Have you listened to any podcasts lately?  Ever?  Have you made one?  Or been a part of one?  Podcasts are quickly becoming a favorite way for people on the go to get their information.  In fact, many successful podcast programs are as popular as their television talk show counterparts.  We're planning on jumping into the world of podcasting here at the Internet Marketing Monitor.  We figured a good place to start was with a little research.  You know… find out what's worked in the past, what hasn't, and what experts in the field could suggest.

Ironically enough, our beloved MarketingSherpa published an excellent 10-step guide to creating a podcast program today that we thought we'd pass along… in case anyone else out there was planning on starting their own program.

The first few steps of their guide deal with the content of the podcast.  Like any good website, a good podcast is informative, fresh, and original.  If people wanted to listen to corporate-sounding banter and scripted dialog they'd watch CSPAN.  When someone takes the time and effort to download a podcast, they're expecting to hear something they couldn't have found anywhere else.

MarketingSherpa also suggests bringing an experienced podcaster on board to begin the process.  Creating a podcast is a little different than writing a website or even a blog.  Find someone who's enthusiastic and charismatic so that those characteristics carry over into the podcast.

Marketing a podcast can be tricky.  Sherpa suggests integrating the podcast with existing marketing efforts and content.  They also suggest taking advantage of existing podcasts in several ways.  Maybe you can talk about another podcast in your production… or exchange soundbytes with other podcasters… or even invite other podcasters to partake in yours.

And finally, I'd like to throw in my own two cents on starting a podcast program.  Remember that every new program is bound to have some growing pains.  Don't give up if your first podcast is a flop.  Over time, a dichotomy will emerge between your existing content and your podcast content.  And that's when you'll get people hooked on your cast.  When they realize they're missing something by not listening, they'll plug in.