Before the advent of new media, the traditional areas of mass communication were print, broadcast and public relations. Social media and technology created what is today know as new media. The practice of podcasting like new media owes its emergence to the rapid technological innovations discovered in the last ten years. Adopting the use of podcasts to create and increase market awareness for your startups could be described as a creative utilization of the free gift of technology.
For those of you who think it costs a fortune to setup a podcast here is all you need:
- A computer to edit content
- A microphone for recording
- A podcasting software for production
- Interesting topics for discussion.
While you might have be familiar with the use of blogging to market your products and setup support systems for your startup, here are some of the reasons to consider using a podcast instead:
1 People listen more than they read; it is easier for individuals to listen to music and multitask on several other activities at the same time rather than allocate a part of their time for exclusive reading.
2 Podcasts are personal and break the usual protocols associated with other forms of written content, the values of the podcaster are better expressed and messages are effectively passed, it is difficult to write a joke than to say it.
3 It is much easier to operate a podcast than to operate an online blog or send out newsletters. With podcasts, you are saved the stress of putting your raw thoughts in written form, avoid grammatical mistakes and being too formal.
4 It offers flexibility. With a podcast you can offer product review to your customers, advertise, interview experts and even respond to critical customer care issues.
5 Podcasts can also be used to offer training sessions to your members of staff, pass out important mandate for the year to employees and create an e-learning platform.
Before you venture into podcasting, it’s important to know that it requires some commitment on your part in order to make a success out of it. Podcasts also function well when they’re released consistently.
There are dozens of software applications you can use to record and edit your podcast. Choosing from the pool of available options and beating down the list can be difficult but here are some applications to consider:
1 Overcast: It is one of the best podcasts on IOS. It’s got a clean, straightforward, and tasteful design that’s easy to use; overcast also gets rid of silent moments wherever they exist in your podcasts. Users can always access the free version of Overcast with some limited functionalities while you need to pay $5 to unlock more features.
2 Audacity: It is a free, cross-platform, and open source software capable of recording studio-quality professional podcasts. Audacity is a very powerful podcast tool and has an extensive Wiki page with detailed tutorials specifically written for new podcasters.
3 Podbean: With Podbean, you can create professional podcasts in minutes without any programming knowledge. It is free and available on both android and IOS devices.
Podcasting is definitely a way of telling your entrepreneurial story, solving problems and amplifying your business brand.
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