What is a podcast and how can it help my organization reach people online?
At this month's "Get It Online" lunch discussion, learn what a podcast is and why both communicators and journalists are increasingly using them to successful reach niche audiences. This informative session will share secrets on creating professional looking video for podcasting and other video-sharing technologies.
Podcasting is another name for audio and video blogging. The general idea is that you post audio or video content that someone can subscribe to. You are essentially creating a channel, one that you add audio, video, or print content to so it can be automatically downloaded to a subscribers’ computer or media player. All of this can occur without the need for email blasts, people logging onto websites, or expensive shipping bills.
Additionally, podcasting is much more affordable than streaming and web video options. Podcasting uses a distributed model, so instead of everyone coming to your website and clicking (then wanting to watch the video at the same time), podcasts download in the background automatically. This means that podcasts are there, waiting to be watched whenever and wherever the consumer wants them.
Cloud Frontiers: A Deep Dive into Serverless Spatial Data and FME
Podcasting: Get It Online — National Press Club Presentation
1.
2. Get It Online: Podcasting
Publishing Audio and Video to the Web and Mobile Devices
Richard Harrington - RHED Pixel | www.RHEDPixel.com | www.RichardHarringtonBlog.com
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3. Goals of Session
Define podcasting
Review history of podcasting
Explore uses for podcasting
Analyze the podcast audience
Review technical requirements
Discuss delivery
24. Podcasting Experience
Apple
Adobe Systems
Community Health Charities
Google
Microsoft
National Foundation for Credit Counseling
25. Podcasting Topics
Technology Mobile Computing
Photography Education
Design Fundraising
Fashion Fitness
Health Presentation Skills
Parenting Employment
College Admissions Travel
26. Podcasting Experience
Understanding Adobe Photoshop Secrets of Style with Kim Foley
Final Cut Help Peachpit Press Author Tips
Photoshop for Video The Moment it Clicks
Video Adrenaline Inside the Digital Media Classroom
Aperture Quick Tip SXSW for Peachpit Press
Photoshop Sneak Peak College Now
Photofocus Health Matters at Work
27. Podcasting Experience
OnMicrosoft Inside Mac TV (consult)
OnNetworking Photoshop User TV (guest & consult)
OnOpenSource Mommycast (production)
OnSecurity MacBreak Work (co-host)
OnSoftware Layers TV (guest)
On Home & Office Snap – The Digital Photography Show
for Parents
Google Web Toolkit
29. What is Podcasting?
Podcasting is distributing highly targeted, syndicated programs
(shows) over the Internet in an audio or video format that
interested audiences can subscribe to.
30.
31. In Order to Be a Podcast...
Multiple Occurrences/Serialized
Ability to Subscribe
Uses RSS Feed
Can be Joined or Left at End User’s Discretion
32. Uses for Technology
Special interest radio & TV
Software training
Redistribute existing shows
Distance learning
Brand extension
Public awareness
33. What is Podcasting?
RSS (Real simple syndication) is the feed that
provides subscription based content using XML
code.
Subscribers can set their software (such as iTunes)
to automatically download a new episode when
available.
Subscribers can build their own index
of shows and episodes on their computer as well
as their portable media devices to watch
whenever and wherever they want.
34. Like TiVo or a Magazine
Subscribers can watch or listen at their
convenience not just when program is
broadcast.
Audiences can select individual episodes to
download without subscribing if they wish.
Similar to purchasing a single magazine at a
newsstand with the possibility of subscribing at
a later date.
35. Benefits of Podcasting
Opt-in audience.
Subscribers can watch or listen at their
convenience not just when program is broadcast.
Emerging technology with little competition.
Can target and track niche markets.
Provides “walk away” brand extension.
Viral communications medium... Good content is
shared freely.
40. From Blogging
to Podcasting
Blogging refers to the writing of a text-based web
log or journal entry
RSS coding made the syndication of these text
entries possible
Users could now “subscribe” to weblogs
RSS code was updated with the possibility to
enclose rich media files like audio (.mp3 files),
video (.mp4) or document (.pdf)
Podcasting is born
41. From Blogging
to Podcasting
Term invented in August 2004
In October 2005, Apple introduces video capable
iPods and Front Row Media Center with full
support for video podcasting.
42. From Blogging
to Podcasting
iPod supports downloadable video podcasts
through iTunes RSS subscription and syncing
features.
iPhone now has over-the-air downloads.
In December 2005, TiVo adds ability to browse
and view podcasts (both audio and video).
