How to Add Podcasting to Your Real Estate Blog

By NikNik · June 14, 2008 · 18 Comments 

You may have noticed we recently made a commitment to podcasting here at MyTechOpinion.  If not, look just below each of our posts and you should see the podcast player.  Podcasting is simply a way of distributing digital media over the Internet using RSS.  And for real estate agents who are looking for that next social medium to boost their blog success, perhaps podcasting is just what you need.

Podcasting can enhance your blog content and your online visibility. Strengthen the bond you have with your current audience, as well as reach a new audience. And, give your blog readers the flexibility to listen and obtain your expertise on the go!  Podcasting is even an affordable and pretty seamless option when it comes to integrating a new social media tool to your blog. So let’s get you started already!

Get equipped! Prior to your first audio podcast you will need the following equipment. Read more

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Podcasts Demystified - Part 1

By Reggie · November 25, 2006 · 1 Comment 

I’ve started hearing a little buzz around Podcasting in the business world and I thought it would make a great article. I should start by defining Podcast. They are best known as digital media available via the Internet and accessible by RSS (Really Simple Syndication) and Atom feeds. These digital media files are growing in popularity because they’re available for playback on any computer or MP3 or video player—at anytime you wish. Yes, convenience is one reason why I believe this technology will steadily gain momentum in future years. I learned from Wikipedia that Ben Hammersley, a columnist for The Guardian, initially coined the term Podcasting in February of 2004.

Podcasts do differ from your normal audio file in that Podcasts can be downloaded automatically using software that reads RSS and Atom feeds. These software tools are commonly known as Media Aggregators. A popular media aggregator is Juice Receiver, free software licensed under the GPL. Juice Receiver is platform-independent, so it works on Windows, Mac and Linux. It also works with all MP3 players. Using Juice Receiver simply subscribe to the feed(s) that interest you and it will download the Podcasts to your computer automatically.

What are the best options for finding Podcasts? Of course, Podcasts can be accessed by simply stumbling onto a website with them, but often users search via directories and search engines. Directories group Podcasts by subject, category, and often they search by metadata provided by the owner/creator of the Podcast. These directories have grown in popularity, there are hundreds available. However, I find these helpful:

• Podcast.com: http://www.podcast.com
• PODCAST.net: http://www.podcast.net
• Yahoo! Podcasts: http://podcasts.yahoo.com (UPDATED: Oct. 31st 2007 Yahoo Podcast Closed)
• AOL Podcast Search: http://podcast.search.aol.com
• IndiePodder.org: http://www.ipodder.org
• Podblaze: http://www.podblaze.com
• PodcastingNews: http://www.podcastingnews.com

The challenge with searching Podcasts is that many engines simply rely on metadata since the audio itself is not stored in text. Podzinger has a unique approach to this challenge. Podzinger uses cutting edge speech recognition technology to search and index the full audio just like the major search engines search text. Stay tuned, in Podcasts Demystified - Part 2 I will look at a few different options available for creating Podcasts.

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