For the Podcast Newbie

by Kevin D. Rolle

While browsing through the internet recently, I realized to my horror that I wasn't up to speed on the enormous potential that podcasts made available to the average person online. In fact, I wasn't entirely sure what a podcast was.

I knew that I'd heard the term for several years, but it was just one of those topics that never seemed urgent enough for me to get off my duff, and start looking for information about it.

Until now that is.

So I did a quick search, and my first stop was, (where else), www.podcast.com for a quick synopsis of what I was missing out on all this time.

"What is a podcast?

A “podcast” is a buzzword to describe a very simple concept: an audio or video file available on the Internet for you to listen to and/or watch. A podcast can also refer to a series of these audio or video files (similar to how a TV or radio “show” can be a
series of shows or just one show). When using the word “podcast”, most people refer to the entire series and not just one audio or video file.

Audio and video files have been made available on the Internet for years. Why is a podcast different?

Break PODCAST down into two parts. First the POD: you can either listen to a podcast on your computer or transfer it to your portable audio/video device, which means that file is Portable, and it’s On-Demand because you can listen to or watch it when you want, where you want. The CAST means the file is sent out to you over the Internet, in the way a “broadcast” comes to you over the radio or TV airwaves. But instead of using a radio or
TV, with podcasts you use a computer connected to the Internet, and on that computer you have a program that allows you to subscribe to, manage, and listen to or watch your favorite podcasts. That’s where Podcast.com comes in: you don’t need an extra program to listen to or watch your favorite podcasts, or to subscribe to them and manage them, because you can do that right on our site.

What kind of content will you be hearing and/or seeing in a podcast?

Everything from homemade video/radio shows to big-budget productions, from targeted advertisements for products you’re interested in to cartoons, comedy, commercial or non-commercial — you name it. The great part about podcasts, as you’ll see as you browse our site, is that there is something for everyone."

That was good for now. A nice simple, straight forward definition. But I needed more. Like a good solid resource of podcasts from around the world that will give me a good idea of what's possible with this intriguing new medium. And once again www.podcast.com was the answer, with thousands of podcasts available for you to listen to. Podcast Alley (www.podcastalley.com) is also a nice service. Hears a quote from the site:- ("Podcast Alley is the podcast lovers portal. Featuring the best Podcast Directory and the Top 10 podcasts, as voted on by the listeners").

Still more. I needed MORE.

Like a duo who actually reviews podcasts like a movie review.
(Only in an edgy style, with brutal honesty so that you will know what you are getting before you waste your valuable time listening to it. The Podcast Show at Egdy Podcast Reviews ( www.imaginatepro.com/thatpodcastshow )
was just the ticket. They've got the star ratings, a great intro, and it's like listening to radio disk jockeys. Best of all, they have a section on their site called 'podcaster toolkit', which gives links to tools that will assist you in making your own podcast.

I like this idea.

Don't forget to check out www.thepodcastplace.com while you're at it.

*************************************************************

Mr. Kevin D. Rolle is the owner of the blog  Site Traffic Overload Blog at www.sitetrafficoverload.com/blog, and the site Maintaining Money Momentum www.maintainingmoneymomentum.com where you can get a free excerpt from his book, "Maintaining Money Momentum".

*************************************************************