The Quickest Way To Have A Product To Sell On The Internet

 

The Quickest Way To Have A Product To Sell On The Internet

Word Count:
662

Summary:
Creating a product from scratch that you can sell on the Internet will take some time to do.

Writing a book, for example, can take weeks or months to complete. If you're not a writer, or if you've never written before - this can be a daunting task. You will either not start, or abandon it halfway.

However, you can instantly get a book to sell and keep most or all of the money you generate from it if you can find an author willing to sell you resell rights to his book. T...

Keywords:
Internet Business at Home, eCommerce at Home, Work At Home

Article Body:
Creating a product from scratch that you can sell on the Internet will take some time to do.

Writing a book, for example, can take weeks or months to complete. If you're not a writer, or if you've never written before - this can be a daunting task. You will either not start, or abandon it halfway.

However, you can instantly get a book to sell and keep most or all of the money you generate from it if you can find an author willing to sell you resell rights to his book. This is rare, but you may be lucky enough to find a few that you really like.

I'm using a book as an example here, but it can well be any product. I use books because of its awesome power of duplication that suits an Internet Business perfectly, especially when they're in electronic form (e-books). More on this duplication and leverage principles in upcoming issues (hang on to your seats, it'll BLOW your mind!).

Resell Rights can come with the product together (which means that you buy the product, and you can immediately resell it), or you can buy it separately from the product (which means that you buy the product, and then the resell rights to it so that you can resell it).

Either way - you can now have an INSTANT product by just paying for the resell rights. Then all you concentrate on is setting up your Internet Business, and marketing it to your Prospects.

You've cut short your time by weeks or months in not having to create a product of your own.

Resell Rights

Books with Resell Rights usually come in 2 flavors:

1. Basic Resell Rights

Here you have the right to resell the book to your Customers, but your Customers have no right to resell them.

2. Master Resell Rights

Here you have the right to resell the book to your Customers, as well as the right to resell the Basic Resell Rights itself to your Customers. Your Customers who buy both the book and the Basic Resell Rights can then resell the same book to THEIR Customers. Sometimes Master Resell Rights are bundled together with the purchase of the book only.

This means that you don't have to pay separately for Master Resell Rights.

Depending on your objectives, either type of Resell Rights can be suitable for you. If you don't want to have too many competitors, Basic Resell Rights is the right one for you. If you want to have many competitors, then Master Resell Rights is right for you.

It boggles the mind of some people who can't understand why anybody would want to create more competition for himself.

The simply answer is this - the more competition you have, the more money you will make!

I reveal this totally amazing concept in my awesome Mini-Encyclopedia at  which contains eye-popping, jaw-dropping and heart-stopping information on 19 different Killer Internet Business Models as practised by TOP Entrepreneurs from around the world.

Discover what to do, step by step, and what tools and software you require to get your Internet Business up and running without having to waste your time and money doing the wrong things, from the beginning.

I've spent 9 years creating it, and it actually formed part of my full 4-day Boot Camp that my attendees currently pay $2,000 or more each to attend.

At only $97 WITH Master Resell Rights as a bonus to it - this means that ANYBODY can buy a copy, and they can immediately resell it - as can their Customers, and their Customers' Customers, and so on.

As I've mentioned earlier - the more Customers you have who can resell this Mini-Encyclopedia, and the more Customers THEY have who can do the same thing - the MORE money YOU can make!

If you can't wait for the next issue to find out how, buy it now and find out how this is accomplished! You'll see this concept on the Download Page itself.

 

It’s a Habit

It's a Habit

Word Count:
445

Summary:
Do you sometimes have the feeling that you're running into the same obstacles over and over again? Many of my conflicts have the same feel to them, like "Hey, I think I've been here before," but I can't figure out how I wound up in the same place. The situation is different, but the conflict feels the same.

Keywords:
conflict,obstacles,lessons,awareness,stumble,mistakes

Article Body:
Do you sometimes have the feeling that you're running into the same obstacles over and over again? Many of my conflicts have the same feel to them, like "Hey, I think I've been here before," but I can't figure out how I wound up in the same place. The situation is different, but the conflict feels the same.

