Podcast titles and descriptions
Podcasters spend a lot of creative energy on creating and producing the audio/video content of their podcasts. In our reviews, we he have encountered some really imaginative, well scripted and interesting content that is suitable for use with children and young people.
However, sharing information about a podcast in the RSS Feed is also crucial. Take a look at this partial listing as the RSS Feed is presented on a web page from a podcast directory (based on a real example):
Whilst the information is factually accurate, there are no clues about the content or topic for the podcasts. This is the same whether the listing appears in a podcast directory on a website or in iTunes.
As the robots of search engines - such as Google and Yahoo - trawl the websites of podcast directories and the associated RSS Feeds, there is very little in this example that is unique to index. In the classroom, this can create a problem for students of all ages when they are searching, locating and evaluating information in podcasts using search engines or on iTunes.
Changing the titles and descriptions could present information that is more useful and retain some of the existing elements:
So, podcast titles and descriptions do matter. As well as becoming an effective "marketing tool", meaningful titles and descriptions can make information about any podcast useful and help to improve the user experience. After all, isn't the purpose of utilising all this technology infrastructure about making informed choices?
However, sharing information about a podcast in the RSS Feed is also crucial. Take a look at this partial listing as the RSS Feed is presented on a web page from a podcast directory (based on a real example):
THE SCHOOL PODCAST: Episode 21
This is our weekly podcast for Friday 3 Feb. 2006.
THE SCHOOL PODCAST: Episode 20
This is our weekly podcast for Friday 27 Jan. 2006.
Whilst the information is factually accurate, there are no clues about the content or topic for the podcasts. This is the same whether the listing appears in a podcast directory on a website or in iTunes.
As the robots of search engines - such as Google and Yahoo - trawl the websites of podcast directories and the associated RSS Feeds, there is very little in this example that is unique to index. In the classroom, this can create a problem for students of all ages when they are searching, locating and evaluating information in podcasts using search engines or on iTunes.
Changing the titles and descriptions could present information that is more useful and retain some of the existing elements:
- Episode 21: News and our History Topic
Students in Class 4 present this week's news and share information on our history topic about "World War II".
Episode 20: News and a Poetry Competion
Students in Class 5 present this week's school news and share readings submitted to the local Poetry Competion for 2006.
So, podcast titles and descriptions do matter. As well as becoming an effective "marketing tool", meaningful titles and descriptions can make information about any podcast useful and help to improve the user experience. After all, isn't the purpose of utilising all this technology infrastructure about making informed choices?
posted by Dave Jobbings at 1:16 PM
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