Absolute Beginner's Guide to Podcasting

Has anyone ever told you that you should be on radio? While radio can be hard to break into, podcasting lets you put your voice and talents to work to create your own broadcast to be distributed over the Internet to millions of people. Absolute Beginner's Guide to Podcasting is the aspiring podcaster's handbook. Authors George Colombo and Curtis Franklin will guide you through creating, editing, and syndicating your podcast, from the kinds of equipment you need to how to design a podcast that will reach the widest audience possible to legal issues faced by podcasters. You'll also learn how to:

• Design a podcast that grabs - and keeps - an audience!
• Choose the right tools - recording software, microphones, and other equipment
• Create an engaging show persona - podcasting is more than just talking!
• Craft your 'cast into a show worth listening to with post-production secrets of the pros
• Set up a web page and RSS feed that will allow listeners to subscribe to your podcast
• Efffectively promote your podcast

The tips inside Absolute Beginner's Guide to Podcasting will guide you towards creating a fun and successful podcast.

List of contents

Introduction.
Welcome to Podcasting.
I. THE BASICS.
1. An Overview of Podcasting.
¿¿¿ Podcasting Is Radio As You've Always Loved It-Only Better
¿¿¿ How Podcasting Works
¿¿¿¿¿ The Basic Steps for Creating a Podcast
¿¿¿ Getting Inside the Listener Experience
¿¿¿¿¿ Download and Install "Pod-catching" Software
¿¿¿¿¿ Find the Podcasts You Want and Subscribe to Them
¿¿¿¿¿ Listen to Your Podcasts in "The Real World"
¿¿¿ The Differences Between Radio and Podcasting
¿¿¿¿¿ Podcasting Time-shifts the Radio Experience
¿¿¿¿¿ Your Podcast Isn't Restricted by Programming Constraints
¿¿¿¿¿ Podcasts Persist
II. CREATING A COMPELLING PODCAST.
2. Guidelines for Designing a Killer Podcast.
¿¿¿ Begin with Your Listeners in Mind
¿¿¿¿¿ The First Step in Defining Your Listener
¿¿¿¿¿ Drilling Down Another Level
¿¿¿ Designing a Show That's Right for Your Listeners
¿¿¿¿¿ Crafting the Best Overall Sound for Your Podcast
¿¿¿¿¿ Choosing the Right Length
¿¿¿¿¿ How Frequently Should You Post Your Shows?
¿¿¿ Practice, Test, Practice Some More
¿¿¿¿¿ Getting Feedback on Your Practice 'Casts
3. The Components of Your Podcast.
¿¿¿ The Voice(s) on Your Podcast
¿¿¿¿¿ Your Show Host Persona
¿¿¿¿¿ Do You Need (or Want) a Co-Host?
¿¿¿ Conducting Interesting Interviews
¿¿¿ Using Music Skillfully
¿¿¿ Sound Effects
¿¿¿ Balancing Quality and "Realism"
¿¿¿ Unpredictability (Within a Framework)
4. Strategies for Planning Each Show.
¿¿¿ The Basics of Show Preparation
¿¿¿¿¿ It Allows You to Approach Each Show More Confidently
¿¿¿¿¿ It Improves the Flow of Your Podcast
¿¿¿¿¿ It Guarantees You Won't Overlook Something You Wanted to Talk About
¿¿¿¿¿ It Makes Post-Production Easier
¿¿¿ Time-Tested Show Prep Techniques
¿¿¿¿¿ The ABC Technique (Always Be Clipping!)
¿¿¿¿¿ Collect More Than You Need (Way More!)
¿¿¿¿¿ The Usual Suspects
¿¿¿¿¿ Design the Flow of Your Show
¿¿¿¿¿ Don't Forget the Funny Stuff
¿¿¿ Avoiding the Cardinal Sin of Podcasting
5. Creating a Positive Feedback Loop with Your Listeners.
¿¿¿ Don't Podcast in a Vacuum
¿¿¿ Your Show Notes/Blog
¿¿¿ Email Strategies
¿¿¿ Accepting Audio Feedback
¿¿¿ Show Feedback Line
¿¿¿ Skype
¿¿¿¿¿ And Furthermore...
6. Setting Up Your Studio.
¿¿¿ The Hardware and Accessories You'll Need
¿¿¿¿¿ Choosing a Computer Platform: Windows, Macintosh, or Linux
¿¿¿¿¿ Windows
¿¿¿¿¿ Macintosh
¿¿¿¿¿ Linux
¿¿¿¿¿ Headphones
¿¿¿¿¿ Closed-ear (Isolation) Headphones
¿¿¿¿¿ Open-ear Headphones
¿¿¿¿¿ In-ear Headphones
¿¿¿¿¿ Microphones
¿¿¿¿¿ Cables
¿¿¿¿¿ A Mixing Board
¿¿¿ Recording in the Field
¿¿¿¿¿ Portable Recorders
¿¿¿¿¿ Accessories for Field Recording
¿¿¿¿¿ Microphones for Field Recording
¿¿¿¿¿ Windscreens
¿¿¿¿¿ Cameras
¿¿¿¿¿ Working with Ambient Noise
¿¿¿ The Software You'll Need
¿¿¿¿¿ Recording Software
¿¿¿¿¿ Audio Editing Software
¿¿¿¿¿ FTP Software
¿¿¿ Budgeting for Bandwidth
7. Recording Your Podcast.
¿¿¿ It's Showtime!
¿¿¿ Recording Tips and Techniques
¿¿¿ Interviewing Guests on Your Podcast
¿¿¿¿¿ How Long Should You Keep Your Files?
¿¿¿ Recording in the Field
¿¿¿¿¿ Working with Ambient Noise
8. Processing and Posting Your Podcast.
¿¿¿ Editing Techniques
