Podcasting Isn’t Just Audio – Discover How To Easily Start Video Podcasting

By Alan Petersen

The popularity of Internet video has exploded online and you would be hard-pressed to find Internet and affiliate marketing websites that haven’t embraced videos. While most are submitting videos to their favorite video hosting sites or self-hosting their videos online most are unaware of the benefits of podcasting those same videos.

A common misconception is that podcasting is only for audio files such as MP3’s but any video file can be made into a video podcast regardless of the video format (MOV, AVI, ect.). The same advantages that make podcasting such a powerful medium applies to video podcasting. The RSS enclosure tags allow just about any media file out there so you can easily turn your videos into video podcasts (also known as vodcast).

It’s the RSS technology which makes distribution of media files so exciting and this applies to audio as well as video files. Your subscribers will automatically receive your latest videos via their favorite podcatcher software such as iTunes or Google Reader. You do not have to do anything different when shooting your videos and you can easily use your existing videos to turn them into video podcasts.

I use QuickTimePro to easily convert my videos. The pro version of QuickTime is only $29.99 and well worth the cost. All you do is select “Export” from the file menu and choose “Video Podcast” and you’re now a video podcaster. If you use WordPress you can use a fantastic and free plugin called podPress which will post your video in just about any format you can think of. Both of these tools are Windows and Mac friendly. Yes, even Windows users can purchase QuickTimePro which offers a Windows version.

Video podcasting is an excellent way to get your videos into popular podcasting directories like iTunes.. This is a great way of tapping into the high traffic volume of these podcasting directories and getting your videos in front of many more viewers. Just as audio podcasting is an indispensable tool for Internet marketers so should be video podcasting. Imagine your marketing videos accessible to even more prospects.

So remember the next time you’re uploading your videos online-don’t forget to also leverage the power of video podcasting.

Alan Petersen is the author of Niche Podcasting. A step-by-step guide to podcasting written with the Internet marketer in mind. An entire chapter of Niche Podcasting is dedicated to video podcasting. Discover the power of podcasting by visiting: http://www.NichePodcasting.com

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Podcasting: How to Make a Video Podcast

By Philip Nicosia

Although Apple had nothing to do with the podcasting technology, the iPod and podcasting quickly became linked. With the advent of the iPod Video, podcasting entered a whole new level. Now, more than the usual audio broadcasts, aspiring film makers can also share their work with the world.

So how do you go about making your own video podcast? To make it easier on you, use a digital video camera. If you have an analog video camera, it is still possible to convert the footage to digital format but it adds another step to the process. So assuming you have a digital video camera, what do you do?

First, take great footage. Of course, making a film is not simply shooting. Create a concept and make it good. When you have finalized your ideas, it is time to shoot. When taking your shots, bear in mind your target media – the iPod. The small screen will not be able to display too many details so it is a good idea to get close when shooting. Do not use the wide-screen mode but use the standard mode instead. Optimize bandwidth and battery power by shooting several short segments instead of one full-length film. Edit! Small screen viewing will not show text clearly unless they are large enough. Also bear in mind that fast motion and high contrast might not show very clearly on the small screen.

Now that you have your video, it’s time to compress it. This needs to be done so that the video will be optimized for web and iPod viewing. There are different ways you can do this. If you have a MAC, it’s no big deal. You can compress and export your video using iMovie HD6 simply by clicking the following: FILE>Export>iPod>Share. It’s as easy as that – the software automatically converts the file and shares it on iTunes. For PC users, you can also use QuickTime Pro, version 7.0.3 or higher. Again, simply click Export > Using Quick Time Conversion. The resulting *.m4v file is the one you will upload to your web server. Other options are Sorenson Squeeze and Spasm Software’s Podner.

Describe or tag your movie. This is very important as all the information you supply will be the basis of searching later on. This is how your movie can be found and singled out, out of all the video podcasts out there. If you’re using the latest iMovie version, all you need to do is drag the file onto iTunes and click the Info Tab. Then enter the necessary information. You can also change the filename. For PC users, create an XML document. You can find a sample XML file at [http://playlistmag.com/features/2005/07/howtovodcast/index.php]http://playlistmag.com/features/200…dcast/index.php. Just change the details to suit your movie. When this is done, all you need to do it upload your file to your web server.

Now what? Distribute! Let people know that your video podcast exists. You can do this in a variety of ways. To reach as many people as possible, submit your podcast to iTunes. You can also provide a URL for your podcast by including it in your blog. First create an RSS feed ( [http://www.feedburner.com/]www.feedburner.com is a good one) so that you can attach your video to your blog. Then create an entry in your blog and then place a link to your video. Of course, if you really want people to notice your work, you have to promote it. Go to websites such as [http://www.podcastalley.com/]www.podcastalley.com Now wait for the world to discover the budding film maker in you.

