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Podcasts? 
What the Heck are Those Things? 

If you're like me, you're thinking, "Podcasts?  What are those things?" But you’re too embarrassed to ask someone because you figure you should probably know this by now. Well, I found out for us!

Podcasts are like syndicated radio or TV shows that you can download for free to your computer or portable MP3 player. They started with Apple – hence the "pod" from "iPod" (and "cast" from "broadcast"). But you don't have to go through Apple's iTunes Store to access all podcasts. Many news and radio organizations – like NPR, for example – make their podcasts available for download right on their Web sites. 

Like TV shows, there's a podcast for everything and everyone. But it's not just the entertainment industry who's recording. Businesses, too, are finding the convenience in using podcasts to deliver content – to promote services, offer advice and support to consumers, and even for internal employee communication.

For example, a friend of mine works at a university credit union and hosts a weekly podcast geared toward helping students better manage their finances. To generate listeners and excitement, they have a weekly quiz about the podcast and winners receive a prize. It's informative and there's an incentive.

Podcasts are inexpensive to produce and convenient for audiences – just download the file and listen at your leisure. It's advertising that has the potential to reach an even greater audience because of its mobility.

So, how do you start your own podcast? First, you'll need material. Find something helpful for your audience – or at least entertaining – and engaging. Make them want to listen. The podcasts should follow a regular schedule, like once a week or once every other week. So, make sure you have enough material for a series.

You'll also need a microphone and some sort of audio recording software. Audacity is free to download and includes the ability to edit your sound, remove background noise and delete unwanted pauses. Headphones are also helpful so you can play back your recording and hear it as most of your listeners will.

Once you've recorded your podcast, you'll need to find a place to host it. If your company has its own Web site, you can host your podcasts on that server. Or, you can host and publish your podcast through a third-party Web site – like MyPodcast.com or Podbean.com – for free.

For a more in-depth tutorial on recording and publishing a podcast, read How to Make a Podcast.