¿¿¿¿¿ Thinking in Tracks
¿¿¿¿¿ It's Time to Fade
¿¿¿¿¿ Building Blocks for a Podcast
¿¿¿¿¿ Decisions on Edit Points
¿¿¿ Mixing Techniques
¿¿¿¿¿ Extending Our Loops
¿¿¿¿¿ Building on the Cross-Fade
¿¿¿ To Clean or Not to Clean
¿¿¿¿¿ Cut It Out
¿¿¿¿¿ Filters for Clarity
¿¿¿ What You Need to Know About ID3 Tags
¿¿¿¿¿ Making Tags More Useful
¿¿¿ Using FTP
¿¿¿ Services That Will Make Your Podcasting Easier
¿¿¿¿¿ Liberated Syndication (www.libsyn.com)
¿¿¿¿¿ Feedburner (www.feedburner.com)
¿¿¿¿¿ Podshow.com (www.podshow.com)
¿¿¿¿¿ Odeo (www.odeo.com)
¿¿¿ Hosting Companies
III. DISTRIBUTING YOUR PODCAST TO LISTENERS.
9. Public Syndication.
¿¿¿ An Overview of RSS
¿¿¿¿¿ A Bit of History
¿¿¿¿¿ RSS and Beyond
¿¿¿ Enclosure Tags
¿¿¿ Thinking About Your Server
¿¿¿ Preparing Your Podcast for Syndication
¿¿¿ Getting Listed
10. In-House Syndication.
¿¿¿ Secure Distribution to a Targeted Audience
¿¿¿¿¿ Controlling Access to the RSS Feed
¿¿¿¿¿ Your Own Private Network
¿¿¿ When In-house Syndication Is Appropriate
¿¿¿¿¿ Education
¿¿¿¿¿ Customer Communications
¿¿¿¿¿ Faith-based Organizations
¿¿¿¿¿ Political Organizations
¿¿¿ Simple In-house Syndication Strategies
¿¿¿¿¿ Security Through Obscurity
¿¿¿¿¿ Limits on Limitations
¿¿¿¿¿ Privacy Matters
IV. DAY-TO-DAY ISSUES YOU'LL FACE AS A PODCASTER.
11. Promoting Your Podcast.
¿¿¿ Get Your Podcast Listed
¿¿¿¿¿ Getting Listed in iPodder
¿¿¿¿¿ Podcast Alley
¿¿¿¿¿ iPodderX.org
¿¿¿¿¿ Beyond the First-tier Directories
¿¿¿ Tap into the Podcasting Community
¿¿¿¿¿ Hang Out Around Podcasting's Virtual Water Cooler
¿¿¿¿¿ Promote Podcasting
¿¿¿ Nail Down Your Niche
¿¿¿ The Power of Public Relations
12. Double-Enders: The Secret Technique for Remote Interviews.
¿¿¿ The Insiders' Secret Technique for Remote Interviews
¿¿¿ Recording Your Double-Ender
¿¿¿¿¿ Eliminate As Much Ambient Noise As Possible
¿¿¿¿¿ Check Your Recording Levels
¿¿¿¿¿ Get Connected on the Phone
¿¿¿¿¿ Hit the Record Button and Start Talking
¿¿¿¿¿ Save Your Partner's Recording in an Appropriate Format
¿¿¿ Transferring Files That Are Too Large for Email
¿¿¿ Mixing Your Double-Ender
13. Generating Income with Your Podcast.
¿¿¿ Get Ready to Generate Revenue
¿¿¿¿¿ Build Up Your Audience
¿¿¿¿¿ Understand Precisely Who's Listening
¿¿¿ Four Basic Revenue Models
¿¿¿¿¿ The Associate/Affiliate Model
¿¿¿¿¿ Donations
¿¿¿¿¿ The Sponsorship Model
¿¿¿¿¿ Distribution to Paid Subscribers
¿¿¿ Choosing the Right Business Model
¿¿¿ Other Revenue Opportunities for Podcasters
14. Music and Intellectual Property.
¿¿¿ What Is a Copyright?
¿¿¿ Royalties
¿¿¿ Podsafe Music for Your Podcast
¿¿¿ Fair Use
¿¿¿ Resources for Understanding Royalties and Copyrights
¿¿¿ Links to Royalty-Free Music
15. Protecting Your Content Through Packaging.
¿¿¿ Wrapping Your Podcast in a Good Website
¿¿¿ Podcasts with Pictures
¿¿¿ Alternate Packaging-Passwords and More
16. Letting Your Podcast Go-Taking a Wider View of Rights.
¿¿¿ Maybe You Can Just Let Go
¿¿¿ Creative Commons
V. APPENDICES.
A. Podcasting Glossary.
B. Resources for Podcasters.
¿¿¿ Audio Software for Podcasters
¿¿¿ Pod-catching (Aggregator) Software
¿¿¿ Audio Equipment Manufacturers
¿¿¿ Podcasting Directories
¿¿¿ Online Resources for Podcasters
¿¿¿ Online Suppliers of Audio Equipment
¿¿¿ The Podcasting Community Online
¿¿¿ Web Hosting and RSS Feed Software and Services
C. 30 Podcasts You Should Definitely Check Out.
¿¿¿ The Daily Source Code
¿¿¿ WGBH Morning Stories Podcast
¿¿¿ The Point Podcast
¿¿¿ New York Minute
¿¿¿ Ultimate Podcasting
¿¿¿ Reel Reviews
¿¿¿ The Cubicle Escape Pod
¿¿¿ The Dawn and Drew Show
¿¿¿ Science @ NASA
¿¿¿ Inside Mac Radio
¿¿¿ The President's Weekly Radio Address
¿¿¿ One America Committee
¿¿¿ Off The Record
¿¿¿ Catholic Insider
¿¿¿ Slice of Sci-Fi
¿¿¿ IT Conversations
¿¿¿ Geek News Central
¿¿¿ Caribbean Free Radio
¿¿¿ The Podcast Brothers
¿¿¿ Endurance Radio
¿¿¿ Grape Radio
¿¿¿ Coverville
¿¿¿ MacCast
¿¿¿ Marlaina By Ear
¿¿¿ The Beatles Chronicles
¿¿¿ Battlestar Galactica
¿¿¿ How To Do Stuff
¿¿¿ Engadget
¿¿¿ The Bitterest Pill
¿¿¿ Autoblog
D. iTunes.
¿¿¿ Introducing iTunes 4.9
¿¿¿¿¿ iTunes Offers One-Click Subscriptions
¿¿¿¿¿ iTunes Allows Listeners to Manage Music and Podcasts_from a Single Application
¿¿¿¿¿ Getting Your Podcast into the iTunes Directory
¿¿¿¿¿ The Good News and the Bad News
¿¿¿¿¿ The Bottom Line
Index.
¿