I first read this poem in "The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying" by Sogyal Rinpoche. When I "Googled" it, I found fourteen pages of links. It's clearly a favorite with many people; I know it speaks volumes to me.

"Autobiography in Five Chapters"
1) I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I fall in.
I am lost . . . I am hopeless.
It isn't my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

2) I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see it.
I fall in again.
I can't believe I'm in the same place.
But it isn't my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

3) I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in . . . it's a habit
My eyes are open
I know where I am
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

4) I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I walk around it

5) I walk down another street.

Does this feel familiar? I am ready to learn that lesson! I'm sure that I've changed. I can see that hole coming a mile away. This time it will be different. I still end up falling in. Tired, sad and angry, I drag myself up once again. What was I supposed to learn here? I thought I learned that the last time.

Some conflicts seem to take years to unravel, but if we stay tuned, and our purpose is to look with curiosity and awareness, we will find the moment when we can step around the hole.

As I write, thinking about a recent stumble of my own, I am smiling a bit. From a distance, I watch myself drop into the hole - one I know well - and it's kind of funny. And perhaps that is the way out - to laugh more often, to "love our mistakes," as my friend says. I've heard it said that eventually we will laugh at all our mistakes - the trick is to laugh sooner. When I can laugh as I climb out of the hole, I'm on my way to finding the route around it, or better yet, that alternate street.

 

 

Fwd: Mobile & handheld usability testing - why it matters

 

Mobile & handheld usability testing - why it matters

Word Count:
700

Summary:
Mobile and handheld usability testing is crucial to your business - find out why and what you need to do for this unique medium.

Keywords:
mobile usability

Article Body:
Mobile phone and PDA usability testing is critical to your business. In fact, mobile and handheld usability testing could be even more important than computer-based usability testing. The main reasons for this are:

- The number of people accessing the Internet from mobile and handheld devices is increasing at a massive rate - in 2008 alone there'll be an estimated 58 million PDAs sold worldwide (source: eTForecast).
- People generally have a lot less experience of using their mobile to go online than they do of using their computer. This means that computer-based users can be assumed to have a higher level of existing expertise than mobile and handheld users.
- The platform through which users access your site is far less predictable when using mobile phones. Computer-based site visitors generally only differ from one another in their browser and operating system (i.e. most people will use a screen, mouse and keyboard), whereas the different types of mobile phones and PDAs differ can drastically.

Which mobile phones and PDAs do you need to consider?

Mobile phones and PDAs can differ from one another dramatically, and this will radically change how people experience and use websites. Some of the ways in which handheld devices can differ include:

- Screen size (small vs. large)
- Screen layout (portrait vs. landscape)
- Input device (stylus, numeric keypad, dial-wheel, QWERTY keypad)

Because the mobile phone / PDA that someone is using will have such a profound effect on their experience of your site, you should try to test with as many mobile phones and PDAs as possible.

Of course, testing with every mobile phone and PDA is impossible. Here are some ideas to help narrow down the number of devices you'll need to test with:

- Your mobile site visitors may belong to a specific audience. Certain audiences tend to prefer particular types of phones (e.g. phones with big screens that are designed to support online access vs. small-screen models that aren't).
- There are 'phone families' that offer a very similar user experience (and will not need to be tested individually).
- You may only want to test with the most popular mobile phones in Europe or the most popular models that are being used to access your site (you can check your site statistics to find out this information).

Who do you want to test with?

The people you want to conduct your mobile phone usability testing sessions with will, of course, depend on your particular business and its audience. Some things to bear in mind include:

- How much experience they should have of using their mobile phones to access services. This is particularly important as the market for accessing online services through mobile phones is growing and the percent of 'complete novices' (i.e. people using the technology for the first time) will be far higher than for computer users of your website.
- Which mobile phone or PDA they have. We would usually recommend that people use their own mobile phone in a session, so the test can focus on your website and not on the way the handheld device works.

Where should mobile usability testing sessions be conducted?

Mobile phones and PDAs are used in the real world so usability testing of handheld devices should therefore not only take place in a usability laboratory.