Podcastblaster.com supplies http://www.podcastblaster.com podcasting software and provides information all about http://www.podcastblaster.com/faq.html podcasting including http://www.podcastblaster.com/podcasting-for-profit.html podcasting for profit.

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The Future of Vodcast

The Future of Vodcast
By Philip Nicosia

Before, it used to be just broadcast media. But with a very dynamic computer technology, we now have the podcast (subscription to audio content) and the video podcast which can only be experienced on the Internet as well as on other portable multimedia devices like the laptop and iPod.

The video podcast or vodcast, for short, is actually a result of the podcast. The podcast focuses only on the audio aspect while the vodcast combines both audio and video just like the television. A vodcast can be distributed from a web server either as a file or as a stream. If you wish to have a file, you can download complete video podcasts and still play them later even offline. With only a single download, you can watch the video as many times as you want. In a streaming vodcast, on the other hand, you can skip some parts of the file and may not download the entire video podcast. The downside is that during playback, you may encounter pauses due to the slow transfer speeds.

Did you know that vodcasting started in the Netherlands? You see, the need for video services there is greater what with more than 60 percent of the Dutch having broadband Internet. Another reason is that video podcasting was actually discovered and promoted by Dutch streaming experts at vodcast.nl.

Video podcasts are gaining their share of popularity these days. A survery done by the media research firm Nielsen/NetRatings from 2005 to the present revealed that Internet users aged 25 to 34 are those who download more video podcasts. Majority of people who download either audio or video podcasts normally use Safari. The San Jose Mercury News, an authority on technology news, said video podcasts were among the top ten tech trend in 2006 achieving “a level of Internet cult status.” Users can subscribe to vlogs to get the latest videos or even the ones they missed and then have them automatically sent to their computer desktop. They can then transfer their video files to a portable player like a video iPod.

Technology experts have argued that video podcasts are still lagging behind audio-only podcasts due to the limitations as to where and how you can watch them. Audio podcasts can be heard via the computer, on a compact disc and an iPod while video podcasts can be viewed only in a computer or a video iPod. However, despite these limitations, video podcasts are seen to be widely used in the future. Apart from just downloading videos, you can even star in your own show or concert in the same way that you can make your own radio show in an audio podcast. The vodcast medium offers a lot of opportunities for creative users. You can use it to share your videos with families and friends, add them to the content of your web site, blog or use them in your projects. You can even make your own newscast, documentary, drama or comedy series or reality show. Make your imagination work and you’ll be surprised how easy and exciting it is to make video podcasts.

Podcastblaster is a site specializing in all aspect of http://www.podcastblaster.com podcasting and provides an extensive http://www.podcastblaster.com/directory/ podcast directory covering many topics including http://www.podcastblaster.com/directory/Video-Podcasts/]video podcasts.

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Metacafe Launches Online/Offline Film Festival

Metacafe and Microcinema, a leading international rights manager, are teaming up on a juried online and offline film festival, MetaFest 2008. MetaFest hopes to combine the best of interactive online video-viewing with the best of the live-audience offline film festival experience. Selected films will have a theatrical premiere in San Francisco in November 2008, will be showcased on Metacafe.com for six months, and be screened at dozens of “microcinema” events across the U.S. and around the world through the first half of 2009. The MetaFest call for entries, which opens today, invites short video, film and digital media submissions of 10 minutes or less that are narrative, humorous, artistic, dramatic, animated, documentary, mockumentary, music, experimental, alternative or avant-garde in any genre, format or style. Films can be uploaded for consideration through September 10th, 2008. Details The MetaFest jury includes Hillman Curtis, an award-winning filmmaker, designer and author whose books include “Creating Short Films for the Web,” and Glenn R. Phillips, who is senior project specialist and consulting curator of contemporary programs for the Getty Research Institute and recently curated the “California Video” exhibition. “Short-form video is a rapidly emerging entertainment genre, and content creators – independent filmmakers to boutique production firms and major media companies – are beginning to make highly entertaining, innovative works well-suited to the online medium,” said Mark Poggi, senior manager of content marketing for Metacafe. “We expect MetaFest to showcase some truly original short films that tell great stories, feature quality production values and use technology creatively. The jury will select a grand prize winner who will be awarded $5,000 cash and a “short-short” award winner for outstanding work in a video of three minutes or less who will receive $2,000 cash. Two audience-choice award winners – one selected at the theatrical premiere and one selected by Metacafe viewers – will receive $1,000 each as well as DVD selections worth $250 from the Microcinema DVD catalog.\ All award winners will be featured on the Metacafe home page for 10 days and receive additional exposure through marketing and publicity efforts. Additionally, the creator of each film selected for the MetaFest offline program will receive a cash honorarium of $50. Creators of MetaFest entries that meet the program requirements for the Metacafe Producer Rewards program are eligible to be paid for their work at the rate of $5 per 1,000 views.