Setup

Overview

Time: 0 min

Objectives

• Open the W3schools SQL Tryit Editor v.1.6

• Explore the sample database included with the SQL Tryit Editor

No setup needed

Key Points

Podcasting Introduction

Overview

Time: 15 min

Objectives

• Introduction to the concept of Podcasting

• Learn about podcast hosting and benefits of online hosting services

Introduction

“Pod ” – a mobile playback device such as an iPod or any other MP3 player (a laptop or desktop computer any other MP3 also works).

“Casting” – derived from broadcasting. derived from broadcasting.

Podcasting is the distribution of multimedia files, such as audio and video, over the Internet for playback on as audio and video, over the Internet for playback on mobile devices and/or personal computers.

A podcast is a good way to get your ideas across and build an audience. Whether you want to host one to help increase the brand awareness for your business or for yourself, a podcast is one of the best ways to share your expertise with the world.

How is a Audio podcast different from a plain old audio file?

The key difference is the distribution model. Through RSS, anyone can subscribe to and “catch” podcasts, which will be automatically downloaded and managed by a “podcatching” program like iTunes. Simple audio files must be found and Simple audio files must be found and downloaded manually by users.

Podcasting in University Context

• Lectures for students to listen to at their leisure
• Guest speakers and special events.
• Student study guides.
• Supplemental materials for students.
• Help online students feel more connected.
• Ideal for Speech, ESL, Foreign Ideal for Speech, ESL, Foreign Language, Physical Education and Language, Physical Education and many more types many more types of classes.

Few podcasts from UIC community:

• Preparing for more extreme weather in Illinois
• Most U.S. Presidents Live Beyond Average Life Expectancy
• Higher Speed Limits Cost Lives
• Teaching Doctors to Treat the Individual
• Farm Bill Makes ‘Significant’ Cuts to Food Stamp Program

Podcast Hosting

Irrespective of the reason for starting a podcast, creating a podcast needs a fair amount of thought and planning. One of the most important decisions that will surely have a bearing on the success of your podcast is choosing a podcast hosting provider. It provides you a means to upload your podcasts such that they are all available in the same central location. More importantly, the podcast hosting service automates the generation of RSS feeds, and then automatically submits these to podcast directories, such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and others so that you can reach a wider audience.

Few Hosting platforms:

• BuzzSprout
• Podbean
• Libsyn
• Captivate
• Transistor

Benefits of podcast hosting

• Storage Cost: Podcasts can weigh quite a lot depending on the length of the show and the choice of the audio encoder. Podcast hosting services price their plans to make sure you have ample storage for your podcast, with a range of appropriate bandwidth plans.

• Faster Streaming: Podcast hosting services go to great lengths to make sure your listeners can stream your shows without any buffering delays. Many such services also offer ample (if not unlimited) bandwidth to ensure you don’t have to turn away listeners because you’ve exhausted all of the available bandwidth.

• Built-in Analytics: the right analytics will give you the feedback you need to help identify the weak and the blind spots in your content coverage. All the good podcast hosting services give you analytics that are tuned to help you extract the most useful information about your podcasts

• Security :Different kinds of files require different kinds of protections and self hosting a podcast adds an additional level of complexity and an unnecessary overhead to the podcasting experience.

Key Points

• Understood the concepts of Hosting

• Learnt how podcasting can be used in University

• Dived into the concepts of podcast hosting service

History

Overview

Time: 10 min

Objectives

• Understand the evolution of Podcasting

Evolution of Podcasting

• The RSS connection : In October 2000, the concept of attaching sound and video files in RSS feeds was proposed in a draft by Tristan Louis. The idea was implemented by Dave Winer, a software developer and an author of the RSS format

• The first on-demand radio show and the first podcast : The New England Patriots launched the Internet radio show PFW in Progress. It was a live show that was recorded and made available for on-demand download to visitors of Patriots.com

• Blogger Con Harold Gilchrist presented a history of audio blogging, including Adam Curry’s early role, and Kevin Marks demonstrated a script to download RSS enclosures and pass them to iTunes for transfer to an iPod. Curry and Marks discussed collaborating

• Pushing audio to a device : After the conference, Curry offered his blog readers an RSS-to-iPod script (iPodder) that moved MP3 files from Userland Radio to iTunes, and encouraged other developers to build on the idea.

