What are podcasts?
Podcasts are downloadable audio and/or video programmes that a person can subscribe to. They don’t have to be regular, but they do need to be serialized (so you have more than one, ordered by recency). They’re delivered using similar technology to blogs, and are rapidly growing in popularity with ever-increasing output offered by the BBC.
A podcast is two pieces of data: the audio file (usually an MP3 file or similar variant) and the feed that carries it. The feed is the bit your listeners subscribe to, so they automatically recieve the latest episode in whatever software they use to subscribe. You can also allow your listeners to play the podcast online without having to subscribe.
Sound of the social
You can start podcasting very easily and at very little cost, and it can be a really useful and novel way of communicating to your prospective customers. If you’re not comfortable with writing or you prefer to shoot from the hip, just talk straight into the mic, save your recording as an MP3 and upload it. It’s that easy!
Just like blogs, you can open up your podcasts to allow comments from your listeners. They usually respond in text form but there’s nothing stopping you having a system that allows them to respond in kind.
