OnlineMediaTips.com

I was giving interviews about the iPhone to some local radio stations this week. One of the hosts asked what I think is coming next in podcasting. I wasn’t prepared for this question so I answered it off the cuff.

I was surprised by what came to mind first. I blurted out something about combining Twitter or Jaiku with super niche-based podcasts that could actually be considered audio mobs.

What?

Well I think I mean to say, that I see a great deal of potential for some of the social networking sites we’ve seen popup lately, especially if we mix and match their strengths to create new categories of media.

Think Reeces Peanut Butter Cup - you got your chocolate on my peanut butter - no you got your peanut butter on my chocolate.

Let me explain. Jaiku has a neat thing called channels. What if a group of Jaiku members created or joined a channel targeted at a specific niche and then as a group, created podcasts that served that niche?

Because podcasting is typically pushed through landing pages that happen to be blogs, we do get some social interaction between the audience and hosts. But there’s still quite a one to many feel about podcasting similar to radio or TV.

Enabling social networks like Twitter or Jaiku or Kevin Rose’s new Pownce to work for social podcasting could make all the attendant parties more successful, creating a many to many feel.

What do you think? What’s next for podcasting in your mind?

Popularity: 33% [?]

It’s time to run down a list of the oldy-but-goody posts on the blog. This is a good chance for new visitors to go back and read some of the older, but still popular stuff.

Here are the recent favorites…with some modification to remove the date sensitive stuff that has expired.

1. Why Are You Podcasting Part II

2. Favorite Podcasts Grammar Girl

3. 2006’s Important Podcasting Trends

4. Free Loops For GarageBand & Logic

5. Apple TV Podcast Showcase

6. New Search Engine For Podcasters

7. Who Cares About Complete Downloads?

Popularity: 31% [?]

Apple and AT&T just announced that the iPhone will be activated through Apple’s free iTunes software.

Don’t look now folks but we just got a major boost from Apple and AT&T. Think about it. . . plenty of people already have iTunes but may never have used it. This will give them reason and it follows that some will look around a bit and perhaps find the podcasting menu at iTunes.

Likewise, tens of thousands of new iTunes users will download the software in order to activate the iPhone. That too gives podcasters a chance at more recognition.

Between this and the addition of a podcast menu to AppleTV, Apple is once again helping to move podcasting into the mainstream.

By the way, in case you didn’t know - I have a popular blog and podcast about the iPhone called The Apple Phone Show. Check out the blog because you can enter to win a free iPhone!

Popularity: 16% [?]

If you produce a radio-style podcast, it only makes sense to look at which industry types advertise on radio. These are the same corporate clients that would be good prospects for advertising on podcasts and other online media.

According to the Radio Advertising Bureau, in Q1/2007, radio’s leading growth categories were:

1) Communications/cellular/public utilities
2) Concerts/Theaters/Movies
3) Health Care

And the biggest category for radio has always been anything automotive. That has actually been in decline over Q1. Online media producers will have a tough time scoring ads from the automotive industry, since most of their advertising is locally-focused. But brand advertising by auto makers is still big.

All of this information is valuable, since it points out trends that those of us in the online media business need to study. In a best case scenario, we’ll use this information to target qualified prospects for big online media buys.

Popularity: 15% [?]

I constantly talk about stories. I constantly talk about online media producers and show hosts putting their real lives into public play so that their audiences will identify with them. When I consult with radio hosts, podcast producers, television reporters, I ask them - no beg them, to let a little of their REAL lives creep into their shows. This is more important than which mic you buy or how you code your RSS feed. This is about whether or not what you say matters.

If you want an example of this, performed by a master, visit the Biznik blog. In particular, visit this post by my friend and copywriter, Chris Haddad.

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Popularity: 18% [?]