• The name : Writing for The Guardian in February 2004, journalist Ben Hammersley suggested the term “podcasting” as a name for the nascent technology. The first documented use of “podcasting” in the definition known today (i.e., broadcasting rather than downloading) was mentioned in a podcast episode of the Evil Genius Chronicles on September 18, 2004, by Dave Slusher

• Wider notice : Detailed how-to-podcast articles had begun to appear online in various articles of USA Today, BBC etc. In October 2004, “Podcasting” was first defined in Wikipedia. This was the same month that Podtrac started providing its free download tracking service and audience demographics survey to the podcasting industry.

• Apple adds podcasts to iTunes : In June 2005, Apple added podcasting to its iTunes 4.9 music software and building a directory of podcasts at its iTunes Music Store. The new iTunes could subscribe to, download and organize podcasts, which made a separate aggregator application unnecessary for many users. Apple also promoted creation of podcasts using its GarageBand and QuickTime Pro software and the MP4 format instead of MP3. Prior to iTunes’ seamless integration, acquiring and organising podcasts required dedicated “podcatching” software that was often clunky and intimidating for the average user.

• Expansion : In February 2006, following London radio station LBC’s successful launch of the first premium-podcasting platform, LBC Plus, there was widespread acceptance that podcasting had considerable commercial potential

Podcast Timeline

• 2004 - Adam Curry and Dave Winer are credited with inventing the medium

• 2005 - Apple iTunes 4.9 is released, fully supportive of podcasts

• 2005 - George Bush becomes first President to deliver his weekly address in the form of a podcast

• 2005 - Podcast is declared “word of the year” by the New Oxford American Dictionary

• 2006 - Steve Jobs demonstrates how to record a podcast using Garageband during a keynote speech

• 2007 - Ricky Gervais sets world record for most downloaded podcast with an average 250,000 downloads per episode in the first month

• 2009 - 2011 - Andrew Carolla’s podcast receives 59,574,843 unique downloads

• 2013 - Personal Audio sues high profile podcasters, claiming they have a patent on podcasting

• 2013 - Apple announces 1 billion podcast subscribers

• 2017 - Court rules against Personal Audio, declaring they did not invent the medium of podcasting and could therefore not claim royalties

• 2019 - 165 million people have listened to a podcast, with 90 million Americans listening monthly.

Few Famous/ Iconic Podcasts

• Serial
• The Daily
• Ted Talks
• This American life
• StarTalk

Key Points

• Learnt of Evolution of Podcasting along with Timeline

Types of Podcasts

Overview

Time: 20 min

Objectives

• Understand various types of podcasts

• Learn about advantages and disadvantages of each type of podcast

Interview Podcasts

An interview podcast usually involves one or two hosts who speak with one or more guests each episode. In this format, the guest provides unique expertise or insights on a given topic, industry or theme. You can actually break this format further into two podcast styles:

Expert interviews: In podcasts like Reid Hoffman’s Masters of Scale, the interviewer focuses on a specific topic in which the interviewee is considered a thought leader. For example, a guest like Bill Gates might share stories about his experiences as a technology entrepreneur. Many audience members listen to this type of podcast to learn more about a given industry or gain insights that will help them in their own careers. Entertainment interviews: Entertainment-style podcasts invite guests to share interesting stories about their lives. These shows are often hosted by comedians or entertainment journalists. For example, showrunner Noelle Stevenson recently appeared as a guest on comedian Carmen Esposito’s podcast Query to discuss her experiences in the entertainment industry. Interview-style podcasts can require quite a bit of research. At the same time, the podcast host needs the right skills to draw out interesting stories from guests. This format is a great way to provide a range of opinions and viewpoints.

