Addicted to (Real Estate) Podcasting!
By Oliver Muoto | October 16, 2007
Thanks again to Drew, I recently developed an addiction for podcasting! (CoRE Podcast) I have been interviewed twice on two different podcasts and I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Last week I started podcasting myself and can’t seem to stop. I recently got carried away and end up interviewing Sellsius Real Estate’s 12 Top Women of Real Estate Blogging as a series of podcasts.
For those who don’t know, A podcast is any type of audio file that can be delivered via your computer, your iPod, or an MP3 player for playback. But here’s why I love podcasting:
- You can it anywhere and anytime. As long as you have a phone, you can podcast. You don’t even need a computer, a pen or notebook! Dial in, conference in and podcast away!
- You can do it as many times as you want. I found some of the best podcasts to be short 5–10 minute interviews. For my latest post I was able to do 12 interviews in about two days and all in all it took less than an hour!
- You can keep it real. Most podcasts are unrehearsed! I am sure you can spend time editing them but the beautify of this medium is that it gives a glimpse into real people and real conversations – when was the last time you had to rehearse a conversation with a friend – conversations are real, so is podcasting
- You can blog it. I found podcast a great way to supplement my blogging habit! Blogging, and writing in general, is time consuming. Just because you spend 5 minutes trying to write something, doesn’t mean you will generate 5 minutes worth of content! I have found, however, that 5 minutes of podcasting, is approximately 5 minutes worth of podcasting. You can link to it from your blog post, or better still include a small flash-based audio player (Example) or widget and you are ready to go!
- You can take it with you. You can download podcasts to your iPod and take them with you or even submit your podcasts using RSS (spec) and make them available to Apple iTunes users who can then “subscribe” to your channel. (Note: This is a great idea for a follow up “how-to” blog post).
- You can be creative. There are many ways you can use podcasts. Obviously you can use them on your blog! If you don’t have time to blog it, podcast it! You can interview just about anyone. I recently blogged about using podcasts to narrate a property description, you can start your own real estate “talk radio” show or use podcasts for training or communicating other marketing information (Example).
- You can use it for marketing. You can attach podcasts to your real estate flyers (Example), you can submit them to podcast directories (Example), you can make them available on your website, prospects can subscribe to your “talk radio show” or “mini seminars” (Example) using iTunes or through your site, and the list of marketing possibilities goes on.
- You can find out more. There are a lot of resources online on podcasting! RSS Pieces did a good two piece series on RSS and Real Estate. The NAR talks about podcasting as well. Believe me, if you seek, you will find, and the door will be opened to you.
Hopefully I have convinced you to at least consider podcasting! What next? Well here are couple of starters:
- Get a podcasting service. There are a number of inexpensive and free services available that allow you to podcast over the phone using a toll-free 800 number. Find one and get familiar with it. If you need advice, let me know.
- Get comfortable speaking. It takes a little time to get into the swing of podcasting so don’t be afraid to practice. For me, it was just getting used to the sound my own voice (the “I sound like that” moment). Over time you’ll become a natural, I’m sure.
- Get going! You have to start some time and there is no better time than now! Podcast your listing and make it available on your blog or flyer, podcast an interview (if you can’t think of anyone to interview, you can always interview me), podcast a regional market update, podcast anything but just podcast!
Author's Website: http://www.vflyer.com
7 Responses to “Addicted to (Real Estate) Podcasting!”
Comments
« Podcasts of Top 12 Women Real Estate Bloggers | Home | Real Estate Developers — Get Ready for iPhone Development in 2008 »
October 16th, 2007 at 12:55 pm
[...] just did a post on reasons to podcast on the GeekEstate Blog that I think is worth checking [...]
October 16th, 2007 at 3:08 pm
Podcasting isn’t limited to audio only. The power of video has clearly overtaken the audio podcast. In fact, all but one of the new iPod models now have the ability to view video podcasts.
http://www.mlbroadcast.com/directory
Cheers
October 17th, 2007 at 9:35 am
Glad I got you hooked on podcasting Oliver. Interviewing people is definitely a skill that takes a lot of practice. I’ve done about 10-15 podcasts (I think) and am still no pro.
October 17th, 2007 at 10:41 am
Michael
and sometimes audio and video lend themselves to different things. That’s way I would differentiate vodcasts (video) vs podcasts (audio) since the applications are different and maytimes the devices are different as well.
I agree and disagree. First what you say is technically true, but I take more of a purist view of audio vs. video..from a practical perspective..for example you can’t record video over a phone call
Oliver
October 17th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
One of the things that kind of drives me nuts about all of the new technology coming down the pike is how we as technologists assign so many different silly names to things. The real definitions and applications of things get lost in the shuffle. The word podcasting is a good example of that. For instance,with all due respect, the audio files you have on line right now I would not categorize as a podcast. They are audio files you can listen to online, but I can not subscribe to them as a true audio podcast feed, more simply put, if I can’t find it in iTunes, I don’t consider it a podcast. I also don’t subscribe to the terminology of “Vodcast”. Primarily because it just adds another layer that isn’t necessary. The technology used for a podcast is the same for audio or video, the only difference is in the format of the enclosure (audio or video file - .mp4 or .m4v for video, or .mp3 or .m4a for audio). Keeping things simple and true to form is more important to me. We are firing stuff off to agents like water from a fire hose and we run the risk of confusing them to the point where they decide it’s not worth the frustration. So, with regard to podcasting, we should be telling it like it is, It’s either audio or video. Both have their value propositions as marketing tools. I understand where you are coming from, however, as technology providers if we try to foist what we view as “purist” opinions on our clients, it all ends up getting lost in translation. For instance, some do not think that combining still photos with transitions, music and voice overs and converting to .mp4 files constitutes a video. I happen to think it does, so does the film maker, Ken Burns, that originated the concept. Video “purists” vehemently disagree. So what? In the end it doesn’t matter what we think, it’s the end user that matters. If they value the content and feel like it meets their needs, it doesn’t matter what it’s called. It’s done it’s job. BTW, Welcome to the GeekEstate team!, it’s good to have you aboard.
October 17th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
Michael
I agree with you about technology terms! And perhaps “purist” wasn’t the right word.
I think of podcasting plain an simple as “AUDIO”. If you want to record a phone interview - its AUDIO, if you want to do a virtual tour - for that you need VIDEO. That’s were i was going. I think even using the term ‘podcast’ maybe unnecessary techo-bable. What I ment by my post is I am addicted to ‘audio’ and you are right, the term ‘podcast’ may not be limited to video..but (right now) I am.
Both audio and video are valuable (video probably a lot more). Audio is just cheaper, faster and easier to work with video - and that was where I was going with it.
Thanks for the welcome, I am already enjoying 9t and definately enjoy having conversations with other “big picture” guy! I appreciate your insight.
Oliver
October 17th, 2007 at 1:09 pm
That certainly makes sense. I have a friend and client that uses one of the online phone interview systems to record audio podcasts. He sends them to our team to convert to an actual podcast feed. I love the idea of audio podcasting for general marketing and branding and most definitely as an adjunct to blogging. For promotion of listings, not so much.
As far as the term podcasting goes, we joined the ranks of a number of tech start ups that dropped the term from our branding. For a couple of reasons, primarily because the scope of our service goes beyond podcasting now. Also important to us was the fact that consumers are not adopting the terminology as readily as some in the industry as hoped.
Looking forward to your contributions, I think you’ll bring a wealth of great info to GeekEstate.