For some reason, I have never really gotten into podcasting. I had heard about it before and was vaguely familiar with the concept, but had not felt compelled to subscribe to a podcast. Through this class, I have subscribed to blogs that have podcast features, and still [until now] have not used them. One reason for this might be that I’m more of a visual learner. For example, if people give me verbal directions to their house, I usually unwillingly start tuning out after the third direction and will inevitably get lost. While, if I were to look on Google Maps, I would be much more likely to successfully find it. So, I think I have been turned off by the fact that podcasts are basically audio information, and I have found other ways to get the same information in a visual form.
Also, I wonder if information on podcasts is as easy to work with as text. With text information on the web I can copy and paste specific passages that are of interest to me and reference them in something I’m writing (otherwise with a podcast I’d have to find to something to write with to remember what caught my interest). Or, I can hyperlink to other sites they mention very easily, or see pictures of the information alongside the text. However, if there was a transcript of what was said on the podcast available in addition to the audio, accompanied with hyperlinks and images with the information, then that could be really useful.
I’d like to look into podcasting because I think it would be a useful way to get information. I imagine it would be easy to put podcast MP3s on my iPod, and maybe I could listen to it in the car or at the gym. On Apple’s site they offer a lot of information on podcasts. Apple also provides tons of information on how to develop a podcast. Apparently there are thousands of free podcasts on iTunes, so I am definitely going to look into that.
The Agency Blog offered reasons why podcasting makes business sense. The author explains, “A podcast is a great form of media that engages your audience in ways that a blog or video can’t.” Some of the reasons given advocating podcasts are that they are completely portable allowing users to take it with them, appeal to people who get sick of reading tons of information online, as well as providing a venue for the visually impaired. The blog also mentioned that podcasting is a great way to tell your client’s story in a different way, and would be something clients might be interested in.
According to eMarketer, “The US podcast audience grew to 18.5 million in 2007, an increase of 285%. Furthermore, that audience will increase to 65 million in 2012.” The number of people who podcast is definitely growing, but is very fragmented according to eMarketer. In this article “Remember Podcasting? Listeners Do.” the author explains, “Although there are a few highly-rated podcasts with more than 100,000 listeners/viewers, most podcasts have far smaller audiences, highly-focused on niche interests.” While podcasting may only broadcast to a few people, these people can be very valuable to a business.
Vodcasting is basically the same thing as podcasting but in video form. Apple has some tutorials on how to vodcast with tips on how to compress your video and export it. Vodcasting can be a very powerful medium, giving your audience another way to access your content. Video podcasting can take what people with audio podcasting to the next level by being able to better demonstrate online learning, and can appeal to wide audience. Podcasting and vodcasting are definitely things that I’m going to be looking into as I continue to learn about web design and interactive media.
4 comments
Comments feed for this article
May 28, 2008 at 2:56 pm
nicosilva
I know what you mean about being a visual learner. I do subscribe to a few podcasts, but I don’t retain the information as well when I hear it. I partially blame it on years of listening to music too loud, however. That’s why vodcasts interest me so much more, considering I keep track of some video channels on YouTube anyway, so it’s not much more of a stretch to use vodcasts.
65 million podcast users? That seems like quite a few people; then again, podcasting is becoming more widely known and understood, so I can kind of see that. The major problem is that it’s called “podcasting”. It was brought up in another class blog that it should be renamed so it wouldn’t be associated with ipods so easily.
May 28, 2008 at 5:27 pm
jdbosley
Some of the blogs I subscribe to add videos or audio into their blog post to emphasize a point, demonstrate what they are talking about, or show someone else’s input on the subject. These “blogcasts” are pretty helpful to me, as I am able to read the posting, which is still sometimes the easiest way for me to absorb information, and watch or listen to something on the subject which makes it easier for me to remember and understand the point they are making. Another thing that I was reading about that kind of bridges the gap between people that prefer to read information and people that prefer to hear it is RSS narrating software. This type of “text-to-speech” software would allow anyone who would prefer to listen to the posting, the opportunity to do so. I am not 100% sure if RSS narrating software allows you to save the audio version as a MP3 file or not, if not someone should develop a tool that does.
May 29, 2008 at 3:44 am
mwcain81
I wonder what they mean about podcasting reaching people in ways that a blog or video can’t. I can agree on the blog side of it but in my opinion video is much more powerful than mere audio. Though I suppose if your a person with a “face for radio” the video could be intimidating. I still see the audio only approach as limited, but that my be my own preference. The more channels I recieve information through at once the better.
June 13, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Dave Jackson
Many people listen to a podcast in their car (can’t read a blog while driving) and also Audio podcasts are “theater of the mind” you have the added bonus of tone of voice, but you don’t have all the picuture (which perks up your brain).
Dave Jackson
http://www.schoolofpodcasting.com