How to Give Your Business an Online Voice

Probably the most influential invention to hit technology in the last ten years is the iPod. Owned by a large part of consumers, children and teenagers, as well as young adults, carry their iPods around with all of their music readily available to them. In this world of on-demand communication, what better portal for advertising or informing about your services than via “podcasting”?

To take your site to the next level with the new generation, choose podcasting. Named for the ability to play a broadcast on an iPod, podcasting has become the new wave of direct connecting that even conference calling or web cams couldn’t make possible. And while “have you seen that commercial about…” is often heard in offices and classrooms across the nation, podcasting is the answer to an advertiser’s dream. The ability to store information via the iPod allows playback at a later time, and whenever desired.

A website that offers podcasting over another that does not is sure to have the edge. Users will generally migrate towards the more modern, technologically advanced website to make sure they are receiving all of the latest and greatest.

Since with a website your customers can’t walk into a storefront and have direct contact with you, you’ll be able to personally connect via podcasting.

Good News.

Podcasting is easy to implement. An audio recording service, Audacity.com is an open source recording program available online, is the first step. Once you have your podcast recorded, head over to iTunes to register it. iTunes offers a step by step guide including how to choose keywords and how to describe your podcast for the best results. In addition to iTunes there are podcast directories where, like website or ezine directories, you can list your podcast. Add and RSS feed to it and subscribers will be notified when a new podcast is ready.

There are podcasts on every topic under the sun from Oprah chatting on spirituality with spiritual leaders to PodRunner mixing beats for people to run and exercise to, the sky is the limit. Just like any form of content, listeners are looking to be informed and entertained. Regardless of your industry, podcasting is an excellent way to reach your prospects and audience in a personal manner. As the world gets busier and ecommerce competition gets stiffer, reaching your audience in a regular and personal method may be the ticket to kicking your competition to the curb.

Popularity: 9% [?]

If you have been surfing the web lately, you will have noticed that audio has become the trend among a lot of website owners. The audio may take the shape of a welcome greeting, an audio blog or a podcast, or all three combined.

The types of audio you find may be different, but there is no stopping it. Audio is changing the face, and the sound, of the internet. If you are wondering what the fuss is all about, the following are some reasons why audio has received so much popularity.

First and foremost, it is something new. Savvy website owners want to attract as much traffic to their site as possible, and adding the “next big thing” is a way to draw in that traffic. Not to mention that adding audio is simple and easy to do, and there aren’t too many up front costs.

Many business podcasts take on the form of a talk radio show. The website owner may interview guests that have knowledge on topics their target market is interested in, or the website owner may do all the talking their self.

You may be wondering about the reasons to start a podcast. First of all, it is a great way to increase traffic to your site. People love podcasts and they search podcast directories and iTunes for new podcasts to listen to. They may stumble upon yours, without ever knowing your site existed. If they enjoy your podcast, they will want to check out your site.

Adding audio to a website adds a bit of variety as well. When a website owner adds too many pictures or graphics, a site can look busy and actually deter traffic. When a website owner adds audio to their site, it gives their visitors something new to listen to and keeps them coming back for updates.

You have probably felt the difference between shopping online and shopping in a brick and mortar store. When you shop in a store located in your local neighborhood, you are more than likely greeted warmly and someone usually thanks you for coming on upon leaving the store. However, when you shop online, you may feel that the experience is a bit cold and non-personal.

Adding a welcome greeting to your website adds a nice personal touch. Your visitors will hear the sound of your voice and will see you as a real person, not a nameless, faceless website.

In addition to helping the customer feel welcome and appreciated, audio messages help to create trust between you and the customer. The more the customer sees you as a real person, someone just like them, the more they will trust you. They will feel that they know you, and will want to do business with you. They will also be more likely to recommend your services to other people.

Excitement feeds excitement, and if you keep your audio messages upbeat, positive, and friendly, your customers will feel that and become more energized their selves. This can be a great motivator and can help you increase your sales.

If you have someone who is thinking about buying your product or service and they play one of your audios explaining why your product or service is so great and you give them the reasons that it will make their life better, that could convince them to get off the fence and buy your product.

In Conclusion, audio is a big deal and it is something that you should definitely consider adding to your web site or blog in the future .

Popularity: 4% [?]