Conversational Podcasts

Conversational, co-hosted podcasts are very similar to traditional radio shows. In this format, two podcast hosts have entertaining conversations about specific themes and topics. Often, co-hosts will discuss trending news stories and provide insightful — or humorous — commentary.

Conversational podcasts may include guests, as well. For example, Brafton’s Above the Fold podcast, co-hosted by Francis Ma and Jeff Baker, often features guests from around the world of content marketing.

This type of podcast requires a high level of comfort and familiarity between the hosts. If the hosts don’t know each other well or don’t get along, the audience will be able to tell. Because you can’t script a conversation — or at least, you shouldn’t — this format is best for hosts who can improvise on the spot.

The conversational podcast may present unique technical challenges. For example, if the hosts reside in separate cities, they’ll need special software to record the voice tracks independently and then splice them together.

Monologue Podcasts

In the monologue style of podcast, a single host speaks for the entirety of each episode. These podcasts are usually hosted by someone who is an expert in a given field. Audience members tune in to learn about a specific topic or get an informed opinion on recent events.

For example, in the Philosophize This! podcast, host Stephen West takes listeners on a journey through the history of world philosophy. Beginning with presocratic philosophy, West provides an overview of major movements in philosophic thought throughout the ages.

This style of podcast can be applied to any topic — but hosts should have enough experience and expertise to fill many episodes. That said, it’s possible to produce a limited-run podcast that covers a single topic or issue, similar to a serialized audiobook.

The monologue format provides the advantage of not being dependent on other people. The host doesn’t need to book guests or configure schedules with another host. However, this style still requires a fair amount of research.

Storytelling / Investigative Podcasts

Podcast listeners enjoy storytelling and investigative podcasts for their immersive experiences. In this format, one or more hosts use each podcast episode to tell an entire story or a chapter of an ongoing story.

There are many different examples of non-fiction story-based podcasts. On one end of the spectrum is Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History podcast. Carlin produces extremely well-researched miniseries that take his podcast listeners through momentous periods of world history. In fact, his show involves so much research that each miniseries takes months to produce.

On the other end of the spectrum is My Favorite Murder, hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each episode covers a specific case in gruesome detail. This show is also heavily researched, but provides more personal commentary on each subject.

Non-fiction podcasts can require a lot of resources. Podcasters who excel at this format combine excellent research skills with a keen eye for entertainment value.

Roundtable Podcasts

Roundtable podcasts, or panel shows, involve a consistent or rotating group of hosts who provide commentary and conversation around specific topics. Often, there is a main host who MCs each episode while co-hosts fill specific roles. For example, some co-hosts may provide more comedic commentary, while others offer in-depth expertise.

Roundtable podcasts take the stress of one person by splitting the workload among a number of different people. For example, on the Joe Budden Podcast, the former rapper is joined by co-hosts and guests who discuss hip-hop, sports and news items.

Theatrical Podcasts

Fiction podcasts have been a growing trend for years. Some theatrical podcasts consist of a single host who narrates a story in a similar manner as an audiobook. Other podcasts within this format utilize an entire cast of performers and sound engineers to create more immersive experiences.

In this format, podcast hosts strive to create fictional worlds that entertain their listeners. It demands a level of creativity and experience to keep listeners engaged. While this format doesn’t require as much research as others on this list, it still involves a lot of work. At the same time, that means that the competition is high. Not only do these podcasts compete with each other, but also with other forms of entertainment like TV shows, audiobooks and movies.

Repurposed Content Podcasts

The process of repurposing existing content provides several benefits, from boosting audience engagement to serving different needs along the sales funnel. Plus, repurposing content can give you the breathing room you need to create fresh, interesting content.

News programs are among the most common in this category. The same story can appear in print, video and audio. This format works well for brands that already produce a lot of content for the web. For example, if your business has a robust backlog of blog content, you could turn each post into its own podcast episode. That would effectively give you double the volume of content and allow you to reach a segment of your target audience that prefers audio content to a written format.

Hybrid Podcasts

Podcasts are a highly flexible medium. You can mix and match the basic formats from this list to create your style. For example, a podcaster with expertise in a given subject area might host a monologue-style podcast and occasionally interview guests. Likewise, a panel show might split each episode into segments, including a space for the main host to present a monologue.