In 2012, Apple released a dedicated podcasting
app for its iOS ecosystem
46. Who’s Podcasting?
National Public Radio
Public Broadcasting Service
ABC – CBS – NBC
BBC – CNN – Associated Press
MTV – ESPN – VH1 – HGTV
New York Times
Wall Street Journal
Washington Post
47. Who’s Podcasting?
National Geographic
Discovery Channel
White House
The Pentagon
National Park Service
US Treasury Department
Political Candidates
48.
49.
50. The Internet is Essential
How Users View the Mobile Computing Experience
51. High-Speed Access at Home
% Who Have Broadband/Dial-Up Internet Access at Home
100
89
84 86
82
75 78 76
68 69
60 58
50
48 48
37 38
25 28 28
21 20
15 13
8 8
0
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Dial-Up Broadband http://www.edisonresearch.com/Infinite_Dial_2012.pdf
52. Smartphone Owners Use Features
% Who (Item) on a (Cell Phone/Smartphone) Several Times per Day or More
Smartphone Cell Phone
86
Calls
59
78
Text Messages
34
46
Internet
5
34
Social Networking
4
25
Music
3
23
Photos
6
21
Games
2
11
Video
1
4
Purchase Apps
1
0 25 50 75 100
http://www.edisonresearch.com/Infinite_Dial_2011.pdf
53. Internet is Most Essential Delivery Vehicle
% Saying the Internet Is the Most Essential Medium to Their Lives
100%
75%
50% 46
33
25% 20
0%
2002 2007 2012
http://www.edisonresearch.com/Infinite_Dial_2011.pdf
54. Internet is Most Essential Delivery Vehicle
% Saying the Internet Is the Most Essential Medium to Their Lives
100%
75%
68
50%
33
25%
0%
12–34 35+
http://www.edisonresearch.com/Infinite_Dial_2011.pdf
56. Online Video Watching
% Who Have Watched Online Video in Last Week
100%
75%
50%
43
25%
12
0%
2006 2012
http://www.edisonresearch.com/Infinite_Dial_2011.pdf
57.
58. Give Up TV Before Smartphones
TV or Smartphone – Which would you be more willing to eliminate?
Eliminate iPhone or TV Eliminate iPhone or TV
6% 2%
40%
36%
58% 58%
Eliminate TV Eliminate iPhone Don’t Know Eliminate TV Eliminate Smartphone Don’t Know
http://www.edisonresearch.com/Infinite_Dial_2011.pdf
59. The Rise of Mobile Computing
The Internet is in the Pocket
60. Smartphone Ownership Quadrupled Since 2009
% Who Have a Smartphone (12+)
100%
75%
50% 44
31
25%
14
10
0%
2009 2010 2011 2012
http://www.edisonresearch.com/Infinite_Dial_2012.pdf
61. Nearly Half of 18-34s Have Smartphones
% by Age Group Who Own a Smartphone
100%
75%
66 64
54 54
50%
41
27
25%
11
0%
12–17 18–24 25–34 35–44 45–54 55–64 65+
http://www.edisonresearch.com/Infinite_Dial_2012.pdf
62. Own an iOS or Other Portable MP3 Player
Total Population (12+)
100
75
50 20
13
14 14 10
12 10
25 12 9 9
8
11 5 30
27
8 3 17 20 21
2 13
4 8
0
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
iPod Only Multiple iOS Non iPod http://www.edisonresearch.com/Infinite_Dial_2012.pdf
63. Passion for a Platform
% Who “Love” Platform/Device
iPhone 66
iPad 53
Android Phone 49
iPod 46
Blackberry 36
Cell Phone 32
0 25 50 75 100
http://www.edisonresearch.com/Infinite_Dial_2011.pdf
65. Subscribing to Podcasts
User must have web access
Broadband preferred, but not mandatory
Available to Mac, Windows, and Linux users
Ideally end-user will utilize an aggregator to
capture feeds
NOT required to be listed in iTunes
66. What is an Aggregator?
Software that retrieves syndicated Web
content that is supplied in the form of a web
feed usually RSS.
There are many “News Aggregators” that allow
a user to build custom, personal
“Newspapers.”
Apple’s cross platform, free software “iTunes”
is the leading aggregator for both audio and
video podcasts.
67.
68.
69. What Does the Aggregator
Software Do?
Automates the process of checking for new
user-defined content.
Downloads new content when discovered.
Sorts and indexes downloaded content.
70. Podcast Consumption
Where do you most
often listen to MP3s or 46%
other Digital Audio you 54%
have purchased?
Portable Player
Computer
72. Aggregator
Also called RSS readers, news readers
A software program that checks feeds you have
subscribed to and displays the content
The most popular aggregator for podcasts is
iTunes
Most web browsers have built in aggregators
these days
Some “portal” websites do as well
73. Aggregator
Aggregators create a consolidated view of your
feeds in a single browser or via application
(iTunes).
