Guide For Beginning Podcasters

This very basic guide is intended to give beginning podcasters information on how to get started. It is
barely possible to provide all the information necessary to excel at podcasting in just a few paragraphs
so we recommend that you dedicate some time each week to searching out new resources and tips on
how to improve in the medium.

Table of Contents
Overview...............................................................................................................................................2
Getting Started.......................................................................................................................................2
Audio Tools...........................................................................................................................................3
Video Tools............................................................................................................................................3
Media Formats.......................................................................................................................................4
Recording and Editing Tips...................................................................................................................4
Publishing Your Media..........................................................................................................................5
Branding Your Podcast..........................................................................................................................6
Promoting Your Podcast........................................................................................................................7
Monetizing Your Podcast......................................................................................................................8
The Legalities Of Podcasting................................................................................................................9
Additional Resources...........................................................................................................................11

Copyright 2007, RawVoice Inc.

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 Guide For Beginning Podcasters

Overview
The technology of podcasting allows you to publish rich media (audio or video) that people can
consume on the web and subscribe to in order to get automatic updates. Think of podcasting as a digital
video recorder for the web. As a podcaster you make content available that people can get how they
want, when they want. All anyone really needs to consume podcasts are a computer and an internet
(preferably high speed) connection.

Getting Started
For those at the beginning of the podcasting journey there are two very important decisions to make.
1. What will be the theme of your podcast? We recommend that you pick something you are
passionate and knowledgeable about.
2. In what format will you distribute your podcast? This choice depends on your theme and also
the technology you are comfortable with. Some themes work best with video but if you are
comfortable with audio tools then maybe you should start with audio. Either way, plan on
investing time to learn the tools to help create podcasts in the format you settle on.
Cost may be a factor in getting started as well. We recommend that you get started with the most basic
equipment possible. In the beginning, podcasting is about creating content and getting familiar with the
process. If you have large debts for equipment hanging over your head you will be stressing about the
wrong things.
We also recommend that you think of a unique name for your podcast and secure a domain (or
domains) that reflect that name. Domains are very inexpensive these days (as low as $8.95 per year via
our partner GoDaddy) so there's no reason you shouldn't stake your claim on a domain name that can
represent your podcast.

Copyright 2007, RawVoice Inc.

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Audio Tools
If you choose an audio format then you'll want to know about some of the basic tools you can use to
record and edit audio. We're going to focus on a totally computer based setup for the purposes of this
tutorial.
Software
Audacity is a very popular and free recording and editing program that works well on both Windows
machines and Macs.
Garage Band is very popular with Mac users. It is simple, powerful and is only available on the Mac as
part of the iLife software suite.
Magix Podcast Maker e-Version is a very basic, two-track audio recording program designed for
Windows computers. The software costs $19.99 but comes with a 30-day free trial.
Hardware
The Cyber Acoustics USB Headset provides a basic and reliable microphone interface to your
computer at a very reasonable price of around $30.
The M-Audio Podcast Factory provides you with a more advanced interface that includes a
microphone, desktop stand and software for under $200.
Portable Devices
The Samson Zoom H2 – Handy Recorder lets you record on the go in a very small package. This
recorder can be had for around $200.
The iRiver S10 is an ultra portable music player that has 2GB of memory and doubles as a voice
recorder.

Video Tools
There are many different types of tools available to record and edit video. These tools range from very
basic to professional tools costing thousands of dollars. These are just a few choices that make sense
for the beginning podcaster.
Software
Windows Movie Maker is a free video editing tool that works only on Windows based machines.
Apple iMovie software is made specifically for Macs and is bundled with Apple's iLife software suite
which is priced at less than $100.

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Magix Movie Edit Pro is a Windows based video editing suite that packs very good features at a very
reasonable price around $60.
QuickTime Pro is a $30 program that allows Windows or Mac users to convert a variety of video
formats into the iPod video format.
Hardware
The Samsung SC-X300 is an ultra-portable digital camcorder that costs under $300. Videos are stored
on a flash memory card that is sold separately.
The JVC GR-D250 Mini DV Camcorder costs less than $200. Videos are captured to mini-dv tapes
which are sold separately and hold about 60 minutes of video each.
The Canon Powershot A560 digital still camera costs less than $200 and doubles as a movie camera.
Movies are stored on a flash memory card.

Media Formats
Beginner's should know some important information about formats for media.
Audio podcasts are almost always encoded in MP3 format. MP3 format plays on all audio players and
has the best balance between compression (meaning smaller file sizes) and quality.
Video podcasts are typically distributed in a QuickTime (usually with an M4V extension) format in
order to achieve compatibility with iTunes, the Video iPod and Apple TV. Many video podcasts also
offer a Flash option (think YouTube) for viewing videos in the browser. This is typically achieved by
uploading to a service such as YouTube or Blip.tv that will encode files to flash on their servers and
provide an embed code so you can place the video on other sites.

