To define podcast, you should know more about the history of it. Podcasts were first designed by Apple in late 2004. The idea was to have a type of digital radio that could be downloaded onto iPods and other MP3 players that were made of audio other than music files. From there, several feeds from the Internet were created focusing on topics like national and local news, radio shows, and even recaps of the previous day’s television shows. At that point, businesses began to discover that they could advertise for their own company using podcasts.

Basically, a podcast is a digital media file that is downloaded directly from a streaming Internet source. They are distributed on the Internet using syndication feeds, or free use websites, and are hosted or authored by a podcaster. The media files are downloaded onto a computer, whether it is a home PC or a Mac, and then can be directly downloaded onto a digital media device like an iPod or other MP3 player. Many people simplify the podcast definition simply by calling it an online, prerecorded radio program over the Internet.

What Podcasts Are Used For

While podcasts were originally used as links to news feeds and other informational sources, there are many other uses being utilized today. Digital media can convey a lot of different messages, and you can create a commercial that is much longer than the standard thirty seconds long. Some of the ways podcasts are used include:

• Business Commercials – Companies are now using advertisements on podcasts to introduce their business, tell their potential customers what they have to offer, and even introduce the people who work for the company.
• Interviews – Some interviews with celebrities are made into podcasts so that people can listen to them if they’ve missed them on television or the radio
• Sports Highlights – There are many sports highlights podcasts out there for people who have to do other things while their favorite team plays, or just want to relive some of the best moments of the games.

Websites With Podcasts

It seems like there are all kinds of websites with podcasts now. Some of these sites have great search engines so that you can find exactly what you’re looking for with a few proper keywords. Some websites are popular than others, so you can look at several different places and find anything that you’re looking for. Some of these websites include:

• Podcast.net- This is a directory of podcasts all over the Internet, where you can download as many as you’d like. Most of these are uploaded by independent users.
• Apple iTunes - The official and first website where podcasts were launched.
• Yahoo! Podcasts - Another example of a larger website hosting a new service.

With a clear podcast definition, you can now think about what a podcast could do to promote your company.

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