The Mini Token Blog

voice over is a word that describes an occasion when you hear someone talking but you can’t see them talking. So, you may class all radio work as a huge voice-over. Commonly, they are used to talk about work done for radio and tv advertising, documentary work and internet work too.

Voiceovers are a recording performed by a voice talent that gives life to characters, tells a story, guides you on a tour, or directs your telephone calls. They have the ability to take direction or criticism from others and can interpret copy to sell a product, concept, or a message. If you are trying to commercialise a project and decide that the way forward is to engage the services of top quality voice talent, then you will obviously be looking for someone with skill and experience. You could go dirt cheap and ask a “friend” to do it, but it will cost you in lost sales compared to a professional voice over artist who will be a real promote to your commercializing campaign. Identify and search for the key traits that distinguish top drawer voiceover artists from the drab and mediocre.

The undertaking of finding a high end voice talent involves executing a few fundamental principles. Ensure that you understand what a voice over artist is and the language that they use to identify themselves. Then learn what sort of work decent voice talents take on and use that work to judge who you should bring in to your task. Hopefully, this article has assisted you in that enterprise.

1. The first step in promoting your podcast actually comes down to the description of the podcast itself. Your podcast description should be clear and give an accurate representation of the contents of your podcast. Podcast episodes generally have a common theme, such as how to podcasts, podsafe music podcasts etc.

Your description should accurately describe this theme. Remember, not everybody is going to want to listen to your podcast. What you ultimately want is a core following from those that are particularly interested in your genre. This is known as a niche. An example of a niche is all people that want to train their cat to speak. Wacky I know, but my research indicates that this is indeed possible and I’m trying it on my cat.

Now this is a very specific podcast niche.

Another broader example would be unsigned heavy metal band music. This would attract listeners who are perhaps looking for the latest music that has not hit the mainstream and maybe even music agents looking to sign up the next big act. Another good idea is to have an attractive image included in your podcast. This can give a pictorial description of your theme and attract your niche podcast audience.

2. The next step in promoting your podcast is to get it in front of the podcast world. Now there are a plethora of sites that list podcasts. There are podcast directories, there are forums that discuss podcasts and then there is the search engines themselves.

Firstly I would recommend submitting your podcast to as many podcast directories as possible. What this does is get you some traffic, but more importantly it will get you links back to your site, in the the search engines. These are powerful one way links. There are 50 or more podcast directories around ranging from general ones, categorized into many genres, to niche directories, focusing on one topic, such as educational podcasts. Simply find the ones that are appropriate to your podcast and submit.

Forums are also a good place to find listeners and get links. Simply join the forum and participate. Do not spam. You can usually place a link to your podcast in your signature line. If your podcast is interesting to the forum members you will attract listeners. Use a feedburner link to monitor the number of listeners you have.

3. The final step is what I call managing the growth. If you get to this step. This is where you will have an ever increasing number of listeners and may even attain cult status for your podcast. At this point you will be looking for more macro promotion. You may be needing to look for joint venture partners and may receive offers. Consider these wisely.

Now clearly not all podcasts will reach this level, but if you do you should not diverge too widely from your listener base, since this is what has brought you to this level. At this point you can consider getting professional advice, provided your monetization model permits.

If you are a band you may have already have received offers of work by this stage and the podcast should be maintained, in a normal operation, since this is what got you to this level. These are the basic steps to promoting your podcast.

To promote your podcast please visit Graeme’s Podcast Directory. This directory already contains a number of resources on podcasting itself. But it is by no means limited to that and lists podcasts in many genres. Any one is welcome to submit their podcast for consideration to www.Podcastdir.net and listing is free.

I can see it now…

You were in the shower, taking a walk, driving in your car or sipping a latte’ at Starbucks when all of a sudden - WHAM! - inspiration struck. You were moved. Your emotions were stirred. You felt your creative juices flowing with ideas that quickly transformed themselves into visual images.

You took notes, sketched out a rough storyboard, or just picked up your video camera and started filming. Your creative talents started to evolve the mere idea into video form. What started out as simple words or thoughts were transformed into a ‘living’ entity of visual entertainment.

Not everyone shares your enthusiasm for it. So what. They aren’t the ones you made it for. You made it for the ones like you - the ones who with one glimpse of your video come to experience the same emotional connection that first stirred your soul.

If people don’t ‘Get it’ that’s fine. You simply say, ‘Next’. Because although within walking distance of you there may only be a handful of people who see it the way you do… on the Global stage there are hundreds of thousands if not millions who will embrace your creation with the passion it deserves.

The worldwide marketplace is waiting for you and your video creation.

But there’s a problem isn’t there?

How do you get your video from it’s current point out to all those people? How much will it cost to store it, promote it, allow people to download it, take payments for it?

The real question is… why should you have to care? You’re the creative genius who is best left to creative environments like developing the video experiences.

So where do you turn? Good question.

