every podcast should have are a nice intro, a disclaimer, and some nice audio segways. These add to the professional appearance of your podcast.
Now that you have your first podcast edited and ready for the airwaves, the next step is uploading to Itunes. While there are other sites to find Podcasts, this is by far the most popular. Register your podcast, upload your content and then wait for the listeners to come. A couple of key tips for success: Choose your name wisely, develop a regular posting schedule (Usually 1 per week for starters), and develop a simple website to accompany your cast. Oftentimes you will want to refer your listeners to articles or clips. This leads to the final component of your podcast, MONETIZING IT!
Much like blogging, there are a few key ways to monetize your blog. If you're podcast is an information cast, you have two primary methods of making money. The first is selling products, either your own, or your affiliates. For those that choose to speak about the controversial topics such as politics, your primary means of revenue will be advertising, both on your site and on your podcast. If you have ever listened to Rush Limbaugh, you know how ridiculously overwhelming the advertising is. Try not to overwhelm your audience with too many ads because unlike the radio, your listeners will simply fast forward past them if they are boring. Keep them sweet and simple.
So that's it. In no time, your podcast will be up and running. If the content is good enough, the listeners will come and the revenue will follow! So get up and start brainstorming those topics!
Good luck and happy podcasting!
Keys to Success:
Spend some time on topic selection. If it isn't interesting or informational, no one will listen.
Make it professional. Practice recording and editing to perfect your sound. There is a reason that Paul Harvey was a radio god. He perfected the voice and the delivery.
Make it fun. If your listeners are falling asleep, it doesn't matter how good your material is.
Focus on listeners and content before you monetize. If you overwhelm your listeners with ads before they are hooked, you will chase them away.
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