Or, you might come up with a podcast format that’s nothing like anything else on this list! That’s one of the great things about the medium. The barrier to entry is quite low compared to starting a radio show or TV program. There are even free hosting options that allow you to record episodes and post them to major distribution channels, all directly from your smartphone.

Key Points

• Understood all types of podcast along with their pros and cons

Content Creation

Overview

Time: 20 min

Objectives

• Learn about content for podcasting

• Learn the concepts of script writing

How To Create Interesting Podcast Episodes

• Talk about things you’re interested in : This may sound obvious but choosing a topic you like talking about is the cornerstone of podcasting. It not only helps you produce engaging content but it also is a key factor in consistently creating new episodes for your audience to enjoy.

• Focus on your target audience : You can’t make a podcast that pleases everyone. It’s best to narrow your focus to a specific listener avatar who will get the most value from your content

• Tell lots of stories : Stories are powerful ways to connect with your audience. They create neurological responses in our brains that help us focus and empathize with the storyteller. Researchers at Stanford learned that people are also able to remember stories better than other kinds of information.

• Help your audience take the next step : You have give to your listeners a reason to follow your show and this means creating podcast content that’s actionable. Actionable content explains how your listeners can do something, not just what they should do or why. It gives them practical directions that can be applied in real life to satisfy a need.

• Ask your listeners questions and report their responses : Podcasting may be a one-way medium, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a little audience participation. Ask open ended questions and explain how your audience’s answers will be featured in future episodes. Direct them to a central place to collect their responses like in the comment section of your podcast’s website or across your social media channels.

• Stay on topic and don’t wander too much : As you get better at podcasting you’ll start to have fun, becoming more and more comfortable behind the mic. But make sure you don’t to become so relaxed that the conversation consistently strays off topic.

• Invite unique experts onto your show : Every niche has a bunch of experts who like to hit the “podcast circuit.” They’re on a different show every week. These experts make great guests because they know how to perform on a podcast, but your listeners have heard them before. Instead, go after guests who have great stories to tell, but are less well known.

• Listen carefully to your guests : Even though you’ll have interesting talking points prepared, avoid being the interviewer who reads a question, waits for the guest to answer, and then immediately moves onto the next without building off the response. Create more engaging podcast interviews by listening carefully to the guest’s comments then ask follow-up questions or chime in with your interesting tidbits.

• Make your audio perfect : This should go without saying, but people don’t engage with poor sounding audio. It’s distracting, unsettling, and gives a new listener a very easy reason to stop tuning in. Perfect your recordings with the proper equipment and try out our techniques to capture clearer audio the first time you sit behind the mic.

• Be yourself : You might be tempted to exaggerate one facet of your personality, or embellish a behavior you think people like. But if you want to create truly engaging podcast content, it’s best to be yourself.

• Post transcriptions of your episodes: This is a bonus tip to help you squeeze more value out of all the work you’ve put into creating an engaging episode. Not only does it allow those who are hearing impaired enjoy the show, including episode transcriptions on your website provides SEO value.

Script Writing

1. Podcast Intro (Including Music): Your podcast intro lets you give listeners an overview of the episode upfront and helps you capture your audience’s attention at the outset.

2. Welcome / Guest Introduction: Jotting down some basic facts about your guest helps establish rapport and avoid getting off to a rocky start.

3. Message from a Sponsor: Sometimes sponsors give podcast hosts a script to read from verbatim, and other times the host will be able to craft their own sponsor message.

4. Segue : A well-placed segue can make your podcast flow between topic changes and help create a cohesive episode. Segues can be a phrase, sound effect, or a musical jingle.

5. Outro and Call to Action : You can use this section to make announcements, give a teaser for your next episode, play a closing jingle, or share resources to help listeners.

Basic

With a cohost

Solo-host

Interview-style

Q&A

Tutorial or how-to

Roundtable

Key Points

• Understood about creating content for podcasting

• Understood about script writing and discussed the format for each podcast