Where, when and how a mobile phone is used is critical to a person's experience of the site they are accessing. Any of the following circumstances could influence this experience and therefore considerations of the site's usability:

- Lighting
- Background noise
- Distractions
- Concurrent tasks (i.e. anything the person is doing at the same time)
- Physical movement

As such, we'd recommend, if possible, that any mobile phone and PDA usability testing is conducted both in a laboratory and also in the 'outside world'.

How you plan and run mobile phone usability sessions will be based on your business and its audience, but the most popular methods of mobile usability testing include:

- Lab-based (using a camera to record the session)
- Diary-studies (asking people to keep a diary of how they have used their mobile phone and any problems they encounter)
- Paper prototypes (running usability testing on a paper-based version of the site, using mobile phone screen-sized pieces of paper)

 

Business Idea: Podcasts

Business Idea: Podcasts

Word Count:
526

Summary:
Podcasts have been popping up all over the Internet in the past year or so. I have come across podcasts on anything from the latest tech gadgets to gardening tips. With millions of listeners out there and plenty of new people listening to podcasts every single day, now is a great time to start your own podcast and make some money along the way.

So far podcasts sound pretty similar to an Internet Talk Radio Show, doesn't it? Even though the two have many similarities, there...

Keywords:

 

Article Body:
Podcasts have been popping up all over the Internet in the past year or so. I have come across podcasts on anything from the latest tech gadgets to gardening tips. With millions of listeners out there and plenty of new people listening to podcasts every single day, now is a great time to start your own podcast and make some money along the way.

So far podcasts sound pretty similar to an Internet Talk Radio Show, doesn't it? Even though the two have many similarities, there are also quite a few differences. Podcasts are unusually not as structured as an Internet Talk Radio show. The tone of a podcast is very informal. Podcasts are usually on blogs and are also available for automatic download to your mp3 player through RSS. Podcasts also don't have guests on every show. The host of the podcasts does a lot of the talking him or herself. Podcasts be shorter or just as long as a talk radio show, plus they can vary in length from one show to the next.

There is a little bit of both hardware and software you will need for a good sounding podcast. Podcasts are usually broadcast as mp3's, so you need some sort of software to record your show as well as a decent microphone. Plantronics has some great mike's available. You can either use software like Allrecorder or a complete service like Audio Acrobat that will also host your audio files for you. Having your files hosted through a service like audio acrobat has the added benefit that people listening to and downloading your podcast will not eat up your bandwidth. This may save you quite a bit of money in hosting fees. You also don' t have to worry about troubleshooting when there is an issue with the audio files.

Let's talk about how you can start making money with your podcast. Your two main sources of income will be paid advertising and affiliate programs. You can sell 30 – 60 second ad spots on your podcast, as well as advertising spots on the site that links to the audio file of your podcast. As far as affiliate marketing goes, you can promote related products on your website and mention them in your show. If a listener follows your recommendation and buys the product through your link you will make a commission.

Another, newer source of income for podcasts that's starting to pop up is sponsorship. Companies will pay good money to be mentioned as the main sponsor of the podcast both on your podcast website and in the show itself. Once your podcast attracts some listeners and you start getting some publicity, it should be easy to attract a corporate sponsor. In the meantime you could contact a few small businesses in your target market that may be interested in sponsoring your podcast for a few months.

Now sit down, grab a pen and paper and come up with a great topic you can talk about for hours. Jot down a few ideas and start recording. Before you know it, your first own podcast will be up online.

 

Benefits of Business Podcasting

Benefits of Business Podcasting

Word Count:
385

Summary:
Mention podcasting and the image of someone sitting in their basement with a computer and microphone, dreaming of becoming a professional DJ, is what comes to mind for many.  It may surprise you to learn that this emerging technology is actually becoming a mainstream marketing and communication tool for businesses, with the potential to make significant contributions to the bottom line.

Keywords:
podcasting, PodOmatic

Article Body:
Mention podcasting and the image of someone sitting in their basement with a computer and microphone, dreaming of becoming a professional DJ, is what comes to mind for many.  It may surprise you to learn that this emerging technology is actually becoming a mainstream marketing and communication tool for businesses, with the potential to make significant contributions to the bottom line. 

