‘Propertycasting’:
Podcasting for REALTORS®
By Rachel Shepherd
The editors of New Oxford American Dictionary declared “podcasting” the 2005 word of the year. In 2006, there’s a podcast – or Godcast or blogcast – for everyone.
REALTORS® can “propertycast” – use podcasting technology to advertise to potential clients.
Podcasting presents a unique opportunity for REALTORS® to reach their target audiences through an online (read: free) medium. Potential clients seeking information on houses, for example, can subscribe to a REALTOR®’s podcast, giving both the opportunity to develop a more personal relationship.
In general, podcasting allows users to download audio and video files over the Internet using an RSS feed for playback on mobile devices or PCs. No longer are IPods required. Nowadays more people listen to podcasts on personal computers than on personal devices.
Podcasting’s initial charm was allowing individuals to distribute their own radio shows via the Web; now it’s being used for news distribution, education, religious broadcasting and advocacy. (In order to be successful in this arena, though, quality production is a must. Video combined with audio voiceovers proves to be the most powerful in this niche market.)
The mechanics of podcasting resemble clicking through channels on a TV set. Podcasting is the computerized version of this same process. Using RSS subscription technology, users subscribe to a feed URI (the channel) and automated downloads are sent to the PC or mobile device (or IPod), a process otherwise known as “podcatching.” Downloads can be played, replayed and archived.
To learn more about podcasting, check out: http://www.ipodder.org/.