Podcasting sites, what to look for

Because of how popular podcasting has become there are numerous websites out there that offer podcasting services or directories, but the question now becomes what you should look for in a podcast site. Some people think that all podcast sites are offering the same things; while numerous sites will offer the same podcast choices you will still find certain features on different websites. So whether you are publishing a podcast or are looking for a site to listen to podcasts here are some tips on what you should look for in a podcast site.

Tip one:
When looking for a podcasting site to publish your podcast on you want to make sure that the podcast site is not going to charge you to publish your podcast. If the site charges you to publish your podcast you need to go elsewhere because it is just a waste of money, you will never make money off your podcast, unless you are using a podcast for business purposes, such as advertising and marketing.

Tip two:
Another thing you want to look for is how the podcast site is ranked. Currently there are over fifty podcasting sites where you can go to publish your podcasts but that does not mean that all of them are good sites or get a lot of traffic. Your higher ranked sites are the ones that are generating the most traffic. But keep in mind that sites can fluctuate in their ranking as the popularity of the site comes and goes among podcast users. So it is best to publish your podcast on numerous sites, this will give you the most exposure.

Tip three:
Another thing you want to look for when choosing a podcast site is if they are user friendly, for both the person publishing the podcast and the people who are going to be listening to the podcast. If a person goes to the website and can not figure out the layout or how to navigate through the site fairly quickly they will end up leaving the site and searching elsewhere for the podcast. The same thing holds true for people who are publishing their podcasts if you can not publish your podcast quickly then there isn't much use for that website. Also if you are publishing a podcast you are going to want to make sure the site you are using is easy enough for all types of listeners to use, sometimes the sites are easy for the publishers to use, but they are almost impossible for the novice listener to use.

Tip four:
Another great thing to look for on podcast sites is that they have a resource section that will provide tutorials for new publishers or listeners alike. They should also include some articles about podcasting and how you can create your own podcasts. A great podcast site provides lots of free tips and tricks for podcasting.

Tip five:
Another thing to look for is if the podcast site offers a top ten list or something similar near the top of the website. This puts it in an easy eye catching spot and encourages users to click on the podcasts for easy downloading or listening.

Tip six:
Make sure that the podcast site allows users to listen to podcasts directly from the website. This allows users to listen to the podcasts while they are surfing the internet without having to take the trouble to download the podcast to a portable media player or to their computer. Sometimes having to wait for the podcast to download is time consuming and some listeners don't want to wait that long to listen to something, but they will still have the option to download it for later use if they are so inclined.