(First published on Talkers magazine).

(NOTE: months after this video went up, Podpress was discontinued in the WordPress plug-in options. Use PowerPress instead. Many of the setup tabs are very similar.) And we do NOT recommend adding WP Super Cache any more. It can cause problems. And FeenPhone is available now, and we recommend that over Skype.)

By Michael W. Dean
The Freedom Feens
Genesis Communications Network
Talk Show Host

CASPER, WY. – Podcasting is sometimes considered “the ugly stepchild of radio,” because unlike radio, podcasting is open to the unwashed masses.  Anyone with an Internet connection can reach the world, for no money and with no licensing.

Podcasting was ignored and vilified by radio industry people for years (it still is by some).  But these days, almost all talk radio shows also release a podcast archive of their show, either a pay version or for free.

In addition to releasing podcast archives of terrestrial radio shows, some talk hosts become podcasters after voluntarily leaving radio or after being fired.  And some people (like myself) start their shows as a podcast before getting syndicated on radio.

Podcasting doesn’t have the draw with advertisers that radio does, and a lot of people don’t take podcasting as seriously…probably because podcasting is something that “anyone can do,” whereas radio has gatekeepers as barriers to entry.

On the other hand, a radio show that doesn’t release archives as podcasts is not taken seriously, and is also missing opportunities for listeners who aren’t in the affiliates’ coverage areas.

Podcasting is also asynchronous, that is, you don’t to have tune in at certain times and days.  A podcast show is available any time.

In short, if you do a talk radio show and don’t have a podcast, you should.  And if you do have a podcast, are you doing it as well as you could?

It’s not hard to create and disseminate a podcast and well, if you know what you’re doing. It’s also really easy to create and disseminate a podcast poorly, if you don’t.

There are many ways to produce and release a podcast.  I’ve been podcasting almost daily since 2006, have studied many different methods for all aspects of it, I’ve worked as a paid consultant helping many people set up websites for podcasts and get set up for producing good audio at home.  I’ve culled that experience down to a solid step-by-step process and made this video.  It’s the first video of at least two I’ll do on podcasting.

I was going to write a book on the subject.  But after thinking long and hard, I decided that a couple of well-produced videos would show it better.  You can view it here.

This first video is 49 minutes long and covers setting up a website specifically for podcasting, including configuring the PodPress plugin.  Also covered is encoding high-quality low-size MP3, tagging those MP3s correctly, and submitting your show to the three most important podcast directories (iTunes, Stitcher and TuneIn).

I made this video first before making one about recording, because I’m assuming most Talkers readers are already producing some sort of audio on a regular basis. But my next video will be on recording and editing quality audio.

Enjoy!

Michael W. Dean is the co-host of The Freedom Feens on Genesis Communications Network.