ThePodcastSisters

Podcasting Qualification Lauches in the UK

The Guardian in the UK reports that there will be a new qualification from September...in podcasting! David Grailey, the NCFE's chief executive, said:

"....Podcasting is fast becoming a part of everyday life - vicars are delivering sermons via podcasts, police departments are launching 'crimewatch' video podcasts and schools and colleges are recording lessons via podcasts. It's therefore vital that we offer people both an understanding and the skills to utilise this technology.

The qualification has also allowed us, as an organisation, to look at the benefits of podcasts within the education market and consider future plans to deliver our qualifications and syllabus through different mediums - including podcasts,"

Podcasting is a great way to reach a global audience and I am delighted that within the UK people are starting to recognise the marketing potential.

Show #047 - What is a Digital Native

This week's free Podcast Sisters audio show is now available (remember subscribe free of charge and new shows will come automatically to your computer, just follow the instructions at the end of the post to download or subscribe via iTunes)

This show is a little different as it is an interview that Heather and Anna recorded whilst in New York. We talk to Paull Young, one of the "young" stars of the social media world. We talk about

What is a digital native?

How are people are using the internet

What is twitter? And when would you use Twitter and when do you blog?

How you build relationships on line?

How Paull sees the future of social media

If you want to check out Paull's mum' blog then check out Serendipity! 

To listen to all the previous shows, here is the bank of The Podcast Sister podcasts

Join us over at the Podcast Sisters Facebook group to discuss this week's show and also do give us feedback and share ideas for future shows that will deliver value to YOU. You can also send us an email to podcast.sisters@googlemail.com.

REMEMBER SUBSCRIPTION TO THE PODCAST SISTERS IS FREE! 

1) To listen now on line without any downloads then click here and press the play button

2) Or to subscribe in iTunes      

3) Or if you use a different podcatcher then here are the feed details -

http://www.podcastfm.co.uk/podcast.rss?id=245

Free Teleseminar 12 May 2008: Social Media For Solopreneurs

I'm afraid it's been a bit quiet over here on The Podcast Sisters recently as Anna and Heather have been travelling and then Anna has been ill.

If you are missing our voices and views about social media, then you might want to hop on my call this week for Biz Growth Live, where I am in conversation with Peggy Murrah and Chris Muccio about social media for solopreneurs and how it can help you attract more clients.

You can find out more about the call which is a FREE teleseminar masterclass taking place at 1pm ET/6pm Ireland and the UK on Monday 12 May 2008 here.

If you already receive my newsletter you will have the details of the call in number so you don't need to register again.

Hope to hear you on the call soon.

Updating iTunes Manually

Sometimes as a podcaster you find that iTunes does not update the feed. That happened to me today. If that happens to you then you can manually ping iTunes by

1. Get you apple id - easiest way is to search for your podcast in iTunes, then right click on the album art and copy the url.
2. Paste that url into your internet browser

Just a quick Friday tip!

P.S The Podcast Sisters podcast will appear soon, we are just having a slight hosting problem...we have not gone away, we have recorded 3 shows whilst we are trying to sort out the problem!

Podcasting Statistics

Over at the superb Podcasting News they report on the Edison Media Research. The latest research shows

• The audience for audio podcasts grew 38% in the last year;
• The audience for video podcasts grew 45% in the last year;
• About 30% of regular Internet users have downloaded a podcast;
• Awareness of podcasting has leveled off at about 37;
• People listen to or watch podcasts primarily on their computers (about 75%).

In 2007 there was a feeling that podcasting was on the wane. I didn't believe that and still don't...why? Well podcasting gives you incredible value - both as a producer and consumer. They are "cheap" to produce, need little expertise and yet from the consumers point of view they are free, niche, specialised, an opt in medium that they can listen to wherever they are...

In the UK I get a sense of a growing awareness both by companies and by consumers. Is it mainstream ...no not yet but as a small business I think that is the real opportunity. Get in to the space whilst the idea is still "relatively new", make your name whilst there are fewer competitors!

