Online Audio 101
In this series of guest blog posts I’d like to explain the importance of using audio in your online marketing: why you should use it, how to overcome your fears, and some of the best applications for audio to promote and enhance your websites.
Why Bother with Audio?
There are several reasons why you should be using audio and video within your websites and to promote your business. I’m going to focus on audio in particular, as there are many more qualified than me to tackle video, but the reasons for using them are the same:
- The Internet is all about communication. Sound is one of the best ways in the world to communicate because people can hear your passion and sincerity
- You may be an excellent writer but people respond and learn in different ways. Some prefer the written word, some audio, and some video. You want to attract and talk to as many people as possible, using the method they will respond to best
- The written word can be powerful, but you will make a more personal connection and increase confidence and trust by letting folks see and hear you. Developing a relationship is key to marketing and your potential customers are going to feel they know you better if they hear your voice and see your face
- You may not be a great writer and your personality will likely come across better in audio and/or video
- Audio and video offer you the opportunity to spread yourself around the Internet and utilise websites and directories that thousands or even millions of people search every day
What’s Holding You Back?
We all come up with reasons why we never quite get around to doing the things we know we should. When it comes to creating audio, the main reasons seem to be:
- It’s time consuming to learn the technical aspects and create the audio
- Not having the right equipment, either because of the cost or because you simply don’t know what to use
- Not having the technical ability to create and distribute the audio
- Your voice. Let’s be honest, we hate hearing our own voices on recordings and we assume most others will too (if you like your own voice then you are probably already using it)
- Fear of failure. Like so many new and untested experiences, we often fear failure enough to prevent us even attempting them.
I’ll be addressing all these issues in future guest posts and hopefully helping you see how easy it is to create audio and publish it online. I’ll also be giving you some ideas of how and where you can use that audio.
About: Lisa Hartwell
Lisa Hartwell is a voiceover, audio producer and niche marketer, based in the beautiful county of Devon in the UK. She created her Audible Marketing blog - http://audiblemarketing.com - to help others overcome their fear of creating their own audio products and to offer inspiration for ways to use audio to progress their business.Freebies
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ThankYou
I enjoyed this, and really look forward to you addressing that list.
It’s uncanny how you knew the hurdles many face.
The first half of your post was informative, and obviously
‘real’ (as in authoritative).
But when you got to “What’s holding you back?”
I felt like you were talking straight to me!
Alice, hope the wee one is doing well!
Annie Binns
Lisa -
How fun to find you here visiting Alice! I look forward to more posts, especially the one about equipment. My built-in-mic on my webcam is the only thing I have to make noise with and the quality is like a 40’s radio show.
BTW, you really have got to post one of your clips so Alice’s readers can hear your voice. And that way I can play a new one for my husband who I think I’ve seen blush when he hears your voice. LOL!!!
Annie
Lisa
Thanks for the comments Ed and Annie. I hope the rest of the series will be of great help to you.
I’m blushing just knowing that my voice makes someone’s husband blush
Lisa
Stephanie
That bit on not liking your own voice on recordings reminded me of a comment a friend of a friend made to me in college: “You know, your voice isn’t as annoying today as it is usually.”
Talk about making me self conscious! Obviously he wasn’t a friend of mine, just someone I couldn’t avoid because of my friend.
Does that keep me from using audio on my site, which I haven’t done yet? Maybe. I don’t consider that the real reason, though. I think for me it’s more the challenge of getting enough quiet to try it. The kids would have to cooperate!
Lisa
Stephanie, I’ll be covering people’s perceptions of their own voices soon. I hope it will help you feel more confident about recording yourself.
Aunt Linda
I recently purchase a decent microphone and have learned how to record on my computer. I look forward to learning how to upload and use on my site. I want visitors to hear the laughter of the Glimmer Glen Elves(TM).
Paul Williams
An excellent piece Lisa, and it’s time I confronted my own fears about audio (and video too!). I have no problem letting complete strangers hear or see my efforts – it’s if my other half or my friends & family see it! I think it is partly because they don’t take my business seriously, that they think it’s ‘just more fooling around with stuff.’ I have to resolve to make it with or without their support!