Recording and Editing Tips

Beginner's should exercise lots of patience when recording and editing media for the first time. Plan
several dry runs. Make the episodes short. And make the goal to become comfortable with the
recording process and familiar with the tools you are using.
You may not like the finished product the first time around. That's okay. Take it as a learning
experience and commit yourself to doing better next time.

Copyright 2007, RawVoice Inc.

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Publishing Your Media

At some point you will be ready to let loose with your very first episode of your podcast. When you are
there are a couple of things you will need in place to get going.
1. You will need a host on the web that will store the media.
2. You will need a place to act as the home page for your show.
3. You will need an RSS feed that is compatible with podcasting and iTunes.
Media Hosts
Until a few years ago most web hosting providers offered general storage for media and web pages. In
recent years many specialty providers have popped up specifically for media (and some just for
podcasting) at free or reasonable prices. Here are a few that might meet your needs:
Audio Only
TalkShoe provides a free service that allows you to record audio podcasts over the phone or upload pre-
recorded audio. Media hosting is supported by ads inserted into media files. Accounts support podcast
RSS feeds.
Podcaster News (a service of RawVoice) allows producers of short form audio shows to enjoy free
media hosting and publishing of full featured podcast feeds.
Video Only
Blip.tv provides a free service that allows you to upload videos up to 100MB in size. Their service will
also transcode your video to Flash and provide a player to embed the video in other sites. Accounts also
support iTunes compliant podcast RSS feeds.
Audio or Video
LibSyn is a service that provides media hosting, a web presence and an iTunes compliant podcast feed
at low prices. You can upload audio or video from the browser or via their web based interface.
Podcast Spot is similar to Libsyn but they will encode audio and video to multiple formats.
PodShow offers free audio and video hosting as well as a web presence and podcast RSS feed. Hosting
costs are covered by the insertion of ads before and after the media.
PodOmatic offers free hosting of audio and video hosting with presence and podcast RSS feeds. Free
hosting is supported by advertising.

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The Internet Archive is a free hosting service that supports audio or video uploads from the browser.
They do not support podcast RSS feeds or a web presence so you would use another presence and
simply link to the files.
Presence Providers
These are services that specialize in letting you publish a website or blog very quickly and easily. They
don't host media and may not support creation of a podcast RSS feed.
WordPress.com and Blogger both offer a free hosted website/blog service. WordPress.com offers more
advanced comment and spam protection.
TypePad is a paid service with many features that offers a web presence starting at $4.95 per month.
RSS Feed Providers
A few service providers exist in order to help you create or enhance RSS feeds that support podcasting.
Feed For All is a desktop based program for Windows and Mac computers. Priced at $39.95 this tool
allows you to create, manage and upload iTunes compliant podcast feeds to a web server.
FeedBurner is a free service that will enhance an existing feed to support podcasting and inclusion in
the iTunes directory. FeedBurner requires that you start with an existing RSS feed as they do not create
feeds. In addition to podcast enhancements FeedBurner also offers statistics on the number of people
subscribed to your feed.
IceRocket RSS Builder is a free tool that allows you to create RSS feeds on the web. While not podcast
compliant, you can use IceRocket in conjuction with FeedBurner to create a full featured podcast feed.
DirCaster is a free script that allows one to very easily start Podcasting MP3 files from their web host.
This allows original content creators to easily create a feed that is also fully iTunes compliant!
Publishing Tips
Some media hosts allow you to upload your files directly from the web browser. Other require you to
upload media via File Transfer Protocol (FTP). FileZilla is a free software tool for Windows based
computers that will allow you to upload files to your media host from the desktop.

Branding Your Podcast

We recommend that you take a few moments to consider the branding for your podcast. You may not
think of your podcast as a professional endeavor now, but if your show gets popular you just might
want to have strong branding that can support a unique presence and advertising.
The basic components for your brand are:

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1. The name of your show. Think of a name for your podcast prior to launch. Do searches on
Google for the exact proposed name of your show to see if anyone has the same or a very
similar name. Its usually best to avoid very similar show names.
2. The domain for your show. Even if you have a service providing you a domain (like
mypodcast.blubrry.com for example) you should always have a unique domain for your show.
At the very least you can forward the unique domain to the service you are using.
3. Your show image or cover art. Every podcast should have a 300x300 image that represents the
show. Many directories, especially iTunes, will use this image to link to your show. A good
image can help your show to stand out from others.

