Creating a Podcast with Podomatic USF College of Education Laptop Initiative EDU 252, Email: [email protected] http://fcit.usf.edu/laptop

Podomatic (www.podomatic.com) is a website that allows you to easily record, publish, and pro- mote an audio or video podcast without having to install any software on your computer. All you need is a microphone or headset to record your audio (and an iSight or other type of web camera if you are creating a video podcast). Podomatic uses a Flash interface to record the audio or video for your podcast using any web browser (you must install the Flash plugin for your web browser if it’s not installed already). Each Podomatic account allows you to store up to 500 MB of audio and video.

Creating an Account Recording an Episode record button if you want to To record an episode, click on start over. My Podcast > Post an Episode. On this page, you can assign a Podomatic also allows you to title, tags, and comments to import recordings created in In order to use Podomatic, you your podcast episode. Tags are other programs such as Garage- must first register for a free the same as keywords that can band or Audacity. To import a account: be used to search for your pod- recording, click on the Import cast episode. To add a picture, button (next to the Record but- 1. Click on the Register link click on the Browse button and ton) and use the Browse button in the main page then find a picture on your to find the file you want to (www.podomatic.com). computer. You can also mark upload to the Podomatic serv- 2. Enter your name in the your podcast as clean or ex- ers. first text field. The name plicit. you enter will be displayed on your profile. 3. Select a user name and enter it in the second text field. This name will be used to create the address for your podcast page When you’re ready to start If you change your mind later (http://username.podomat recording, click on the Record and you want to delete an epi- ic.com) button. If you’re recording sode, you can do so by clicking 4. Enter a valid email ad- video, you will need to check on My Podcast > My Media. This dress. This email address the Record Video checkbox. page will list each media file will be used to send you a This will bring up a Flash set- you have recorded or uploaded. temporary password. You tings pop-up window where you You can click on the delete link can click on the link in the need to click on Allow. Record- next to a media file to remove email to change your pass- ing will begin once a connec- it from your account. word to something easier tion has been established. to remember. Adding Music 5. Click on Continue. You can enhance your podcasts by adding intro and outro music On the next screen, you will be that plays at the beginning and able to personalize your pod- end of your podcast. To add cast page by selecting a tem- music to your podcast, click on plate that will determine how My Podcast > My Media, then your podcast page will look. click on the mixOmatic link. You will then see a list of dif- To change the template for ferent music clips you can use your podcast page after you for your intro or outro music. have set up your account, click When you’re finished with your To preview a selection, click on on My Podcast > Preferences. recording, press the Stop re- the play button. Once you find Next, click on the Edit link in cording button. Click on the one you like, click on Use it! to the Podcast page theme sec- Preview button to hear what add it to your podcast. tion. To change your template, your recording sounds like (or select a different one using the to preview the video) before pulldown menu below Edit page you save it. theme, then click on Save. You can customize your page even If you’re happy with your re- more by clicking on My Podcast sults, click on Post Episode to > Design. save your episode to the Podo- matic servers. Click on the Re- You can import your own music selecting Update Podcast. If domatic recording or upload clips to use as intro or outro there are old episodes listed one from your computer. Once music by clicking on the Scene that you want to download, you’re finished creating your mixer link at the top of the click on the Get button next to email, including the recording, mixOmatic window. This will the name of that episode and click on the Send button to bring up a window where you the episode will then be down- send your email. can click on an Import button loaded to your computer’s hard to upload your own music clip. drive. Including a Podcast in a Blog To include your podcast in a Your RSS Feed Promoting Your Feed blog post: Your RSS feed is what allows After you have created a new 1. Click on My Podcast > Man- other people to subscribe to podcast episode, you can use age my Podcast > Get the your podcast. When you create the promotion features of Po- Word Out. a podcast on Podomatic you are domatic to let other people 2. Select one of the blogging assigned two different ad- know about it. services listed (MySpace, dresses: one which you can use Blogger, hi5, or TypePad). to refer people to a web page To send out a podcast an- 3. Select how you want to where they can click on a but- nouncement by email: share your podcast: as a ton to listen to your podcast, 1. Click on My Podcast > Man- link, as a badge, or if you and one which is an RSS feed age Podcast > Get the choose Blogger or TypePad they can use to subscribe to Word Out. as an embedded player. your podcast. 2. Choose E-Mail. 4. Click on Continue. 3. Select Episode or Badge 5. Enter your user name and The ability to subscribe is a key and edit the title and body password for the blog you feature of podcasting and what of your message. A pre- want to post to and click sets it apart from other audio view will display to the on Share Now. and video files you can find right. online. Once someone has sub- 4. Click on Continue. scribed to your podcast using 5. If you want to import your software such as iTunes, they address book from another can have new episodes auto- webmail program (Hotmail, matically downloaded to their GMail, or Yahoo) enter your computers. email address and pass- word and click on Save. If To find the RSS feed address for you do not want to import your podcast on Podomatic, your address book, click on click on My Podcast > Manage Cancel. my Podcast. Your RSS feed ad- 6. Place a checkmark next to dress will be listed at the top the contacts you want to of the page in a text field. send your announcement to, or add additional ad- Testing Your Feed dresses in the text fields. You can test your RSS feed ad- 7. Click on Send Emails. Useful Sites dress with iTunes to make sure • Freeplaymusic.com: it works before you send it to In addition to sharing podcast Free instrumental music you other people. To test your ad- episodes, Podomatic includes a can use in your podcasts. dress, open iTunes and select webmail feature that allows The nice thing is that Advanced > Subscribe to Pod- you to include audio in your freeplaymusic.com offers cast. Next, enter the RSS ad- emails. To use the Podmail different options for the dress from the Manage my Pod- feature, click on the Mail link length, so you can select a cast page in Podomatic and at the top of any Podomatic short clip to use for your click on OK. If your address page. intro or outro in Podomatic. works, iTunes should display your podcast and download the Podmail works like any other • Podsafe Music Network: latest episode. webmail site such as Gmail or More free music you can use Hotmail. You can click on com- in your podcast. There is a Your computer will check for pose at the top to start a new lot of music from independ- new episodes at regular inter- message. After you’ve entered ent bands. vals (you can change how often all the email addresses of your this takes place by changing recipients in the Send to field, your iTunes preferences). You you can choose to record a can also manually check for message to include in your new episodes by right-clicking message or you can click on on the title of the podcast and Import to use an existing Po-

2