Plugin to podcasting

 

Elena Pérez Melgarejo via Compfight

Podcasting has been getting a lot of exposure as an attention-getting evolution of ordinary blogging.

That is understandable for several reasons:

• It’s still a bit of a novelty.
• We often have time to listen (while driving for example) but not enough time to read.
• Hearing the authors voice can create a more personal experience than written words.

Two podcasters who have mastered the art are Pat Flynn of Smart Passive Income and David Siteman Garland of Rise to the Top. Both produce great podcasts. Click on the links to hear how they do it.

The technical side of podcasting frightens most of us ordinary bloggers, it was certainly the main reason for me not getting involved earlier. I imagined that I would need to buy a studio full of expensive equipment to produce even basic podcasts.

Turns out that is not the case at all. Of course better equipment will produce higher quality productions, it is possible to start with very little expense or technical expertise.

I recorded my first audio blog post recently using Audacity, free sound recording and editing  software, and a $25 microphone which gives a higher level of recording quality than the microphone built into a webcam.  I recorded straight onto my computer, exported the final version of the sound file to my WordPress media library and then posted the link in the blog post.

Although it worked adequately, I was not able to display a media player icon in the post or an easy way for readers to subscribe to podcasts.In an effort to solve those two problems, I went on a search for a plugin that might make my life easier.

I found one with the Bluberry Power Press Plugin. It is a free plugin, I found it by typing “Podcast” into the search box on the plugin page.

It is easy to install and configure to display the media player either before or after posts or within posts by inserting a code word at the required place. Like this:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

It will also make it simple for visitors to subscribe to your podcasts via iTunes.

Linking the audio to the blog post is a simple operation. Record the audio, edit it and export the final version to a folder as a .wav file, upload that to your media library using your WordPress dashboard. Then copy that link and paste it in the “Media URL” box in the “Podcast Episode” window which appears below the “Add new post” window when the plugin has been installed.

 

 

 

 

 

If you are nervous about installing plugins, I wrote a post about the process with screen shots on my Focused Prosperity blog here.

If you want to make it easier for visitors to your blog to get your content via different media, then start podcasting and give this plugin a test drive.

 

Wishing you success.