Hi.
What's a podcast? I think of podcasts as "radio shows on-demand." It's a show that gets published regularly, but you don't have to tune in at just the right time. The show is waiting for you on its home blog, in your online reader, on your computer's iTunes, or even on your iPod!
I use Opendrive, Blogger, and Feedburner; a power trio that opens all podcasting doors, and all this for free, (if you don't use too much bandwidth). Before figuring this out, I tried using a free website made specifically for podcasting (which was easier but gave you less space for free) and creating a Google Site (which was fun, but it wasn't a blog, and I wanted comments and feeds and I didn't see an obvious way to do that, and my 7 phrases of German is more than I speak in any programming language, so there was no way I was going to build that somehow on my own).
Well........here's what to do!
RECORD
I record audio with handheld devices, an Olympus WS 500M. It records in MP3 format (I did have to download an update and then change a setting on the device), connects to my computer with USB, and it came with rechargable batteries. Plugging the USB into your computer charges them! Pretty cool, and it was about $45.
LABEL
Once I upload them to my computer, I name each file so I know what they are. Haha, I only write this step because of a story my neighbor Dorothy told me about old family photos. She's in the middle of sorting her large collection, and she has come across many from a long time ago that do not have any names written on the back, and she is having a hard time recognizing people. So make sure to label everything for posterity!
EDIT
I record stories and post them unedited. However, editing is key to quality, so I probably will start doing this to some extent. I already have a few MP3 files of rambling conversations with more than one person telling a story, and I will use software to split these files or take out the boring parts. Beyond that though, you could add music clips, sound effects, or even have a theme song and introduction at the beginning of each podcast episode! There are free audio editing software programs if you want to explore this. I did some experimenting with Audacity and a few other programs, but so far I think Garage Band is the easiest, and I don't have it.
HOST
dropbox.com!!! This is by far the most difficult part of podcasting. If you're going to pay, Libsyn.com is probably the best option (2014), and dropbox.com works as a free option.
I'm uploading files to hark.com now. It's a little hard to navigate, and you have to really search for the option of enabling files for downloading, but other than that, I've had no problems with playback. It's a very similar model to youtube. There are no account size limits.
I used to host on opendrive.com, but they have size limits. You have to host files somewhere, and you can do it for free or pay money. I host my files at opendrive.com. This means they have a web address you can link to. They actually have two addresses, one to download and one to stream. Clicking on the streaming link will play the MP3 file in a browser window, so you do not have to download it. Opendrive gives you decent space and bandwidth for free if you have a website with their logo, which is easy in blogger. One way is download their logo as a picture on your computer. Then once you create your blog, click "design", then "add a gadget" where you want the OD logo. Scroll down until you find the picture option, then upload the image! Easy peasy lemon squeezey. (Maybe you could also skip the step about downloading and link to the image on the OD website. Try it and let me know!)
CREATE A BLOG
I made a blogger.com (same as blogspot.com) blog. Bloooggggggggg, haha. Basic posting in blogger is pretty easy, however, podcasting requires a few extra steps aka MORE GEEK FUN!!
CREATE A PODCAST FEED
Before you post, set up a podcast feed. Your blog already has a feed, but it needs a tune up to unleash its full podcasting potential. Feed, feed... feed? You give a feed address to your reader (like google reader), and every time you post on your blog, it gets sent to the reader. Making a podcast feed enables iTunes podcast subscriptions. People can then easily get your podcast on their computer and iPod and listen to it without even going to your blog. I use feedburner.com, which I'd heard of, but was really mysterious. Deeper and deeper we go into geekdom! This article (link) told me how to use feedburner with blogger.com. If you use a different blogging site (like wordpress) you'll have to do more research, but I bet there's another easy online tutorial. Anyway, this article has screen shots and easy steps. The key part for podcast feeds is making the title of each post a link to the MP3 file (the downloadable link). But the article explains how to do all of that in blogger and more! (Quick note: I am in the process of trying their suggestion for file hosting, ourmedia.com. So far I am not convinced. I still use opendrive for hosting.)
ABOUT YOUR FEED
Now you have a url (web address) for your podcast feed! (mine's http://feeds.feedburner.com/SpokenMemories). If someone goes to this address, it will take them to your feedburner page. On that page there exist easy buttons that, once clicked, will subscribe the clicker to your podcast. There's one for iTunes; click that and your iTunes will download podcast episodes. There's one for Google; click that and your Google Reader or iGoogle (home page) will subscribe, and you can listen to the podcasts from Reader or igoogle.
SHARE YOUR FEED
Now you have to give people that address. The about.com/google article I linked above doesn't explain this part, but I think Feedburner does pretty well. If it's confusing, though, go to feedburner.com, click your feed (the big blue title of your feed in the middle), click the publicize tab, and click "Chicklet chooser" on the left sidebar. Now you have a little button on your blog with a link to your feedburner page. I changed the title and text of my chicklet to make it hopefully more understandable and pretty. (Also, there's more options to play around with in feedburner, like adding a box for email subscriptions to your blog and linking to twitter!)
