Welcome to the Melcrum Social Media Newsletter.

Podcasting offers all the key advantages associated with social media such as low barriers to entry and established popularity among the general population – so says Melcrum’s 2007 survey and subsequent report on social media and corporate communication. A promising 58% of respondents said they were already using, or planning to use podcasts in their organization.

But how can you get started with podcasts? Here are three quick stages to work through:

1. Why podcast?
First of all, consider what it is you want to use podcasting for:

• CEO podcasts?
• Daily/weekly team updates, divisional or organizational updates?
• Speeches or presentations?
• Training and administration purposes?
• Speciality podcasts?
• Something entirely different…

Remember that podcasting is a technology that can greatly enhance collaboration. You could take this one step further and encourage participation and contribution by giving employees opportunities to participate in and develop their own ideas for podcasts.

2. What to podcast?
Next up, consider your content and format:

• Will it be a program format?
• Will it be news items, interviews, magazine-style, and so on?
• Will you have a single presenter or multiple presenters?
• Will it be in a studio (if you have one) or will it be out and about?
• How often will the podcast run and how long will it run for (a new regular show or just a series of six, for example)?

3. And finally…
Don’t forget:

• Keep it simple: Don’t be over-ambitious on your first few attempts.
• Keep it short: Aim for around 10-15 minutes.
• Don’t overly fret about production values and technology: A podcast that sounds like you’re in a fishbowl will not work well, but equally, they don’t necessarily need to sound like something produced by a professional broadcaster.
• Look out for best practice: Always be on the lookout for new ideas and ways to improve the podcast – just as you would do with anything else. That means taking suggestions on board and listening to as many different podcasts as you have time to.
• Keep them coming: Don’t use up all your energy on the first one and then give up!

Best regards,

Alex Manchester
Editor
alex.manchester@melcrum.com

This week's Melcrum headlines:
Personal Social Media: Do you think it has jumped the shark?
- The Communicators' network - 18 June 2007

The Melcrum Podcast 20th June 2007: Shownotes
- The Melcrum Blog - 20 June 2007

Bloggers risk dismissal by writing about work
- The Hub UK - 25 May 2007