Contributed by: Caitee Bloss
Web Project Assistant, Stein Communications
Previous to this issue of The Scoop, we have discussed podcasting in admissions, academics, alumni, and athletics. The last in our series, this fifth installment explores podcasts as a creative method of increasing and utilizing public relations (PR).
PR is a broad topic, as is podcasting. This article focuses on two main applications of podcasting within public relations: the utilitarian element of broadcasting university news and events, and the more emotional element of conveying the personality of the university while also enhancing reputation and extending the brand.
Podcasts with PR Content
Broadcasting University News. Like blogs and email newsletters, podcasts enable universities to easily broadcast major news and events to a global audience. They are not subject to many of the boundaries and complications faced by print and email campaigns. Three main advantages of podcasting over more traditional news publication include:
- Cost — Podcasting can be done inexpensively. Podcast production costs, including equipment, can be minimal, and hosting plans are available to accommodate higher bandwidth and storage. You can imagine the savings compared to postage or email campaign fees.
- Archives — Once published, listeners can easily browse previous episodes. Software programs, such as iTunes, make this task especially intuitive.
- Convenience — Podcasts are as portable as music. Users don’t have to be sitting at the computer to catch up on the news — they can listen in their car, while they jog, on an iPod, etc.
Utilizing podcasts as another means of news syndication is becoming increasingly popular among universities. Yale University’s Yale Netcast discusses news, events, and major initiatives with university faculty and administration. Duke has a dedicated Office of News and Communications for keeping the news media and others up-to-date on school happenings. Their News & Communications podcast (iTunes link) is a component of this initiative, and covers everything from March Madness to Durham revitalization.
The University of Florida News podcast supplies listeners with regular updates of university news and events. Rather than focusing on just one campus issue or event, each “Update: Weekly” is structured as a summary of recent news.
As we have mentioned in previous articles in this series, a large advantage that podcasts have over traditional media is universal syndication. Because campus content can reach a global audience, individuals not enrolled in the institution can get a taste of the university’s excellence and expertise. By broadcasting such information as recent research, public speakers, and discussions on popular issues, the university expands its reputation as a credible and competitive institution.
Vanderbilt has many podcasts to promote and feature different facets of the school. Their podcast, That’s Vanderbilt, highlights the newest research at both the university and its medical center. In addition, Stellar Conversations, Medical Center Podcast, and The Sounds of Blair feature specific departmental happenings.
The Georgetown University Forum is another great example of a podcast series highlighting current research and faculty initiatives.
Podcasts as a PR Tool
Simply put, podcasting is one of many Web 2.0 tools you can use to increase university exposure and recognition. As we’ve shown through this series, podcasts can help you reach many different audiences, such as prospective students, alumni, and sports fans. In addition to just getting your name out there, you can establish your school’s authority on a topic, project a personality, and extend branding initiatives.
Podcasts as a personal connection. PR podcasts are important on another, non-informative level. Each one reflects the university’s personality and can give the listener more insight into the school atmosphere or attitude. In addition to helping distinguish the university from others around the country, podcasts can contribute to the development of an emotional bond with constituents. Several elements factor in to this personal feel, such as focusing on a specific target audience, welcoming user feedback, and providing frequent episodes. Each element helps listeners better acquaint themselves with your university.
Branding and Exposure through Podcasting Directories. iTunes provides one of the largest podcast directories. Recently, they added a dedicated university division of their iTunes store — iTunes U. iTunes allows schools to create custom sites for their institution to organize and brand their series of podcasts. iTunes U sites are also designed to allow faculty members to contribute their own audio and video content. All schools are eligible to participate on iTunes U, and Apple provides instructions on how to get started.
Three advantages of an iTunes U site include:
- Publicity — With so many individuals already using iTunes for music, video, and other media, your site is exposed to a much larger audience. By enabling users to subscribe to your series (a great feature of iTunes), you are retaining listeners who may never have visited your podcast again. Also, because episodes for subscribed podcasts can be automatically downloaded to the individual’s iTunes, your listeners don’t have to continually check for new releases. Essentially, your iTunes store can help retain first-time visitors and increase the listening rate of existing listeners.
- Personality — Customizing your University iTunes U site allows you to demonstrate your school’s personality, extend your brand, and create a visual and emotional connection with the listener.
- Reputation — Your podcast is listed with some of the best academic podcasts on the web. Having a customized iTunes U site portrays a professional image of your podcast, and being listed in this higher-education-only directory affords you authority and respect.
Although it is the largest, iTunes is not the only academic podcast directory out there. Two other notable web sites are Open Culture and Princeton’s UChannel.
Open Culture organizes podcasts into two categories: General (ordered by university) and University Courses (ordered by subject). A university can appear in both sections, and the University Course list may be very helpful if your podcast is subject-specific. Anyone can recommend a podcast to be indexed.
Princeton’s UChannel emphasizes vodcasts (video podcasts) just as heavily as it does podcasts. Instead of providing links to entire podcast series, the UChannel invites universities to contribute individual episodes. Their goal is to create an online resource for academic media. For this reason, episode contents must be highly academic — lectures, seminars, panels and interviews. While initially focusing on public and international affairs, the channel describes the directory as having “unlimited potential.”
With so many available tools and resources, it is now easier than ever to create university podcasts. Our five-part article series explored podcasting in higher education — a topic covering a myriad of topics and attracting an equally varied audience, all of which are tuning in specifically to your university. Experience the power of this Web 2.0 tool for yourself — with a little time and energy (and a microphone), we think you’ll find that the rewards are worth it.