This is the last article from the Build Your Budget Home Studio Recording series. While the topic is not directly related to home recording equipment, it should be of interest to everyone who involves in digital recording of any sorts.

Never before that people can publish and distribute their own ideas, talkshow, music and songs so easily and inexpensively and immediately being exposed to the growing audience who are online seeking for audio content. You should have guessed it right. I am talking about audio podcasting.

Audio itself is not a breakthrough. It had been around for years. People use it quite extensively for streaming, Internet radio and others.

Hobbyists have been using the Internet to publish their songs and music samples online. Music labels have partnered with large music sites to sell songs legally. The same thing happens with books. Audio books are common nowadays as an option to buy instead of paperback version. Independent publishers can use inexpensive software and tools to create audio and video learning programs professionally.

The technology has matured to a level that streaming are accessible even to dial-up users. Publishers can even authenticate subscribers before they can access premium content.

What Makes Audio Podcasting Different?

Podcasting makes internet audio work for content publishers, by enabling them to offer their audio files as an opt-in subscription service, delivered directly to end-users’ desktops, without the use of e-mail or having the audience to visit their site every so often to get new content.

The latter doesn’t work. People are too busy to visit a site after the first time, unless they know it has something new and valuable to offer. Afterall, there are countless of other new sites to devour.

How Does Podcasting Work?

• The marketer or publisher creates an audio file and uploads it to a web server.
• He then “encloses” this audio file in a syndicated feed (yes, it is the same feed technology used successfully by others to deliver text content), using easy to use software, and makes the feed available online.
• End-users subscribe to this feed using special software. Some popular desktop music players have also integrated this feature, making the adoption more transparent.
• As soon as the publisher updates the syndicated feed with new content, subscribers are immediately notified and have the new audio file directly available to them, being able to listen to it at their own leisure or even upload it to their personal media player automatically and listen to it “on the road”.

Simply put, podcasting takes audio content and make it more accessible for consumers. Rather than having them download the content whenever they recall to do so, podcasting delivers the content automatically.

It still allows full control on the consumer’s side, but at the same time solves delivery and distribution problems for content producer.

When consumers decide they want your content, give them access to it in a way that is easiest for them.

Being able to stay in front of them and getting their constant attention is important. Podcasting lets these all happen in a unique and lively way.

The Benefits for Content Producers and Business Owners

Podcasting opens up new ranges of opportunities for content producers and business owners to distribute their ideas and information to specific niche markets.

Some podcast demographic data may help you see the value of targeting this market. Data were taken from August 2005 based from the study by Jupiter Research. Podcast listeners mostly comprise of:

• Experienced Internet users with at least 5 years of experience on the Internet.
• Have annual income of $75,000 or more.
• People between the age of 18 and 34.
• 69% of them actually purchase goods and services online.

Corporations have successfully use podcasting to generate leads, increase sales and establish closer relationship with their prospects and customers.

Although it is much still in its infancy compared to other mature technologies, podcasts have gained quite a share as the medium to create highly effective lead generation offers.

A study by Marketing Sherpa in July 2006 has proven that podcasts landed on the fifth position after free trial demo, webcast, whitepaper and blog.

There are also many successful stories occuring each and every day on blogs and mainstream media, reporting the success of publishers, marketers and businesses using podcast.

Anyone from hobbyists, artists, small business owners, independent professionals, to corporates, you name it, could be a podcaster.

If you are looking for an inexpensive way to publish your audio content and reach as much audience as possible, take a look at podcasting. With the right strategy, podcasting has the potential to become an effective marketing tool to reach your targeted audience. What to do with that capability is entirely up to you.

Alternative Recording Promotion Tactics

If you think podcasting is not for you — although I can’t think of a reason why, especially if you have produced regular content — then you could try other recording tactics such as audio streaming.

Look hard enough, and you may actually find audio streaming solution that provide both bandwidth and technology for your budget.

Of course, if you choose this path, you must promote your recording on your own because there is no way you can get into podcast directories or tap into the existing iTunes user traffic. Think about it, iPod users who seek ways to fill their media device with fresh content.

Finally, you can host your audio files on your own domain with typical hosting account, just like it is possible with podcasting. You can use common audio format to make the audio available for download or stream using flash audio player. Creating a simple playlist which listeners can download and stream — such as the common .m3u playlist for MP3 files — actually works tooo.

But again, you have to promote it on your own.

The choice is yours, but as I said, there is really no reason why you can’t start podcasting with your current resources. If you already have the content, start podcasting today.

See also: Podcast Business Case.

To easily receive updates on podcast and podcasting articles, subscribe to Podcasting Scout today.