Podcasting is simply the act of making radio-quality audio programs available for download through an RSS feed to a computer, MP3 player or other portable media device.  Listeners need only subscribe to a podcast once; afterwards, new content is automatically delivered to them as soon as it becomes available. With computers and portable media devices being everywhere, podcasting is a powerful tool for businesses to extend their brand, improve "customer stickiness" and increase sales and their online visibility.

Small to mid-sized businesses are known for being early adopters of cutting-edge technology because they are generally more willing to try new things that can help them gain a competitive advantage.  Business podcasting is an inexpensive, effective means for these companies to get their messages in front of potential customers, globally.  And because listeners have a vested interest – otherwise they wouldn't subscribe to the show – delivering specific information so precisely to target audiences yields a higher ROI than any direct marketing or advertising campaign.  This unique ability has even large companies like IBM, Disney and General Motors either exploring or already experiencing the benefits of business podcasting.

Companies are also using podcasting to streamline business processes and enhance their internal communications.  Instead of sending out monthly newsletters or conducting group training sessions, business podcasting is a more effective method for distributing and sharing information.  Simply create a podcast and your target audience can listen to the information whenever and wherever they want by simply downloading it into their portable media device. Not only does this create a more enjoyable listening experience, it's more cost-effective and less time-consuming than the old traditional methods.

The benefits of business podcasting are still emerging; but, it's only a matter of time before businesses leveraging this new medium become commonplace.  Inexpensive, easy to implement and greater ROI, podcasting is one of the most effective tools a company can use to communicate with potential customers and grow its business.

 

Avoiding the Pitfalls - Common Podcasting Mistakes

Avoiding the Pitfalls - Common Podcasting Mistakes

Word Count:
662

Summary:
In learning anything new there is always a sharp learning curve, and you're sure to make a few mistakes a long the way, we all do. However in an effort to save you some grief and embarrassment along the way I've compiled a short list of some common mistakes and how to avoid them. So read on, and enter the podcasting arena a few steps ahead of the competition.

Keywords:
podcast,podcasting,podcasts,podcast profit,podcast revenue,podcast growth,podcast reach,podcast business,podcasting business, podcast help, podcast mistakes, podcasting how to, podcasting info

Article Body:
In learning anything new there is always a sharp learning curve, and you're sure to make a few mistakes a long the way, we all do. However in an effort to save you some grief and embarrassment along the way I've compiled a short list of some common mistakes and how to avoid them. So read on, and enter the podcasting arena a few steps ahead of the competition.

Number One – Reading from a script. While I strongly recommend writing out an outline of what you want to cover in your podcast it isn't necessary to read verbatim from a script. When most people try reading directly from a script they wind up sounding like Ben Stein. "Bueller?" It isn't entertaining and you'll lose your audience before you even have a chance to get started. So unless you have a background in acting or extemporaneous reading it's probably a good idea to forgo the script.

An easy solution is to make a list of talking points, note cards, or even a more detailed outline of what you intend to say in your podcast. So long as the format leaves room for improvisation it will come across as more friendly and conversational. It may take a few tries to get used to "winging it," but you'll sound much better. It's still advisable to rehearse and edit your podcast whenever possible you not to the point where it sounds too scripted or contrived.

Number Two – Sound. While not everyone can afford really slick production values it is important to appear at least somewhat professional. This means investing in a good quality microphone, some headphones, and an editing program of some sort.

This doesn't necessarily involve a large investment though. The mic and headphones can be obtained for a reasonable amount, and you can download a free program like Audacity which will allow you to edit your show. Audacity will allow you lay down tracks of music, edit out coughs, "ums", or even portions of the podcast that you aren't happy with. It's also worthwhile to do a sound check before spending 15 to 30 minutes recording a podcast that is unintelligible. Check that the mic volume is properly adjusted and that there isn't any background interference.

Number Three – Infrequent episodes. No one wants to subscribe to a show if it only airs sporadically. Why? Mainly because it's hard to get into and maintain interest in a show if it isn't on enough to keep you engaged in the content. At the very least try to have shows broadcast ever other week if not weekly. It's true that some shows are only released monthly but generally the more frequent the show airs the higher its ratings are.

