Quick Start Guide for Audio Podcasting

[Note: This guide is a description of how I helped KKFI program hosts transform their shows into a podcast series.]


What is podcasting?

A podcast is a series of audio files distributed to a computer by syndicated download, through Web feeds, to portable media players and personal computers. This guide will help you publish your audio media to an Internet web site to share with Apple iTunes listeners. Podcasting extends programs to Internet listeners.

What do you need to start podcasting your audio file?

For the entire podcast series, you will need the following items:
  • An account on the Liberated Syndication podcasting site, which charges $6.00 per month, sufficient for a weekly 60-minute talk show.
  • A Paypal account – this is required for billing in support of your Liberated Syndication account.
  • Access to a computer with security software and an Internet connection.
  • An Apple.com account, which is required to submit a podcast to the Apple iTunes Store, a popular podcast directory. Also, iTunes software is needed to test out iTunes podcasts.
  • For the entire podcast series (one-time only), create the following items: (1) Podcast series title name; (2) Series program description; (3) JPEG image or logo of your program; (4) tags or keywords to describe your show; (5) podcast feed address; and (6) an email address.
  • Two or four of the most current programs in MP3 format using a consistent audio file format.
  • Your time to complete to start your podcast – this should take two or three hours of your time.

What is needed to podcast each show?

For each podcast episode in the series, you will need to create the following items:
  • Podcast title and description
  • Podcast broadcast date and the time length of the audio recording.
  • A JPEG image file to associate with the podcast and the podcast episode.
  • The current program in MP3 audio file format from the most recent broadcast
  • Your time – it takes about 10-30 minutes to maintain your podcast each week.

How do you measure a successful podcast?

One way to measure the success of a program is the number of times the program is downloaded from your podcast site. Like publicizing your broadcast program, you can use several methods to increase the number of podcast listeners – send emails, notify other news organizations, develop content on the your web site, set up a Facebook group, and blog, to name a few.


Resources

Questions?

Matt Quinn – Email jmq0004@msn.com | Twitter @jmq0004 | facebook.com/jmq0004