Creating a Podcast

Two steps are involved in creating a podcast:

1. The creation of the mp3 audio file using a computere, microphone and any of a number of audio utilities. An mp3 audio file could be made available to listeners in a variety of different non-podcasting ways via websites etc.

2. Publishing the audio file to make it into a podcast. The process of distributing it as a podcast utilises the technology of rss feeds and aggregators to distribute and receive it. There are online services that allow you to use your telephone (mobile, landline, or VOIP) to “phone in” your spoken report, interview, or other information, which are then broadcast as podcasts.

Steps for creating a podcast:

1. Plan your podcast by first choosing a topic that excites you and make sure that there is a demand for your topic.
2. Spend some time to plan the format of your podcast (e.g. the length, structure, segments, music, theme song).
3. Before recording, write an outline, collect any information you plan on using and put all the audio clips you need in one place on your computer.
4. Choose a quiet place, free of distractions, to record your podcast.
5. Have all you podcasting gear, e.g. microphone or headset, in one place.
6. Record the audio file using a recording software e.g. Audacity.
7. Edit the recording to remove unwanted parts. and to add intro and outro music.
   
8. Convert and save as an MP3 file.
9. Create an RSS feed (some web hosts, blog hosts, podcast hosts create these for you).
10. Upload the MP3 files together with the RSS file to the server, hosting the podcast.
11. Users subscribed to your podcasts, using a podcatcher software, will have the MP3 files automatically downloaded to their computer.
12. The MP3 files can be listen to in the computer or downloaded to a portable MP3 player.

Note: Two of the most important things for this are the quality of your microphone and the acoustics of the room you record in.