Number Four – No call to action. It's rare that a listener will come to find your podcast in the context of your site. Most people will probably stumble across your podcast via podcast directory that's why it's important to make sure you include a call to action at the end of your podcast. The fact is that if you don't provide a clear way for people to interact with you then they won't.

Number Five – No album art. This really only applies when submitting your podcasts to the various podcast directories and podcatchers. iTunes, for example, allows album art and more often than not people don't even take a second look at the podcasts without it. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, and you can even use your logo as the album art so long as it communicates something about the podcast.

Potential customers are looking for you through search engines, directories and forums. We help them find your website. How? Check out our marketing techniques at http://www.itsontarget.com and sign up for our podcast and we'll let you in on some interesting internet traffic solutions.

 

A Brief History of Podcasting

A Brief History of Podcasting

Word Count:
699

Summary:
Ever wonder about the evolution of the podcast? While podcasting is a comparatively young technology it still has a rather fascinating albeit brief history.  The background of the word, "podcast" is quite fascinating and is reflective of the dynamic nature of the Internet community.

Keywords:
podcasting, viral marketing, marketing, history of podcast

Article Body:
Ever wonder about the evolution of the podcast? While podcasting is a comparatively young technology it still has a rather fascinating albeit brief history.  The background of the word, "podcast" is quite fascinating and is reflective of the dynamic nature of the Internet community. 
 
Podcasting is a term that was only coined in 2004, combining two words: iPod and broadcasting.   Ironically, this definition is somewhat of a misnomer since neither component is completely accurate.  Neither podcasting nor listening to podcasts requires an iPod or other portable player.   In fact, podcasts can be listened to on any mp3 enabled device including a desktop computer.  The name association came about simply because Apple Computer's iPod was the best-selling portable digital audio player when podcasting began.   What's more, no over-the-air broadcasting is required either.
 
Even the editors of the New Oxford American Dictionary jumped on the podcasting bandwagon by declaring "podcasting" word of the year for 2005.   The term was defined as "a digital recording of a radio broadcast or similar program, made available on the Internet for downloading to a personal audio player."   The word will be added to the online version of the dictionary during their next update.
 
The term, podcasting was coined by journalist, Ben Hammersley, and then popularized by former MTV VJ and media entrepreneur, Adam Curry.   Mr. Curry created an Applescript application that automated the process of downloading and syncing audio files to iPods.
 
Other names or alternative interpretations of the letters, "P-O-D" were proposed, the most popular of which was "Personal On Demand".   Technology writer, Doc Searls came up with this phrase back in September, 2004.  Terms such as "audio-blogging", audio magazines" and "web-casting" have also been offered to describe this unique form of media distribution.
 
Other "pod"-derived phrases include "podcasters" (those who create podcasts) and "podcatchers" – the special RSS aggregators which periodically check for and download new content automatically. Podcatching software enables the user to copy podcasts to portable music & video players.
 
The popularity of podcasting is spreading like wildfire because of the rapid adoption of MP3 players and the desire of consumers to have fresh content.   Podcasting has flourished because it gives people more control over what they listen to, and the freedom to take their programs with them with them.
 
Not since blogging has a technology seemed so unexpected and been so quickly and widely adopted as podcasting. Growth in this nascent industry is expected to accelerate quickly due to the rapid acceptance of the technology by the radio broadcast industry in 2005 and Apple's iTunes distribution.    The rising popularity of podcasts is challenging conventional radio's broadcasting model.
 
While iTunes is less than two years old, roughly 4.8 million people downloaded a podcast in 2005, as compared with just over 800,000 in 2004.  And 11.4 million listeners are expected this year, according to research from The Diffusion Group.  Already the Apple iTunes service offers 15,000 podcasts and listeners have signed up for more than 7 million subscriptions.
 
A study by Bridge Ratings in November 2005 with radio listeners in ten national markets showed that approximately 20% of users who have ever downloaded and listened to a podcast do soon a weekly basis. This group downloads an average of six podcasts per week and spends approximately four hours a month listening to the podcasts they download.
 