POST ON YOUR BLOG
Now, you can post! Make a separate post for each MP3 file, and always make the title a link to the file. That's what the feedreader catches; when you post, all your feed subscribers can listen to your podcast on their iTunes or reader! They can also listen to the file on your blog, so give people both links; your blog (http://spokenmemories.blogspot.com/) and your feed (http://feeds.feedburner.com/SpokenMemories). Have fun!!
p.s. Realms I haven't really explored are editing the audio content (ah, I already said that) and the design and layout of your blog page.
What's a podcast? I think of podcasts as "radio shows on-demand." It's a show that gets published regularly, but you don't have to tune in at just the right time. The show is waiting for you on its home blog, in your online reader, on your computer's iTunes, or even on your iPod!
I use Opendrive, Blogger, and Feedburner; a power trio that opens all podcasting doors, and all this for free, (if you don't use too much bandwidth). Before figuring this out, I tried using a free website made specifically for podcasting (which was easier but gave you less space for free) and creating a Google Site (which was fun, but it wasn't a blog, and I wanted comments and feeds and I didn't see an obvious way to do that, and my 7 phrases of German is more than I speak in any programming language, so there was no way I was going to build that somehow on my own).
Well........here's what to do!
RECORD
I record audio with handheld devices, an Olympus WS 500M. It records in MP3 format (I did have to download an update and then change a setting on the device), connects to my computer with USB, and it came with rechargable batteries. Plugging the USB into your computer charges them! Pretty cool, and it was about $45.
LABEL
Once I upload them to my computer, I name each file so I know what they are. Haha, I only write this step because of a story my neighbor Dorothy told me about old family photos. She's in the middle of sorting her large collection, and she has come across many from a long time ago that do not have any names written on the back, and she is having a hard time recognizing people. So make sure to label everything for posterity!
EDIT
I record stories and post them unedited. However, editing is key to quality, so I probably will start doing this to some extent. I already have a few MP3 files of rambling conversations with more than one person telling a story, and I will use software to split these files or take out the boring parts. Beyond that though, you could add music clips, sound effects, or even have a theme song and introduction at the beginning of each podcast episode! There are free audio editing software programs if you want to explore this. I did some experimenting with Audacity and a few other programs, but so far I think Garage Band is the easiest, and I don't have it.
HOST
dropbox.com!!! This is by far the most difficult part of podcasting. If you're going to pay, Libsyn.com is probably the best option (2014), and dropbox.com works as a free option.
CREATE A BLOG
I made a blogger.com (same as blogspot.com) blog. Bloooggggggggg, haha. Basic posting in blogger is pretty easy, however, podcasting requires a few extra steps aka MORE GEEK FUN!!
CREATE A PODCAST FEED
Before you post, set up a podcast feed. Your blog already has a feed, but it needs a tune up to unleash its full podcasting potential. Feed, feed... feed? You give a feed address to your reader (like google reader), and every time you post on your blog, it gets sent to the reader. Making a podcast feed enables iTunes podcast subscriptions. People can then easily get your podcast on their computer and iPod and listen to it without even going to your blog. I use feedburner.com, which I'd heard of, but was really mysterious. Deeper and deeper we go into geekdom! This article (link) told me how to use feedburner with blogger.com. If you use a different blogging site (like wordpress) you'll have to do more research, but I bet there's another easy online tutorial. Anyway, this article has screen shots and easy steps. The key part for podcast feeds is making the title of each post a link to the MP3 file (the downloadable link). But the article explains how to do all of that in blogger and more! (Quick note: I am in the process of trying their suggestion for file hosting, ourmedia.com. So far I am not convinced. I still use opendrive for hosting.)
ABOUT YOUR FEED
Now you have a url (web address) for your podcast feed! (mine's http://feeds.feedburner.com/SpokenMemories). If someone goes to this address, it will take them to your feedburner page. On that page there exist easy buttons that, once clicked, will subscribe the clicker to your podcast. There's one for iTunes; click that and your iTunes will download podcast episodes. There's one for Google; click that and your Google Reader or iGoogle (home page) will subscribe, and you can listen to the podcasts from Reader or igoogle.
SHARE YOUR FEED
Now you have to give people that address. The about.com/google article I linked above doesn't explain this part, but I think Feedburner does pretty well. If it's confusing, though, go to feedburner.com, click your feed (the big blue title of your feed in the middle), click the publicize tab, and click "Chicklet chooser" on the left sidebar. Now you have a little button on your blog with a link to your feedburner page. I changed the title and text of my chicklet to make it hopefully more understandable and pretty. (Also, there's more options to play around with in feedburner, like adding a box for email subscriptions to your blog and linking to twitter!)
POST ON YOUR BLOG
Now, you can post! Make a separate post for each MP3 file, and always make the title a link to the file. That's what the feedreader catches; when you post, all your feed subscribers can listen to your podcast on their iTunes or reader! They can also listen to the file on your blog, so give people both links; your blog (http://spokenmemories.blogspot.com/) and your feed (http://feeds.feedburner.com/SpokenMemories). Have fun!!
p.s. Realms I haven't really explored are editing the audio content (ah, I already said that) and the design and layout of your blog page.