After all what could be more intimate than you talking directly into the ears of each of your consumers :)

Podcast Update

Do not fear the podcast is all ready to go, we have had a problem with our hosting this week but Podcast FM are being wonderfully helpful and we should be ready to upload the show tomorrow. So for all of you missing your sisters...don't worry we will be visiting your ear buds tomorrow!

Podcasting In Business In Ireland

As I've spoken about on The Podcast Sisters previously, the businesses that have been early adopters of podcasting here in Ireland have primarily been the guys in the area of technology with a few notable exceptions of a few business podcasts.

So it was great to get a call from a journalist recently who was researching for an article about podcasting in business in Ireland.

The article appeared in the Irish Independent today and you can access a copy of the article online here.

Thanks to Niall Byrne the journalist for the article. And watch out on my new Biz Growth Podcast that I have just launched to accompany my main blog as I'm going to post a podcast specifically about business podcasting in Ireland to give you a deeper insight into the information I shared with Niall.

Podcasting Demographics

Anyone think that podcasts are for the young ?

Well, check out eMarketer which has some great insights into the podcasting audience.

The largest age group is the 25-34 group and it is a very close split between male and female.

The article shares other information about who has listened to a podcast during the last 30 days and also splits around household income.

I do believe that people are starting to realise the power of podcasting, the ability to personalise what you listen to, where you listen and even how to listen to the podcasts.

I think the next 12 months are going to be really interesting as most people are expecting podcasting to grow, especially in terms of advertising investment.

If you have a thought about podcasting then check out some of our shows of our thoughts on interviewing for podcasts, podcasting for profit, future of podcasting, podcasting and small business, creating your first podcast and even the mistakes we have made!

Social media experts share their personal success stories

This week on The Podcast Sisters, we will be talking about using video online in your blogs and on your websites.

Earlier this week, Sherman Hu, who is fantastic at online video, and some of the speakers from the forthcoming Social Media Telesummit (that Anna and I are both speaking at) did a preview call with Leesa Barnes for the programme. Leesa turned the tables on us and wanted to hear about our success stories.

Details of the social media training programme can be found here - make sure you check out the special offer too.

What I did not anticipate is that Sherman recorded a video of the live event - so as we will be talking about video this week I thought it would be interesting for you to see one example of video in practice.

Sherman posted the video's on Blip.tv, however as with all the best social media marketing sites, you can access the code and add it to your own blog or podcast - which I have done below.

(If you prefer to access the audio of the social media training call preview, you can do so here.)

So get ready to hear about the successes (what's also interestng is that we define success differently)that some of the worlds experts in social media have attained for themselves:

- Sherman Hu talks about how he uses social media to fit work into his family life (and not the other way around)

- Darren Barefoot shares how he has been able to move from Canada to europe and still serve his clients

- Paul Colligan shares his strategies for affiliate marketing using social media and how he rises above the crowd in the search engines

- Krishna De (me) shares how social media has ensured she gets onto the first page of Google when her name has 11,300,000 entries for it - all of which means she has been able to attract the attention of main stream media and more clients (if you are interested in my success with social media, then go straight to the begining of part 3)

- Karen Hoegh shares how children are benefiting from her social media tool and the great career she has been able to create.

Part 1 of the social media training programme preview

Click To Play

Part 2 of the social media training programme preview

Click To Play

Part 3 of the social media training programme preview

Click To Play

Part 4 of the social media training programme preview

Click To Play

Podcasting Growth Projections

Do you still wonder if podcasting is here to stay? Do you wonder whether podcasting is worth the time investment?

Emarketer has just shared the following prediction which shows some amazing numbers.

eMarketer estimates that the total US podcast audience reached 18.5 million in 2007.

To download the report click here for emarketer.

They highlight the following factors for the growth

• Greater ease of consumption for podcast content
• Growing awareness of podcasting
• Terrestrial radio’s use and promotion of podcasting
• Increased penetration of portable players
• The evolution of smart phones and proliferation of affordable mobile data plans

Often new technologies take some time to really reach their potential, maybe the time is coming when podcasting reaches its potential. I know that podcasting has been wonderful for me both personally - helping to build my confidence, helping me to connect with other people and also professionally with The Engaging Brand.