Promoting Your Podcast

A lot of work goes into your podcast prior to publishing your first episode. Once you have published
your first episode we have no doubt that you will want to tell people about it. After all, podcasting is
about making connections with people.
Here are some basic tips for helping you to promote your podcast and start gaining an audience:
1. Tell family and friends. These are people most likely to share your interests or at least have an
interest in what you're doing. So let them know and encourage them to spread the word.
2. Go to places on the web where your topics are important. Let's say you create a travel podcast.
Head over to a popular travel forum and announce your show there. Remember, this isn't about
the fact that its a podcast. This is about the type of content you are creating and that content
should appeal to anyone who is looking for information on the topics you are covering.
3. Submit your podcast to iTunes. iTunes is the largest directory for podcasts and it has an
audience of 60 million people who go their to search out digital content. Being listed there will
increase the chances of someone finding your show.
4. Join a community of podcasters. Many podcast producers are fans of the medium and may just
be possible audience members. They can also help you spread the word. We're very proud of
our Blubrry podcast community as the kind of place where you can make connections. You can
also find communities at Podcast Pickle and Podcast Alley among others. If you produce a
video podcast also consider submitting to the Miro Guide, which specializes in video podcasts.
5. Create a show promo and share it. We created Podcast Promos to give podcast producers a
place to list and share their promos for their podcasts. Take some time to record a short (30
second to a minute) promo for your show and ask other podcasts to play it.

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Monetizing Your Podcast

The day may arrive when you decide that you want to make some money from your podcast. There are
several ways that you can accomplish the goal of earning a few dollars from your passion.
1. Pay per click ads on your website. If the primary presence for your podcast has a good amount
of traffic you may be able to make money through pay-per-click ad programs. These types of
programs require you to insert a snippet of html code on your website. That code will deliver
linked text ads (and in some cases images) based on the content in your page. Find out more
about this type of monetization via Google AdSense or AdBrite.
2. Podcast sponsorship arrangements. These types of agreements involve a sponsor paying a fee
to be mentioned in the media and sometimes represented via links or banner ads on the podcast
website. Sponsors will either pay a fee per thousand downloads (known as CPM) or will pay for
certain actions (known as CPA) by your podcast audience. As an independent media producer
you are free to search for sponsors for your podcast. If you would like some help, a number of
service providers including Blubrry, PodTrac and PodShow connect podcasters with sponsors.
3. Affiliate programs. These types of programs allow you to choose from a wide array of
advertisers who are seeking to promote their products and services via the internet. Affiliate
deals will require your audience to take action before you can be paid. Payments vary based on
the affiliate. You can seek out some affiliate opportunities by checking out Commission
Junction and Apple's iTunes Affiliate program among others.
4. Audience donations. You can ask for donations during your podcast episodes and have links on
your website that take people to the appropriate payment service. Services like PayPal and
Google Checkout make it easy for anyone to accept payments from their audience.
5. Premium content sales. If the content you are producing is valuable enough to your audience
you may be able to convince them to pay for it. The mechanics of protecting and selling digital
content can be technologically difficult for the average publisher. Services like Lulu.com and
the Dreamhost Files Forever program make it easier for publishers to protect and sell their
digital content.

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Podcast Advertising Tips

The process of obtaining and managing podcast advertising deals can sometimes be a complex one.
Here is a list of some basic tips to help you make your podcast one that is advertising and sponsorship
ready.
1. Know your audience. Do the best you can to know your audience size along with some general
demographic information.
2. Publish on a consistent schedule. Shows that have a track record of keeping a regular schedule
are more attractive to advertisers than those published whenever. A consistent schedule tells the
potential sponsor that you are very likely to deliver your audience.
3. Maintain a current media kit. This kit provides lots of information about your show to people
who might want to sponsor you. Include in your media kit:
1. Unique show branding like a header image or show photos.
2. Description of your show and the kinds of content you feature.
3. Information about the podcast producers and hosts.
4. Vital statistics such as number of episodes, publishing schedule and estimated audience size.
5. Basic demographic information on the audience including ages and geographic locations.
6. Links to and quotes from reviews or press related to the podcast.
7. Information about the types of advertising you are seeking for the podcast.
8. Contact information including the name and phone number of the appropriate individual.
4. Prepare your audience for advertising. Feel free to let your audience know that you are seeking
sponsorship. Someone in the audience may want to sponsor you! Get feedback on the types of
advertising they might like to have in your podcast.

The Legalities Of Podcasting

This section was prepared by RawVoice, Inc. Legal Counsel Barry Kantz (legal@rawvoice.com).
The information that given in this section of the document is very general in nature. You should seek
the advice of an attorney because every situation is different depending on your specific circumstances
and location. Have fun but always seek competent advice in whatever you do.
Starting a podcast can be great fun and exciting too. It is exciting to have the potential to have your
voice and creative work experienced by thousands of people. This kind of potential has never been
available for the average citizen until a couple of years ago.

