Have you listened to web radio lately

A lot of folks still don't know what web radio is. Let's note first of all that it is not the same thing as podcasting, although the two are often confused. Without going into the technicalities, web radio uses streaming audio to create a live, ongoing broadcast such as you would hear from a regular radio station. Podcasting involves the creation of individual recordings which people can download for listening at a later time, either on their computer or on an MP3 player such as an iPod.

For a long time web radio was plagued by problems. Sound quality was usually poor. Because of the bandwidth required, many web radio stations were severely limited in the number of people they permitted to listen at any one time--in some cases, this could be as few as a half dozen! The number and variety of stations were quite limited, as well.

Happily, most of those early limitations have been resolved. The web radio scene today presents a wonderful smorgasbord of musical variety, an incredible array of genres to suit all tastes, and a quality that often matches high-end stereo for the ability to produce a satisfying listening experience.

Although web radio's primary audiences remain office workers and college students, more and more people are discovering this neat entertainment source. One study in the UK reported an 84% increase in internet radio listening hours for the most recent year. Another study said web radio attracts 52 million listeners during a typical month.

Web radio is free to listen to, for the most part, and the software one needs to take advantage of it is free as well. Player software such as WinAmp or iTunes not only sends the music to your computer speakers, it also generally includes a directory of radio channels--just click on your choice and play. The directory will almost always be arranged by genres, some of the more popular being blues, oldies, rock, psychedelia, easy listening, country, trance or electronic, country, reggae, world music and hip hop. The diversity truly is astounding the other day I ran across a web radio station devoted exclusively to Hawaiian and polka music!

Web radio is also a good place to go for people who are homesick for their old hometown station. In addition to the web-only stations, many regular radio stations nowadays offer their audio over the Internet, too. As long as you have a computer and Internet connection (preferably a high-speed one), you can be anywhere in the world and still enjoy your favorite music--or hometown news and traffic reports, for that matter.

When it comes to web radio, the revolution truly is happening now.

With the right product or service, traditional radio is a great medium for marketing, but has a very short shelf life. Traditional radio can be costly and limits you to a thirty to sixty second spot.

A great alternative is Internet radio, also known as Web radio. As the name implies, web radio is a broadcasting service transmitted via the Internet. Although some web radio stations correspond with a traditional radio station, many web stations are completely independent and only broadcast on the Internet.
Internet radio is an extremely cost-effective way to market and promote your products and services. Whether your genre is business, women's issues, spiritual, health, wellness, financial, or dog training, you will find shows of every description looking for guests.
Some web radio programs will charge you a fee to be a guest, but most do not cost anything. If you choose to pay for a guest spot, the fee can be put under the category of advertising costs.
If you are going to invest financially, whether it is $5 or $500, do your homework to find out if the investment will be beneficial. In some cases, the investment will be well worth it. But if you are not careful, you can foolishly spend money and gain little or no return on your investment.
When looking for a Web radio program for your product or services, consider the following

o What is the station's market reach

o Who is the market

o What are the marketing strategies of the radio program

o Who are some of the other guests that have been interviewed

o How experienced is the host

Although it may seem like you can get incredible reach with web radio (and in many cases you can), you can waste a lot of time and money following false promises.

Since are free services on the Internet that allow virtually anyone to start a web based radio program, practice due diligence to make sure you are investing time and money wisely. There are some online services available where someone can literally start a station in a matter of minutes. The challenge with this is you have lots of rookies claiming to be well-positioned in the market place. So again, do your homework!

On the other hand, if you are dealing with a professional host and station, there are ample benefits. A well-positioned show and station can gain you instant access to a global market for practically no cost. You can quickly become a recognized expert in a very short period of time through the power of web radio.

Although it does take time to find great places to be interviewed, it can be well worth the time invested especially if you are what is considered a perfect guest.

Great guests are more difficult to find than most people realize. If you are a star guest, chances are you will be invited back again and again. You may also be referred to other web radio hosts. Imagine what this can do to increase your market reach and lower your cost per lead conversion rate!

Treat any radio interview as a great opportunity - because it is! If you are using web radio as an integral part of your marketing mix, invest in the services of a good media coach. Your coach will be able to help you polish your message in a very professional and engaging manner.

Once you have secured an interview, make it easy for the host to work with you. Provide the information the host needs as soon as possible. Prepare a short bio and a selection of questions to the host. This gives them an idea of what to ask. Make sure that you can be clearly heard while being broadcast; don't use a cell phone or headset during the interview.

In most cases, you will be interviewed to inform, educate, entertain or inspire, not to sell something. Speak clearly, avoid industry jargon, shut out background noise and most of all, have fun!

If you have not included web radio in your overall marketing, it may be time to rethink this. With new stations popping up every day, show hosts are always on the lookout for great stories and people to feature. Why not you

Kathleen Gage is a bestselling author, keynote speaker and Internet Marketing mentor who works with individuals and organizations who want to increase their market position, sales and level of achievement. She is the creator of The Directory of Internet Radio Shows. Visit [httpwww.streetsmartsmarketing.comradiointernet.htm] to learn more.