Can You Hear Me Now?

Are you marketing yourself and your business to the fullest? You probably have a Facebook page, a Twitter account, and an Instagram feed. You're LinkedIn and no stranger to Reddit, Flickr, Tumblr, and other spelling-challenged social networking services. You probably even have your own website. You've got it covered right? Not so fast: if you're not podcasting, you might be missing out. Podcasting is more than the latest and greatest craze — the benefits are many and podcasts are easy and inexpensive to create.

Podcasting strengthens your connection with your audience over time by establishing your voice — both literally and metaphorically — as a familiar and anticipated beacon amidst all the noise. As you share your enthusiasm and expertise on your podcast topic, you can market your products and services to the very audience that might actually care — and successful podcasters attract advertising that generates income. Additionally, podcasting furthers your skills as a speaker and moderator, and interviewing others is a great way to network and produce content ideas.

The best part about podcasting is that you only need a computer and free software such as Audacity to get started. You can upload your podcast to a host of free service providers, and your podcasts are instantly searchable on the internet. You can create a more professional podcast with an external microphone that costs less than $100 and some basic software for embedding images. You can also make your podcast episodes downloadable through iTunes, a market leader for wider distribution. Doing so extends your reach by making your podcast available to mobile applications for listening without an internet connection.

Get your voice heard and start podcasting today.

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