Copyright 2007, RawVoice Inc.

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Free Speech
There are pitfalls and responsibilities attached to the power of having a soap box that can reach
thousands of people. As a podcaster you need some basic knowledge of the pitfalls and
responsibilities. Many people believe that the First Amendment to the United States Constitution
protects their right to speak freely about whatever they wish. This is far from the truth. The First
Amendment protects you against government interference of your right to free speech. The key words
are “government interference.” This means that the government can’t interfere when you podcast and
criticize your senators voting record. And, the government can’t interfere with your podcast even if
you take extreme political positions such as what the Nazis or Klu Klux Klan might take.
The First Amendment does not protect you if you create a podcast telling the world about your S.O.B.
boss. If your boss gets wind of this podcast it is quite likely that you will be looking for a new job.
Your First Amendment Right will not keep you from getting fired. Why, because it is your company
that is firing you and not the government.
Forget the old childhood taunt, “sticks and stones will break my bones but words will not hurt me.”
You may get sued for libel or slander if you cause damage to someone through the words you use on
your podcast or blog. What you say can cause someone to lose their job or get a divorce or cause them
other kinds of damage. These are serious life events and these cases usually have very high requests
for monetary damages.
According to established law, truth is a perfect defense against a libel or slander lawsuit. The problem
is that it will be your burden to prove what you said or wrote is true. If you are ready to go to court to
prove what you said or wrote is true, then go ahead and put all the juicy details in your podcast or blog.
However, the better approach is to exercise caution about what you say about other people or
businesses.
The Supreme Court Case, New York Times v Sullivan, 376US254 (1964), carved out an exception in
the libel and slander laws for people that are public figures. Public figures are people that have put
themselves in the public spotlight. Most national politicians and celebrities fall within the public figure
exception. The exception created by the New York Times case is that you have to engage in actual
malice before you can be found liable for slander or libel if your speech or written word is about a
public figure. The burden of proof shifts in public figure cases. The public figure must prove that you
knew the statement was false, or you acted in reckless disregard of the statement’s falsity or truth. It is
rare that a public figure will bring a libel or slander suit because the New York Times case creates a
burden of proof that is difficult to overcome. This means that you can talk about Britney Spears and
her bizarre behavior without much concern over being sued for libel or slander.

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Copyright Laws
Copyright violations are another area of concern for the podcaster. You cannot use the creative work of
another person without their permission. You cannot use commercial music from artists such as the
Beatles, Celine Dion, or Bruce Springsteen in your podcast or videocast. Music that you hear on your
FM radio is almost always off limits for the average podcaster. Therefore it is best to use your own
creative work in your podcast or blog. Or, use music or other creative works that are licensed under a
Creative Commons license. The basic Creative Commons licenses allow you to use the creative works
as long as you give attribution to the creator. From that point the Creative Commons license becomes
more restrictive only allowing use for non-commercial purposes, non-derivative use (you must use the
original) and several other restrictions or a combination of restrictions. What this means without
getting too technical is that you have a lot of opportunity to use music and other creative works in your
podcast. You should check out one of our partners, Ioda Promonet (http://promonet.iodalliance.com/),
if you want to use music in your podcast. If you want to learn more about the Creative Commons
licensing you can visit the Creative Commons website (http://creativecommons.org/).
There are several exceptions to the copyright law including use for educational purposes, parody and
non-commercial use. The exceptions are very specific and you should consult an attorney if you want
to use copyrighted material that fall under one of these exceptions.

Additional Resources
Print Books On Podcasting
Podcasting: The Do It Yourself Guide by Todd Cochrane.
How To Do Everything With Podcasting by Neville Hobson and Shel Holtz.

Hardware Retailers
B&H Photo and Video Sweetwater Music Musician's Friend
Amazon.com Radio Shack

Web Resources
The Podcaster's Checklist by Donna Papacosta Explanation of Podcasting by Grunt Media
Podcasting on Wikipedia

Technical Information
Official iTunes Podcast Specification
RSS 2.0 Specification

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About Blubrry
We call Blubrry the podcast community of choice because we are all
about flexibility for podcasters and their audiences. We put content up
front. Users don't need to log in to gain access to your content.

We are in the process of building out an impressive set of tools for

podcasters and their audiences in order to create more a more seamless
experience that promotes publishing, discovery and networking.

The tools include MyCast personalized podcast subscriptions, the

Blubrry pop-up player, the Juice It promotion widget and Blubrry
Podcast Statistics. In addition we have track record of helping
podcasters to monetize their shows via advertising deals.

We'd be honored if you would would take a few moments to explore our community. We'd be doubly
honored if you would add your podcast and join us in creating the best destination for high quality
podcast content.

Copyright 2007, RawVoice Inc.

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