Thoughts on blogs and podcasts and exporting for the iPod

Here are some thoughts on the blogs and the podcasts:

1. Find ways to get listener to use both your blog and your podcast
2. Make sure you provide links on the blog to any Web addresses you mention directly on the podcast
3. Consider looking for some intro music other then the music in Garage Band
4. Be careful about natural sound in the background of the interview, make sure it isn't too jarring and be ready to fade in/out or add some separating sounds to make the audio flow--much like watching for jump cuts in video
5. The text you use for linking to your podcasts should be descriptive
6. Create a button specifically for your podcast--think about it as a promotional tool
7. Pay attention to your audio levels, make sure they are consistent throughout the podcast
8. Before using the equipment for an actual interview, run a test interview with a friend so you know how close you need to be to the microphone
9. Make sure the colors scheme on your blog doesn't pose a usability/accessibility problem, watch for text that does not have enough contrast with the background and/or text that can be difficult to read--large blocks of text on a black background, particularly red text (here's a tool to see what the colors look like)
   

Getting your podcast ready for the iPod:

If you are using Avid or iMovie, the process is straightforward. In iMovie, use the share menu and select the iPod option. In Avid, use the export option and select "iPod." If you are using another program you will want to read through the podcast article from Apple to get the settings. Preparing the video for YouTube is covered here. I have found a couple of articles on this as well including "How to upload a video to YouTube," "Upload video to YouTube from your mobile," a blog entry called "Best Way to Upload Video to YouTube on a Mac," and an article called "Help-Key: How to Optimize Your Video for YouTube."