Several years ago there was only one choice… you found an agent, crossed your fingers and hoped to get a shot at Hollywood. In the past few years you could spend a few thousand, make a DVD and try to sell it yourself - counting anything above ‘break even’ as a success.

The truth… Oldskool ‘broad’casting just doesn’t cut it any more in the digital age of internet opportunities. Let’s examine why.

The Limitation of Oldschool “Broad”casting

If you stop to think about the word broadcast, when it was created back in the oldschool radio and TV days of the 20th century, it was true to its meaning. The word “broad” obviously means a wide range. Reaching out to millions in one nation was considered broad. This is why we have NBC, ABC, CBS, and FOX in nearly every home in America.

Now stop and think about all the limitations of traditional “broad”casting. The extensive budgets, actors, contracts, licensing, etc… In the US there are also FCC regulations these broadcasts must fall within. Think about how few channels and how few hours in the day there really are to “broad”cast shows. Even in the age of cable and satellite systems broadcasting hundreds of channels there is still a finite limit.

Typically licensing issues bound the “broad”cast to one nation. The US doesnt broadcast in Canada or across the pond in the UK and vice-versa. Sporting events are more restricted with blackouts in specific regional areas.

Now HDTV is beginning to pick up sales as prices drop yet thanks to DRM technologies the studios are putting a stranglehold on how much control the consumer has over the cotent they have payed for. It is all too limiting.

The consumers are ready for a change. A newer, better way of receiving their entertainment.

Free Video On Demand (VOD) - The New Broadcast Platform.

Residential broadband access has penetrated over 50% of US households. Broadband access is expected to more than double this decade, reaching 71 million US households by 2010.

As more and more households bring high speed internet access into the home studies have shown their viewing habits of television have dropped on average of 3 fewer hours of TV per week. This number is only expected to grow.

More and more people are turning to the web instead of their TV for their entertainment needs. This fact is especially strong with the young teens and twenty-something market who have grown up with computers in the internet age.

The Law of Increasing Audience

With the increase in broadband access and affordable video hardware and software more and more people are creating their own video content. There are a lot of unknown, talented ividividuals out there doing a very good job at creating engaging entertainment. Its crazy when you stop and think about it how new technologies like video podcasting and portable video entertainment are revolutionizing traditional entertainment outlets.

Now anyone can get their message heard or seen with the power of the internet.

Stop sitting on the sideline and letting your video gather dust while others get credit and profits from entertainment far less valuable than yours.

Free Video On Demand allows anyone with a video camera and an idea to achieve their dream of getting their video seen by a world-wide audience.

Podcasting is the new medium fad of the moment. But can it be used for marketing and is it inexpensive? The answer to both questions is “Yes.”

First, let me explain for the neophyte what podcasting is. Technology for its use has been around as early as 2000 but its widespread use really made its hey-day in 2003. So it is still new and the power of this new medium has yet to be realized.

Nevertheless, as an audio technology, there are some practical uses.

The name is derived by fusing iPod with broadcasting even though it has nothing to do with the iPod. Simply put, podcasting is taking an audio or video file and placing it on the Internet so that it can be downloaded for personal use by others. By transferring files in this manner, one could listen to a radio program or watch a television show or movie on one’s personal MP3 player, iPod or similar personal portable media player.

So how can this technology be used for marketing? If you have a product or service you can place an audio or video file on your web site describing your product or service and even do product demonstrations. Another use of the podcast is to develop an infomercial-type broadcast in which you accept advertising from other companies, somewhat like a television commercial in the middle of a program. While this use may not be necessarily popular, I believe it can be used effectively.

For instance, instead of interrupting your program with a commercial, put your commercials at the beginning or the end of the podcast. Also, you don’t want to overdo it. Only include one or two short commercials so that you don’t bombard your audience with too much marketeering. In this age, with cable and satellite television and radio, spam blockers and laws and other anti-commercial posturing, too much of a good thing will rub people the wrong way. A good example of this is pop-up advertising; too much is bad but just enough is effective marketing.

The uses for podcasting are endless. They can be short or long, but the key thing is to present them effectively. You want your files to be clear and understandable, so choose a speaker or presenter who looks good on camera and who has a voice that sounds pleasant. Also, treat your podcast like any other media presentation which you would spend hard-earned dollars to produce. Write a script and test it before an audience before you go into production. Do everything you would do for a television commercial you were producing or a radio spot. You want it to be professional and of the highest possible quality.

All you need to produce your own podcast is a personal computer. If you have Microsoft Media Player or RealPlayer by RealNetworks then you can record your own audio file right onto your hard drive. A web cam will do the same for your video file. Another way to capture your presentation is to use a digital tape recorder or a camcorder and download them onto your computer’s hard drive later. Then, you can upload them onto your web site the same way you would upload any other file.

Now that you have a basic understanding of podcasting, give it a shot. Make the most of this new technology and have fun.