• Podcasting is a type of online media delivery that allows you to publish selected audio or video files via the Internet and allows your users to automatically receive new files via an RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed. Podcasting is making its mark as an effective online marketing tool. Simply put, there are several advantages to podcasting.
  
  

Podcasting Is Well-Targeted

• When you podcast your message, you have a built-in audience. The people who listen to or view your podcasts have already chosen to subscribe to your message, so you know that they're already interested in what you have to offer. If you're an advertiser you'll know that there will be very little waste compared with other forms of advertising or messaging. You're audience is well-targeted and pre-screened. You won't have to spend time drawing them to your message.
  
  

Podcasting Allows for an Extended Message

• Average radio and television commercials run from 20 seconds to one minute, so they don't allow a lot of time for you to convey your message. With podcasting, however, you'll have a lot more time to promote your product or service. As the people who listen to or view your message have opted to receive your message, they'll be willing to spend more time listening to or watching what you have to offer. Most podcasts allow you to go as long as you want to go, although you'll have to remember that if your message runs too long you'll hit a point where you start to lose your audience's attention. It's not unusual for a podcast to be three minutes or longer. This extended time for your message allows you to describe your product or service without the time constraints of some other forms of mainstream media.
  
  

People Anticipate Your Podcasts

• There aren't many forms of media for which people are anxiously awaiting your next message or installment. With standard forms of advertising such as television and radio, you have to compete with other distractions for people to hear or view your message. With television commercials, people are known to channel-surf, mute messages or make refrigerator and/or bathroom runs. Radio commercials can suffer similar distractions. With podcasting, those who subscribe to your podcasts will look forward to receiving them---and they'll be able to listen to or view the podcast when they want, as often as they want. Some advertisers or podcasters use the medium to create their own series of commercials or even their own shows. These series or shows create excitement, anticipation and word-of-mouth advertising for the product or service.