Podcasting at effective web ministry notes

Podcasting

filed under General by rob on 28May05 @ 8:07 am EST

This is a little longer…but stick with me.

I’m not really into podcasting right now but I think many will be soon. Some complain “…podcasting is much to do about nothing” (though to his defense he’s hopeful).

Podcasting is when you create audio files and make them available for download and subscribers are notified of it’s availability. It seems very similar to just emailing someone that you have an audio file ready for download. However, if you have certain software, you can receive those updates and the files themselves automatically instead of going to get them.

Currently if you receive a file via podcasting, you can listen to it on your computer. But it’s called podcasting because with the specialized software, you can put that file on your MP3 or iPod player and listen when you’re ready.

I think right now there are some obstacles for it becoming fully effective for communication and ministry purposes. For example, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of great files being podcasted, from a search engine perspective the content is locked up, and it’s not scannable like text. Oh, and you have to have a MP3 player to take full advantage.

But all this is changing. Drastically.

Apple has announced their latest version of iTunes will support podcasting. If they are going to do what I think they’re going to do, this will eliminate the need for a secondary software package. iTunes will allow you to download, listen, and transfer audio files to MP3 players. This, to me, makes total sense from Apple’s perspective. As Michael Gartenberg at Jupiter Research points out:

since we know that most consumers only have about a thousand songs in their music collections, this feature gives folks a reason to buy those 20 and 30 GB iPods

So what does this mean for us? Another technology is about to go mainstream because Apple is about to back it all. Not only is Apple making it easy, but ABC is now offering podcasts of their news. NBC has plans to do the same. Anyone see a trend happening?

This is great for discipleship-type ministry. All conference presentations can be podcast so people can put it on their MP3 player and listen on their own time. This can be used for evangelistic purposes also by including changed-life stories with proper response mechanisms employed for follow-up.

Maybe I’m just dreaming, but I think Ken was right originally said 2006 will be the year of the Podcast (though he’s changed his mind). With Apple (yet to be seen) making it simple to download, listen, and transfer audio files and the selling of MP3 players growing, I just see the hurdles being taken down making this a real opportunity.

2 Responses to “Podcasting”

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1 Anonymous on May 28th, 2005 said:

Rob,

I think podcasting is great…and here’s the but…we need CONTENT! I also think that there are millions (maybe thousands) of “American Idols.” How about some great music-casts from the these folks?

And all those stupid A-bloggers are non-stop podcast maniacs. I guess it’s good for consulting revenue.

BTW, I advised my Rabbi about 10-years-ago to put his sermon on the Net — way before Godcasting and podcasting. BTW, he didn’t take my advise.

Have a good holiday weekend.

Ken
2 rob on May 28th, 2005 said:

I totally agree. Content will drive this. And I agree with you…there’s not much good stuff out there. But that’s not the full picture. Because there are obstacles (technology, usability, and awareness) that are on the decline, content will begin to rise.

Apple is taking a different approach. They have content (new songs) so they don’t care about all the other ways to do it. I’m not crazy about the idea of rag tag content either. The only tapes or CDs I own are of music or conference presentations. I don’t see much off a difference with podcasting. I’m not convinced there’s a real audience for it. But there are specialized niche audiences I think that can be met this way well.

I think it’ll happen…especially as we move more into convergence (all mobile technologies converging), fast always-on connections. Time will tell.

And I do agree with you about the fact there are a lot of “A-bloggers” rambling non-stop about it. I think, in part, it does help with the awareness of it. But it certainly isn’t the next killer ap!