I want to start off by saying this; you can Podcast, right now, with pretty much everything you have at your fingertips. This isn't a white paper on what a Podcast is, because if you didn't know what a Podcast was you probably wouldn't be reading this.
Why should you listen to me? Because I produce a Podcast and I know that you can do it with practically nothing.
1. You'll need a computer with some type of microphone, or a laptop with a built in mic. This is probably the only place where I would suggest using one of those gamer headsets with built in mic's, they rock, have good sound and are cheap. You may already have one so you can move down the list. If you don't, consider investing in one. Even if you decide a month from now that Podcasting isn't for you, you still have a cool headset. Personally, I use the Logitech USB 350. It has great sound quality.
2. You need a topic. Once you have a topic you can begin creating your Podcast. There are probably thousands of people out there who similar interests as you and can share them through your Podcast.
3. Decide how long your Podcast will be. The amount of time to spend Podcasting may be different for your topic. But personally, anything that runs over 45 minutes loses appeal and most of the time I never make it to the end. Now that's just me and I'm probably in the minority. For starters make it short. Maybe 10 or 15 minutes then build from there. You'll discover a lot of great ideas along the way and that will add to your shows length and quality.
4. You need host your Podcast somewhere so people can download it. There are so many directories out there I would try them all. It can't hurt to expose your Podcasts in multiple places. There are free services and there are pay services. Since you're just starting out and aren't sure if you will do this long term, try one of the free services I'll recommend at the end of my post.
5. Blog about your Podcast. Tell people about it. Create business cards with your Podcasts web address on it and hand them out. Comment on other people's Podcast posts and leave your Podcasts web address. It's that easy.
Sure, this sounds real simple and the simple fact of the matter is it can be. Podcasts, just like any other endeavor require work, research, dedication and consistency. It doesn't need to cost much if anything to create a Podcast. It does require that you work on improving it if you want to increase your listeners.
We're not going for the highest HD quality sound you can produce. We're talking quick to market. This will get you there.
Tools: Audacity is pretty much all you will need for either the PC or the Mac. If you have a Mac and have iLife '06 or '08, use GarageBand.
Hardware: Headset with mic. Stand alone mic. Built in laptop mic. Again the Logitech USB 350 is a great mic.
Services: Podcasting.net, Podcast Pickle, TalkShoe and Pod-O-Matic.
If you're in Salt Lake City on October 18th, I encourage you to attend the Utah New Media Conference to learn more about Podcasting and Videocasting.
What are your ideas to make Podcasting easier?
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