Low cost podcasting script
Question from Twitter from @indychristian: AskAnythingSaturday at #UBcafe …What’s the best (free) site to set up a podcast? @DrThomasHo says @TruffleMedia will know.
Free is relative. No mater what, web servers need to be utilized to deliver the audio file and time must be spent learning how to creatively and technically produce a show.
Quick script for technical podcast creation:
Digital recorder
- Need something to capture the audio. I recommend a low cost digital recorder like the Olympus digital recorders. . Best Buy has these, $50 to $120.
Audacity http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
- Software to edit the audio files before publishing them. Free.
Blogger for the blog and show notes. http://www.blogger.com/
- Needed to host the show notes and (more importantly) generate the podcast RSS feed. Free.
Feedburner for the podcast feed adjustment. http://feedburner.google.com
- Needed to modify the blog RSS feed to fit the formats needed by iTunes. Also provides some level of metrics. Free.
Libsyn to host the actual audio files. http://www.libsyn.com
- Needed because hosting audio files on your own server is cumbersome. Libsyn handles the bandwidth and provides podcast oriented metrics. $5/ month provides 100mb of storage per month with unmetered bandwidth usage. This level of service is recommended for once-a-week podcasters. Libsyn also offers blog option.
Action steps
- Setup Libsyn account
- Create Blogger blog or use Libsyn blog service
- Set up Feedburner account
- Link up blog RSS feed to Feedburner.
- Buy digital recorder
- Interview someone!
- Get Audacity and edit interview.
- Place MP3 on Libsyn
- Get MP3 Libsyn link and place in blog post.
- Update RSS feed.
- Promote show and tell your friends.
There are some technical steps here that presume knowledge of blogging, using audio editing tools, general computer use, and Internet skills.
There is no script to creatively creating a show. Best approach is pick a topic or idea you feel strongly about and start interviewing people. Interviewing is good practice as it helps you make connections and learn the technical steps as you go.