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Podcasting & Online Media Frequently Asked Questions

NOTE: If you’d like to learn more about RSS or web feeds from a podcast or blog consumer’s point of view, visit our RSS FAQ.

What is Podcasting?
Podcasting is like Tivo for your computer. For consumers, it’s a way of time-shifting and subscribing to Internet media. For content creators, it’s a way of distributing audio or visual content using syndication, such as RSS. The process is surprisingly simple, and by making content available using RSS, podcasters give their audience more control over what media they consume and when.

Podcasting is an effective tool for:
1. Music
2. Training and instructional materials
3. Recruiting
4. Self-guided walking tours
5. Talk shows, including commentary and news
6. Videocasts
7. Sales/Marketing/PR
8) Churches and pastors

What is RSS?
RSS (Generally defined as Really Simple Syndication) is a standard used to deliver updates to web content. Using this standard, webmasters provide headlines and fresh content in a succinct manner. Meanwhile, consumers use RSS readers and news aggregators to collect and monitor their favorite RSS feeds in one centralized program or location. Content viewed in the RSS reader or news aggregator is known as an RSS feed.

RSS was initially used by news services to provide up to date information and news summaries. The RSS format allowed the news content to be easily syndicated in a very quick manner. The RSS standard has evolved into a popular way to distribute all types of up-to-date information, including podcasts.

Why use RSS?
RSS can significantly increase website traffic. Consumers feel less threatened using RSS than traditional e-mail based or other subsription model. With RSS, the end-user has complete control over the communication and the sender never knows the identity of the subscriber. Subscribers can obtain content without giving away their personal information and can cease a subscription at any time.

What are the common RSS specifications?
To read more about the RSS specification go to Wikipedia.

How do I create an RSS feed?
You can create an RSS feed manually if you know how to program using XML or you can use any one of several commercial services such as FeedForAll, Libsyn or Feedburner. All three make the complex process of feed creation very easy.

How do I make my podcast iTunes-ready?
If you want to make your podcast iTunes ready, you have several options. Before we explain those, let’s look at how iTunes treats podcasts differently.

iTunes uses a namespace extension that expands RSS. You will need to add additional tags and information to your RSS feed. You can manually add tags to your RSS feed, or you can use software (like GarageBand if you’re on a Mac, or PodcastMaker on a Windows machine.) You can also use web-based services to accomplish this task. FeedForAll, Libsyn and Feedburner all create iTunes-compliant tags.

Declaration: The namespace for iTunes is defined at Apple’s Web Site.

What is the difference between a broadcast and a podcast?
Podcasts are formatted in an RSS file, and contain specific information. A broadcast is simply an audio or video recording. A broadcast can be included in a podcast, by including the audio file or broadcast in the enclosure field.

Some radio stations stream audio, which means that they provide a broadcast over the Internet, but it is not actually recorded. A file really needs to be recorded and syndicated via RSS in order to be considered a traditional podcast.

Don’t you need an iPod to listen to podcasts?
No you don’t. You can download podcasts to any portable media player or computer. You can even listen to and watch podcasts on cellular telephones and televisions. Many podcast sites support downloading shows directly from websites.

Do I need a Mac to listen to or create podcasts?
No you don’t. You can listen to and create podcasts if you use a Mac, A Windows machine or even on some Unix computers.

I have a podcast, but how do I make it appear in the podcast directories and podcast search engines?
iTunes is the most popular podcast directory. To submit your podcast to Apple for inclusion in iTunes, or find out more about the iTunes specification, go to Apple’s iTunes Web Site.

There are a large number of additional podcast directories that will allow you to submit your podcast. Be careful in selecting the appropriate category, since many of the directories group podcasts by topic, and this helps browsers locate your podcast.

Refer to the following podcast directory comparison to prioritize your podcast submissions. http://www.podcasting-tools.com/submit-podcasts.htm

If you link your podcast to a website or blog landing page, you can submit the website or blog to traditional search engines such as Google, Yahoo and MSN.

What file format can podcasts be in?
The term podcasting has come to mean any type of RSS feed that contains any enclosure rather than just a feed that contains audio content. Below, you will find the popular formats for all enclosures and the popular formats for audio files.

Because of the popularity of the iTunes namespace, here are the file formats that support iTunes.

Popular podcast formats
Audio file formats
MP3 (iTunes supports)
M4a (iTunes supports)
WAV

Popular podcast formats for any enclosure type
Video file formats
.MP4 (iTunes supports)
.M4V (iTunes supports)
.MOV (iTunes supports)
.AVI
.WMV

image file formats
.JPG
.GIF
.PNG

Other file formats
.PDF (iTunes supports)
.PPT
.DOC
.EXE
.ZIP
.XML
.SWF

What software should I use to create a podcast?
GarageBand 3.0 is one of the easiest and most powerful programs you can use on a Mac to create your podcast. PodcastMaker is another great Mac program. Podcast Station is a Windows PC-based piece of software that makes podcasts. You can also use any audio editor that will create an MP3 file, and if you have the ability to add the ID3 tags and enclosure, you have a podcast.

Can I use music in my podcasts?
Yes you can but you may need to pay a fee or buy a license from the Copyright holders of the music unless it is already cleared for public performance. You can use “Podsafe” music, which is music that has already been designated by its creator as suitable for redistribution via podcast. Music from big-named, established musical groups like the Rolling Stones or Michael Jackson is usually copyrighted and requires a license form ASCAP, SEASAC or BMI before they can be made part of your podcast.

You can also create your own music. If you are the author of the music, you may use it as you see fit.

And finally, you may use royalty free or clip-music from established libraries like the Music Bakery, typically, for a low one-time fee.

Glossary

Aggregator - Two main types of aggregators: web-based aggregators and desktop/software aggregators. Web-based aggregators allow individuals to subscribe to feeds online and read feeds in a web browser. Desktop aggregators are software programs installed locally that updates when feeds are updated. The aggregator shows new information and allow for users to read feeds.

Atom - An XML-based file format. Although Atom is not the same as RSS, it has similar functions. FeedForAll will convert Atom feeds to RSS v2 feeds.

Bed - Audio that is used as a backround element, such as music or effects.

Blog - Blog is short for weblog. A weblog is a journal that is frequently updated and intended for general public consumption. Blogs generally represent the personality of the author or the Web site.

Feed - An xml file containing headlines and descriptions also called news feed, content feed, xml feed or web feed.

Feed Validator - Tests the formatting of feeds to ensure that they are correctly formed.

OPML – OPML is an XML-based format that allows exchange of outline-structured information between applications running on different operating systems and environments.

RDF - Resource Description Framework is the frameworks for RSS version 1. Unfortunately the RSS v1 format is quite different from all other RSS versions.

RSS - Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary
for additional detail see what is RSS

Skype - an Internet telephony service that lets you talk to others via an Internet connection.

Stinger - a short musical phrase used as “audio punctuation”.

Syndicate - To supply information or content for simultaneous publications in several periodicals or web sites

Weblog - An online journal or diary that is frequently updated (also referred to as a blog).

XML - eXtensible Markup Language. RSS is based on XML.

AUTHORS: Scott Bourne / PodcastingTricks.com (www.podcastingtricks.com) – PodcastGearGuy (www.podcastgearguy.com) – Sharon Housley / FeedForAll (www.feedforall.com) - Licensed Under Creative Commons 2.5. Some Rights Reserved. Please feel free to use this document as long as you properly attribute it to the aforementioned authors, and leave the links to their respective websites intact.

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