It is really interesting how much mis-information there is about podcasting online. Podcasting is not merely putting an audio file online. Many people put a audio file on a website and then say they are podcasting.  This is the most common mistake that newcomers to the podcasting technology make. Podcasting is an RSS 2.0 feed with enclosures that point to the location of the audio file.

This mistake is made very frequently and people use the term podcasting when they really are not podcasting. As a prime example of how even publications get this wrong take a look at this podcasting article at ZD Net. It just goes to show that even a technology commentator can get it wrong and call an audio file a podcast, when it is not a podcast. If people can’t "subscribe" to your podcast via the RSS podcast feed, you are doing yourself and your visitors a disservice by calling it a podcast.

The lesson to take away here is that when you are publishing, promoting, marketing, or producing a podcast; make sure you have the underlying support structure (valid RSS 2.0 podcasting feed), with enclosures executed properly. If you merely have an mp3 audio file on a site and call it a podcast you will be showing your auidience that you don’t have a clue about podcasting.

If you want to see what makes a valid RSS podcasting feed then make sure you read up on the technolgy standards here.

Rodney Rumford