Podcasts and Transcripts for IM

Having mentioned transcription, it seems worthwhile extolling the virtues of using podcasts and transcripts on your website, and elsewhere, as part of your marketing toolbox.

What is a podcast?

A podcast is basically just an audio file. Think of listening to a radio show or interview - that is a podcast. Interestingly, the Internet has opened up the way for the BBC and other radio stations to make available 'recordings' or podcasts of all their shows, so the radio is no longer just real time. If you miss something you can listen again, by downloading the podcast to your ipod, MP3 player or computer.

For a business, a podcast can be a very useful tool indeed. And particularly because it fits into that category of items that you only need to create once and they become part of your marketing inventory or collateral. This is called 'long tail' marketing and means that a visitor to your website can listen to your podcasts whether your shop is open or shut, they can access it over and over again, and it costs you nothing more than the initial cost of creation. Which could be pretty much free if you use the many tools out there for creating and editing podcasts, such as Audacity. You can even record something on your mobile phone and make that available.

Podcasts can be about ANYTHING at all. That's the beauty of them. They can be short, or long. You can add music or jingles. They can be interviews, answers to common questions, descriptions of how to install or use a specific product, testimonials from satisfied customers, a sales pitch for a particular item - ANYTHING.

It could be interviews from people within your community or staff. The sound a machine or car should make when tuned up using your services. The silence outside your remote home office. A walk through of how to make an omelette. A description of how a new product has been developed, including interviews with those involved in the process. It could be ANYTHING!

The point of using podcasts though on your site is to get across a message to your potential customers that achieves a core objective, be that raising brand awareness, making a sale, answering a query, or CRM (Customer Relationship Management).

And once you have created a podcast for your site, don't forget to make it accessible. That is, for those with hearing difficulties, offer a transcript so they can read the information that is given in the podcast.

Transcription is cheap and easy if you use Mechanical Turk (as recommended in the last post), or software such as Express Scribe.....which you can downlaod and use for free, but some of their stuff requires a paid licence. See more here....6 Ways to Dictate. See our range of dictation software for PC, Mac & Pocket PCs. >>Download Today to save 10-50% off normal pricing.