About the author

George Colombo has a reputation for making technology topics accessible to general audiences. His book Sales Force Automation was published in 1993, and many industry observers consider it the starting point for today's multi-billion dollar Customer Relationship Management industry. George has written for a number of business and computer industry publications, including Computer Reseller News, VARBusiness, and Selling. George spent two years as the host of TEN-TV's Spotlight Microsoft, a weekly television show for Microsoft developers. George was also the Executive Producer for Conversations With Industry Innovators, an audio interview series.
Curtis Franklin, Jr. has been introducing new products and technologies to readers for nearly twenty years. He was the founder of the BYTE Testing Lab for BYTE magazine, and since then has written about leading-edge technologies and their impact on individuals and organizations for publications like Circuit Cellar INK, VARBusiness, Solutions Integrator, ITWorld.com, HowStuffWorks.com, InternetWeek, InfoWorld, Network World, Secure Enterprise, and Network Computing. As Director of Labs for Client/Server Labs, he directed testing and analysis of performance, capacity, and capabilities testing for a client list that included IBM, Dell, Microsoft, Intel, Shell Oil, and Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Florida. Today, Curtis directs security coverage as senior technology editor at Network Computing, edits the Security Channel of TechWeb.com, and contributes to industry-leading security coverage as senior technology editor at Secure Enterprise.

Summary

Guides you through creating, editing, and syndicating your podcast, from the kinds of equipment you need to how to design a podcast that will reach the widest audience possible to legal issues faced by podcasters.

Product details

• Authors: George Colombo, George W. Colombo, Curtis Franklin, Curtis Jr. Franklin
• Publisher: Pearson Academic
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.01.2005
• EAN: 9780789734556
• ISBN: 978-0-7897-3455-6
• No. of pages: 264
• Weight: 420 g
• Series: Que; Absolute Beginner's Guides (Qu; Que
• Subject: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > IT, data processing > Hardware