This study projected even more dramatic growth in the industry in the future. According to Bridge Ratings, by 2010, podcast audience growth is expected to reach a conservative 45 million users who will have ever listened to a podcast.   Aggressive estimates place this number closer to 75 million by this date.
 
How does this affect you?

With podcast listening rising exponentially, podcasts offer you a very powerful tool for promoting your products or services.   The great thing about podcasts is that they are relatively easy and inexpensive to create. Podcasting can help ensure a closer relationship with your target audiences by providing them with engaging, informative and frequent updates about the goings on in your industry. If you have a website then there's no reason you shouldn't have a podcast available as it's not difficult to set up and can bring a significant increase in traffic to your site. So in short podcasting should be a vital component of any online marketing campaign.

 

Ways To Use Podcasts

Ways To Use Podcasts

Word Count:
778

Summary:
As podcasting gains popularity, people are using podcasts to spread the word about art, politics and religion. Here are 10 ways to use podcasts in every day life, from sports to business to news outlets.

Keywords:
podcasts, podcasting, marketing, entertainment, business

Article Body:
Podcasting has only been popular in the public eye for a little over two years, but the technology has only recently shifted from early adopters to the rest of us. People are finding a lot of ways to use these recordings, many of which should get you thinking about how you (or your company) can begin using podcasts right away for profit and promotion. This article examines some of the different methods employed by political, educational and corporate entities experimenting with the medium today:

NEWS and MEDIA: Podcasting is a way for news organizations to distribute audio or video that compliments their existing text news for a minimum additional cost. For example, Wikinews began to podcast its News Briefs in 2005. Companies are also using podcasts as a way to distribute their multimedia news to journalists and consumers. Companies can now leverage this same medium in much the same way that news organizations do, by publicizing your product or service on your company website as an additional download. Newspapers use podcasts to brodcast audio content from print interviews and drive traffic to their websites. The San Franciso Chronicle is believed to be the first major daily newspaper to start podcasting using an external website in Feb 2005. Hong Kong's South China Morning Post was the first to use its own website and the first in Asia, having launched on April 19, 2005.

EDUCATION: Schools are now using podcasts as an educational tool. Some school districts are experimenting with podcast lessons to help teach foreign languages via audio revision and homework. In 2005, a communication studies course at the University of Western Australia used student-created podcasts as the main assessment criteria. Professors are also using podcasts as part of their academic work. The Society of Critical Care Medicine has a podcast used to update clinicians with summaries of important articles, as well as interviews.

POLITICS: Both political parties and their candidates in the United States are experimenting with podcasts as a way to inform people about their perspectives on important topics. Podcasts are available for download from their websites and provide a way for candidates to deliver, in their own words, their opinions as well as to go in to more detail in describing the motivations behind some of their positions.

RELIGION: Religion. Godcasting, the word some use to describe podcasts dealing with religion, has lately been used by many religious groups as another way of spreading their message. Many churches produce podcasts of talks and sermons, which are then uploaded to their church or temple's website and available for download.

ART: Unofficial audio tours of museums are availabe for download from art enthusiasts and museum afficionados. Official cultural or historic audio tours of cities are also a new way that some cities are using to try and lure visitors. You can find these on the official web pages of cities as well as via most search engines.

ENTERTAINMENT: Producers, writers and directors for popular TV shows have embraced podcasting as a way to create more content that will hopefully help drive viewership to their programs. For exmaple, Battlestar Galactica writer and executive producer Ronald Moore creates commentary podcasts for each new episode of Battlestar Galactica. Other television shows have since followed suit, like Family Guy (FOX).

SPORTS. In 2005, unofficial podcasts for major sports teams launched, providing fans both in and outside of the teams' direct broadcast areas with on-demand commentary. Pioneers include Cubscast, the podcasters for the Chicago Cubs baseball team. The Cubscast founders also formed the first city-specific sports podcast network, hosting one podcast for each major Chicago sports team.

BUSINESS: Podcasts are an effective tool for organizing conference and meeting alerts, since podcasts can be packaged to alert attendees to agendas, hosted roundtables and daily feedback. They are also an effective tool CEOs can use to communicate with their employees or to share news about the company on the local intranet.

