Region 3 Podcasting

October ‘10 EPA Web Workgroup

15 minutes

What’s a podcast? Why podcast? Starting: teamwork, gear, software Content is king Sustaining production Promote, access, measure OneEPA Web At your service

4 good reasons …

Communicate to targeted audiences Encourage interaction with public Build internal teamwork Small initial, ongoing investment

• Repurpose--content usually exists

What’s a good podcast series?

Interesting stories (audio, video) Conversational, inviting Consistent theme, frequency, format Subscription-enabled via RSS Accompanying show notes Reasonably good sound

Getting started

Management mandate: OK; knowing nod Plan: roles, resources, topics, distribution Gear, software, editing skill

• USB mic, editing software, quiet place

• condenser mic, digital recorder, mic stand

• phone interface, mic 2/coupler, music

Audio editing

Simple: like word processing• select, (zoom), operate

• delete, cut/copy, paste, amplify, save/as…

• second track for music, ambient sounds

Waveform (5:20, 12 Mb)

Zoomed waveform (0:22, 710 kb)

Content + format

Engaging, timely, varied, brief Interview; narrated remarks; narrated

proceeding Plain, audience-appropriate language

(“we,” “you,” jargon-lite) “For more info, …” Transcript (508), link(s)

Sustaining production

Feast or famine, so stockpile Stay alert for worthy topics

• releases, weeklies, seasons, jobs

• 2+ hosts, transcribers ready Encourage outreach habits Have an involved partner Encourage perk-iness Recast old-but-current podcasts

Promote, access, measure

Publicize all podcasts: Twitter, FB, homepage, “enviro-bites,” e-mail

Promote subscriptions Link from multiple web pages iTunes? Portal by topic, date Favorable download trends

OneEPA Web

Good timing: limited podcasting Coordinate topics?

• National vs. local Coordinate production? Cross-promote and cross-link Standards and best practices Training Leaders Kay Morrison and Barry Everett

“I’m from the government…”

Let’s talk about getting started, OneEPAintegration, production, expanding to video …

Larry Teller, R3215 814-2993

teller.lawrence@epa.gov