Archive for September, 2007
PODCASTING - What is it? How can it help me?
By Suzanne Norman
If you are searching for something new for your client to increase their exposure on the internet without a huge outlay of money then you need to learn about podcasting. Podcasting is a new way to get a message out to millions of people without costing someone an arm and a leg. A podcast is a digital media file that gets distributed over the internet using syndicated feeds for playback later and can be downloaded to a portable media player or computer. Listeners can also subscribe to your client’s podcast so that when you or your clients record a new one and publish it to the internet they are notified and can download it for their listening pleasure or a fee if the client has chosen to go that route.
How can podcasting help your business and your clients? As the VA you can suggest the idea to your client and help do some research which will increase your hours and show that you are being proactive. Showing the client that you have a genuine interest in helping them grow their business will also increase the level of trust they have in you and give you more opportunities for more work. The ways in can help your client’s business are limitless so instead of having this be many pages long and boring no less, we are going to highlight two of the best reasons, in my opinion of course, here. Reason number 1? The client is in complete control! No one will tell them what they have to record, they control what listeners hear, how long the cast is and who is allowed to listen to the message. Reason Number 2? It’s easy and it can be done for free! What is better than growing a business and doing it affordably? There are programs out there that let you record and edit your audio files for free like www.audacity.com. If you want to pay for a program they come in all shapes, sizes and price ranges.
To reach your client’s target audience you will want to do some research to find the appropriate place to link their site and then get it out to all the RSS feeders that you can. If you don’t know what an RSS is that’s alright. An RSS is Really Simple Syndication and is how your podcast is syndicated and found by others on the internet. Many websites today will have RSS somewhere on them with a logo or icon. When you click on this little logo you will be able to subscribe to the feed and be notified when there are updates and new content available. It is an easy way to get updates without having to manually visit a web page or blog to check for updates or news.
Having your client’s podcast associated with an RSS feed will allow those listeners that have subscribed to the feed to be notified automatically and immediately when there is new information. No more sending emails out to everyone individually, this saves both your and your client time and therefore money!
Podcasting is yet another wave of the future. To get ahead and reach more people than ever you need to grab your board and ride the waves into the next age of technology. Show your client’s that you are on top of the new burgeoning business tips and tricks. Surf’s Up!