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Your Church Media: Podcasting

In this communication age, it is important to utilize as many ways as possible to reach your audience. In a previous blog entry, we explained how to find your audience and your writing voice. Through Podcasting your sermons and lessons, you can use your actual voice to reach a wider audience.

What Is a Podcast?

Podcasting is a standardized way to distribute audio files to Internet users, for downloading and listening offline (through a program like iTunes) or listening from a host site online. Podcasting is done by placing files on a Web server and using an RSS feed to describe each file. On your iMinistries site, podcasting is simplified using the Blog functionality. A Podcast on your site is a blog entry with an audio file embedded within the entry. Since all blogs on your site automatically offer an RSS feed, your blog becomes a Podcast when you add audio files to the entry.

This all sounds more complicated than it really is. On an iMinistries site, all you have to do is create a blog, add entries, and upload your audio file with each entry.

Creating a Podcast

Create a Blog (see How to Create a Blog)
Create a Blog Entry
Upload an mp3 file as an enclosure by browsing to the file on your computer.
Visit the blog page (you can use the open to get to the blog page when you are on the actual Blog Entry page).
Locate and click the RSS Feed link. It looks like a larger version of this : .
If you don't see it on your page, you haven't add the RSS Feed panel to your Blog.
Your browser should show some XML code (language used to communicate your Podcast). Find the URL in the address bar of your browser. This is the address of your Podcast.

After adding your audio file to a blog entry, you can add your sermon or lesson to the iTunes directory to reach even more people. Those visiting the iTunes Store can search and download your Podcast without visiting your site.

Adding Your Podcast to iTunes Podcast Directory

If you have iTunes installed, you may simply follow this link and skip to step 5.
Open iTunes (if you do not have it installed already, visit Apple's website for a free download)
Visit iTunes Music Store
Click Podcasts
Click Submit a Podcast
Paste your the address of your podcast into the box and follow all the steps

MORE INFO/HELP ON PODCASTING

How Do I Create A Podcast? - iMinistries Help System
Making a Podcast - Apple.com
FAQs: For Podcast Makers - Apple.com

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Authors

Your Church Media: Podcasting

What Is a Podcast?

Creating a Podcast

Adding Your Podcast to iTunes Podcast Directory

MORE INFO/HELP ON PODCASTING

@iMinistries