Whether you are searching for podcasts to satisfy your thirst of information or to get some ideas for podcast content or format, there is no single formula or source that could satisfy all your needs.

Current technologies still lack behind when it comes to searching for relevant podcast content. Some podcast search service such as Podscope and Podzinger allow us to search into podcast content but still we can’t rely on it yet like when we use Google for searching website content.

For those who are new to podcasting, where to find great podcast content? If you are researching a new topic, where can you find as much great podcasts around that topic in the shortest time possible?

Here is my take to answer those questions:

1. Podcast directories. The effectiveness of podcast directories has come to the level where it is arguable. Yet, podcast directories are one of the richest source of podcasts in any topic available on the Internet now. Podcast ratings might be helpful to certain extent, but some are to be taken with a grain of salt.
2. Organic search engines. The big three — Google, Yahoo! and MSN — are probably the second most reliable sources to find podcasts. You have to sift through sites which don’t offer podcasts but still if you are diligent enough, you can find one or two good podcasts in the result pages. Like a blog, podcast pages should rank high in search engines — particularly if the podcaster knows how to implement basic SEO copywriting and search engine optimization.
3. Blogs. Bloggers blog about anything. At one day they may review their favorite podcast. Another blogger like to quote and blog about the podcast episode they just consume. Some of my favorite podcasts are found this way. Using the right keywords when searching might be able to draw this kind of information.
4. Blogroll/ link list. Often podcasters also have a list of podcasts they listen to on a regular basis. That could lead to another podcast, of which could lead to another, and so on and so forth.

Another new idea among bloggers is to tag every podcast review with “podcast+review” in Technorati so users could fish that list of blog posts out from the search engines easily. Smart, but upon visiting Technorati, I notice this method is still not very well-known.

Basically, much of the process to discover good podcasts still have to be done manually. But if you use the right tools like querying search engines with the right keywords and tap into the power of social media, you might get a list fast enough that it becomes overwhelming.

But, that’s another post.

Must read: How to Podcast Tutorial.

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