Most standalone applications (iTunes) will
download content to your computer’s hard drive
which you can then view offline.
Web browser aggregators or portal websites
require an active internet connection to display
your chosen content.
74. iD3 Tags
A system that allows users to store information,
or metadata, about the piece of media
Can be embedded within a file
75. RSS Technology
RSS – real simple syndication
A document written in XML
Usually called a “feed”,and is used to publish
frequently updated content
Works for blog entries, news headlines and
podcasts
Feeds can be subscribed to using an aggregator
or just viewed
76. XML
XML – Extensible Markup Language
The programming language that creates RSS
feeds through use of enclosure tags
ID3 tags are also present in RSS, thus wrapping
the media with metadata
77. Enclosure Tags
Allow multimedia content to be attached to RSS
feeds by providing URLs of their location.
It was the creation of enclosure tags in 2001 that
really fueled the birth of podcasting.
81. The Five W’s for Refining
a Show Concept
Who—Who is going to watch the show?
Who is going to host the show?
What—What topics will the show cover?
What genre or format will it use?
Where—Where will the show be recorded?
A studio? On location?
When—When will the show come out?
Daily? Weekly? Monthly?
Why—Why would a viewer subscribe?
Why would they come back?
82.
83. Delivering Mobile Video
Production Frequency – How often are you
going to record new episodes?
Acquisition Size – We typically acquire shows
in 720p HD (a frame size of 1280x720) at 24
frames per second (the same as film).
Delivery Methods – You need to consider
your primary and secondary delivery methods.
Audience Capabilities – You need to make
some assumptions about your audience.
84. Analyze the Market
Who is your competition?
What makes your show different?
What can you do better?
Who do you want to attract?
What are weaknesses of your competition?
How can you take advantage of these?
85. Questions to Ask
Make-Up of Audience?
Connection Speeds?
Embedded into Page?
Downloadable?
Portable?
Protected?
93. Podcast Maker Overview
From Potion Factory
Some overlap with previous tools
Allows user to split hosting of web files from generation of XML page
Tight integration with iTunes Podcast Directory
Allows for preview of page and functionality
Contains both authoring and publishing tools
94. The Podcast RSS Buddy Overview
From www.tolley.info
Tight integration with iTunes Podcast Directory
Allows for preview of page and functionality
Contains both authoring and publishing tools
95. Web Workflow
Several Stand-Alone websites
Browser-based technology
PodHoster
HipCast
Libsyn
Blip.tv
96. Feed Burner
Ideal for streamlining and republishing content
www.feedburner.com
Provides detailed user and item usage statistics
97. Feed Validator
Use Feed Validator to test RSS Feeds
www.feedvalidator.org/
Identifies errors and recommends solution
98. Submitting to iTunes
You need to pay very close attention to the title, author, description, and keywords tags at the
<channel> level of your podcast feed. This is the information that is indexed for searches. This is
also the copy that becomes your “packaging” in the store.
Make your title specific. Apple says, “A podcast entitled ‘Our Community Bulletin’ is too vague
and will attract no subscribers, no matter how compelling the content.”
The <itunes:summary> tag allows you to describe the show in great detail. Apple suggests
telling your audience about the “subject matter, media format, episode schedule, and other
relevant info so that they know what they’ll be getting when they subscribe.” A good idea is to
create a list of search terms you think a user would enter, then building these into your podcast
description.
99. Submitting to iTunes
Minimize your use of keywords. iTunes favors the summary tag over keywords. iTunes
recommends instead that you use keywords for things like misspellings of names or titles. To
prevent the abuse of keywords, iTunes ignores all but the first 12 keywords you’ve entered.
Make sure you assign a valid iTunes category (you can browse iTunes for a list of categories).
This makes it more likely the show will appear in its appropriate category and makes it easier for
casual browsers to find your program.
100. Submitting the Feed to iTunes
1. Launch the iTunes application.
2. Click the iTunes Store icon in your sources list in the left column.
3. In the top navigation banner, in the iTunes Store box, click the Podcasts link to go to the Podcasts
page.
4. In the Podcast Quick Links box in the upper right corner, click the Submit a Podcast link.
5. Follow the instructions on the Submit a Podcast page. You will need to have your podcast feed URL
ready.
6. If you are not logged in, iTunes will prompt you to do so before accepting your submission.
7. If your RSS feed is valid and has all of the recommended iTunes tags, you will see a summary page
after you submit your feed URL. If some of the required items are missing, iTunes will prompt you to fill
them in.
113. Richard Harrington
RHED Pixel (www.rhedpixel.com)
Project Management Professional
Consult on digital media production and web
content
Develop original and custom content for Internet
distribution to targeted audiences