LIRBRARIES: Public libraries can podcast local publications free of Copyright, offering spoken word alternatives to the visually impaired. Not only are more people able to access these podcasts, but the educational value for enabling new technologies offers a whole new multimedia library that will be even easier to maintain.

LAW ENFORCEMENT: The Chicago Police Department has a free video podcast of its half-hour weekly news magazine called "CrimeWatch," which airs on local TV. It documents community policing (CAPS) success stories.

I hope these examples of popular ways people are employing podcasts have sparked some thoughts about how you, too, can use the medium to help your employees, share your passions or otherwise communicate. Please share your thoughts on how to use podcasts

 

Reasons to Create Your Own Podcast for Your Business or Hobby

Reasons to Create Your Own Podcast for Your Business or Hobby

Word Count:
692

Summary:
Podcasting is a powerful, inexpensive and easy new medium for sharing your message with a focused and passionate audience.  As a podcaster you'll become a recognized expert in your area of interest or expertise.

Keywords:
how to podcast, podcast tutorial, podcast, podcasting, podcasting tips

Article Body:
Podcasting is a powerful, inexpensive and easy new medium for sharing your message with a focused and passionate audience.  As a podcaster you'll become a recognized expert in your area of interest or expertise.

You can use podcasting to boost your credibility, build your list of customers and gain a fan base very quickly. This makes podcasting a great tool to promote a product or service.

Here are four reasons you need to start a podcast today whether for fun or for business.

1. Become a Recognized Expert or Celebrity in Your Chosen Niche

How would you like to be recognized as an authority  in your area of interest or expertise? Podcasts are popping up all over the internet on every imaginable subject.

But things are just getting started. Chances are you can still be one of the first to start a podcast in your chosen niche.

You can quickly be recognized as an expert in your field. This is a powerful way to build a following or strong customer base.

Think about when you hear or see someone on the radio or TV. They have instant credibility. As a podcaster you will enjoy the same credibility. People will value your opinion.

You can leverage this position to influence your audience, promote yourself and even make money. If you have an audience that is interested in a specific niche, there will always be others who want to reach that audience, too. This is how you find advertisers or sponsors.

2. Quickly Gain a Very Focused Audience

With the right content, you will gain listeners fast. Not only that, but your audience is potentially worldwide. You can offer quality content to keep in touch with your customers and keep yourself, your product or your service in the front of their mind.

Podcasting is a great way to cut through the clutter and reach your audience. This is not like the radio where your listener is waiting for something that interests him. He has chosen to listen to your podcast because it interests him.

This makes podcasts very effective for promotion, marketing and growing a focused audience.

3. Podcasting is a Convenient, Automatic and Inexpensive Way to Reach Your Audience or Customers

One reason that podcasting has become so popular is that it's automated. Listeners subscribe to your feed. This means they don't have to remember to return your site to check for new content. When you post new content, it's automatically downloaded to your listener.

Because listeners subscribe to podcasts, they have chosen to receive your content. They have already shown interest in your message by subscribing. In addition, a podcast does not get lost in SPAM like with e-mail. You can be sure your message is reaching a focused audience.

This means your content automatically reaches your audience without any barriers increasing the efficiency and ease of delivering your message.

Because your podcast is delivered over the internet, it's a very inexpensive means of communication.

4. With Equipment You Probably Already Own and For Very Little Cost, Your Podcast Could be Online in Just Hours

All you need to start your podcast is a computer, a microphone and a broadband internet connection. Later, you can buy nicer gear if you want. For now you can get started with very little cost. All you need is something to say and a desire to say it.

If you were to try and do the same thing on the radio, you would have to face all kinds of FCC regulations to learn and follow. Plus you would have the expense of broadcasting. Podcasting removes all of that cost and trouble.

With my how to podcast tutorial web site, your first podcast can be online in less than a day.

SUMMARY

Podcasting is a powerful and easy way to reach a focused audience. Whether for fun or to make money, podcasting allows you to easily reach a focused and loyal audience. You can brand yourself as an expert or celebrity in your niche.

You can get started with no more gear than your computer, a microphone and a broadband internet connection. People could be listening to your podcast in less than a day. Make your voice heard.

 

Tips for Podcasting Success

Tips for Podcasting Success

Word Count:
736

Summary:
As podcasts increase in popularity, listeners have more choices. So while you might be ahead of the competition, you should still be thinking about ways that you can make your podcast unique and stand out from similarly themed podcasts.

Keywords:
podcasting, podcaster, podcast, podcasts, rss feed, rss feeds, rss, feed, audio, mp3, streaming, radio, broadcast, announcer, show, cast, pod, tips, publicize, promote, marketing, internet, broadcasting, broadcaster,

Article Body:
Copyright 2006 Sharon Housley

As podcasts increase in popularity, listeners have more choices. So while you might be ahead of the competition, you should still be thinking about ways that you can make your podcast unique and stand out from similarly themed podcasts.

1. Plan Accordingly.

When making the decision and commitment to podcast, it is important to think beyond the moment. Before starting, think about the time the podcast production will take. How will podcasting fit into a current schedule? How frequently will you podcast? How will hosting of podcasting files be handled? If the podcast is excessively popular, how will fees be generated to pay for hosting? What is the common theme that threads all podcasts in a series together? Think not only of a broad theme, but also various episodic themes that fit into a broader theme. What will make you distinct or different from others podcasting about similar content? By approaching podcasting with a little forethought, you will set yourself up for success.

2. Original Content.

Just like any media company, in order to attract and maintain an audience, you will need to provide original content, or at the very least, present the content in an original way. Think about a long term strategy that will help your show distinguish itself from others.

3. Get to The Point.

Jibber Jabber is fun, but not to the point of excluding quality content. Listeners in today's society don't have time for incessant rambling. If you have a point to make, make it in a reasonable amount of time. Minimize the fluff and focus on quality content.

4. Do Your Homework.

Not only is faulty information a liability, but incorrect information will hurt a broadcasters long term reputation--just like a journalist's credibility is paramount to their success. It is important that the information that you provide is accurate. While being a shock jock might have short-term appeal to listeners, most will remain loyal to a source that has properly vetted all of their information.

5. Consistency.

The best content is consistent content. Podcasts should contain compelling content with episodic titles, that are united in common broad theme. The format of the podcast should be consistent, persistent and stable. Each show should be about the same length and contain a common format.

6. Timeless Content.

Content that is timeless has a long shelf life. Broadcasters will benefit more from content that is timeless and can be effectively archived. "How to" content that solves problems will often have long term appeal and listening life. When choosing topics, consider the long term effects of a specific piece and determine whether it will fit with the broad theme of the show.

7. Articulate Words.

The quality of the audio content does matter. Think of the last time you heard a good song, on a poorly tuned radio station; regardless of how much you like the song, most of us would move the dial along. Listeners will not want to strain to hear a podcast; pay particular attention to articulation. Another important item worth noting is that Podcasts have global reach and often global appeal. Minimizing an accent will often extend the podcast's listening audience.

8. Optimize Podcasts.

Podcast titles should be optimized to incorporate data that relates to the contents of the podcast. Think about the themes when selecting a podcast channel title and description. Use critical and related keywords and phrases that relate to a common theme. The text in the feed is important for both feed optimization and for attracting listeners. Many of the podcast directories index the contents of podcasts using the information contained in the channel and item's, titles and descriptions. Use these text fields to effectively capture the interest of listeners.

9. Listener Expectations.

Invariably listeners will come to expect certain things from broadcasters. In order to maintain a listening audience, it is important that broadcasts are consistent and satisfy the expectations of listeners. While it is okay to experiment, straying to far from what a listener expects will often disappoint.

10. Archive.

Many new listeners will want to review previous broadcasts. Consider ways to make older shows available through archives. Archives allow broadcasters another channel to benefit from the content. Maintaining archives of older podcasts might bring in new listeners and satisfy listeners who just can't get enough. Podcasts require effort, but by following basic guidelines and thinking things through, podcasts can be instrumental in increasing web traffic and communications within a community.