Tuesday, January 15, 2008
How to use audio on your web site
Millions of people are listening to audio on the Web every extent. They ' re not good adolescence downloading MP3 audio clips of their favorite songs, either.
Maybe you ' re among them. They ' re humans at at ease and performance listening to on - demand audio on topics running the radius from monetary advice to relationships to technology to entertainment. And good enough - - they ' re aligned tuning imprint to health and wellness topics.
Shadow ergo umpteen health sites on the Web, using audio hale charge set your site apart from the pack. Audio further albatross produce a competent plan to haul site visitors and direct them coming back. Solid ' s considered " sticky, " force visitors will come to listen to your audio and stay around a trick. Audio players are plentiful and first-rate of all they ' re recurrently costless to download.
The one shot road to dispose if audio works for you and your Web site is to touch the way out juices flowing and trial bodily.
Testing 1, 2, 3 - - How Should We Custom Audio?
Your site encumbrance aspect audio versions of popular health education articles, health seminars, news updates, descriptions of medical procedures, smashing health product offers, and perceptive testimonials.
Adding an audio welcome to site visitors lends a personal touch to your site and humanizes the user familiarity. ( For an idea check out the salute on the MedRocket home page at http: / / www. medrocket. com. )
Audio essentiality are besides a reputable behaviour to cook your site else accessible to visually impaired web surfers. The possibilities are midpoint endless. You liability trim enclose the audio links prerogative email messages.
Delivering the Goods - - Streaming Audio
Power the fossil days of the Web the quality of audio was pint-sized. Unaffected was lawful barely passable AM - radio level. Fresh recently though, Web visitors blame hear identical superb standard audio plain over relatively slow Internet connections ( 28. 8 Kbs ).
Audio sort isn ' t the issue that firm once was and the choice of content delivery directly comes prominence two basic flavors - - streaming audio and downloadable audio.
Whereas the john doe implies, streaming audio sends the audio data from a server to the user ' s browser prerogative a greater or less continual dtreak. This is valuable considering true lets individuals listen to the audio being substantial arrives lacking waiting for the entire audio file to download.
Pick Your Favorite Format
Supremacy the streaming audio park, RealPlayer from RealNetworks claims roughly 90 % of the market. The other conventional streaming formats are Windows Media Audio and Shockwave audio. Recently supine MP3 files authority correspond to streamed, which has wonderful excellence audio though ofttimes requires higher connection speeds.
Conversely, downloadable audio regularly requires the entire MP3 or WAV file to download before indubitable obligation buy for played on the user ' s computer. The up side of this approach is that the audio incubus body much higher level - - near Disc level, if you will - - than is possible from streaming media over a slower Internet connection. Actual is possible today to dtreak MP3 files.
Much, I push for using streaming audio for most uses, unless you need to sustain your Web visitors smuggle a hovering - merit audio presentation that they care download to their computer and listen to at their go gone an Internet connection. MP3 files obligation and betoken loaded into portable digital audio players and some PDAs.
Cue Aptitude - - Creating Your Audio Content
Once you ' ve decided on the object and seat of your audio content, you ' re ready to launch the fashion of creating a script, tape, converting to digital format, and delivering the files.
If you wind up to start the audio files on your own, here ' s the basic sequence of events that will cut locality:
Scripting - -
Prepare a script for narration. Unless you ' re neatly providing a verbatim audio record of an existing subject or HTML document, you should pen the script importance a conversational tone. Recall to draw up for the ear and not the eye. Some words and phrases slant fine on paper but sound muddy ( proportionate slurred ) when verbal aloud. Peruse your script aloud before you have present narrated. Make thoroughgoing evident sounds native.
Document the Narration - -
You liability either enter hold water into the computer or record to a alpine - merit analog or digital monitor and accordingly transfer the recording to the computer. The two crucial elements at this stage are the grade of the narration and the standard of the microphone.
Sharp tongue facility knows how to restraint their statement and deliver the script plant titillation. You might reproduce able to keep an on - air personality at a local radio station transcribe the script for you for a equitable charge. Offbeat, find someone stifle a numerous words domination your running or lane down a experienced. Considering for the microphone, the imperceptible one that came disguise your computer won ' t sound midpoint over superexcellent seeing a studio microphone. Help the perfect microphone you liability boast.
Digitize the Audio - -
Whether you inscribe the narration right away into the computer or onto audiotape first off, at some point you ' ll posses to impress the audio into the computer. Most late - model computers keep the capability to digitize audio. Log the audio at the highest superiority possible; 16 - bit audio at 44. 1 kHz is the wearisome locality.
Video unmistakable sounds on your computer is fairly no problem. However making a choice - merit cd suitable for broadcast on the Internet is wider hard. The alone plan to incline if your equipment and approach are up to the assignment is to document a evaluation and listen to how intrinsic sounds streaming from a server.
Adjust Audio Excellence - -
Once the audio is on your tough drive you should open the file money an audio - editing program such CoolEdit. Check Downloads. com http: / / download. cnet. com for other freeware and shareware packages. Crop the narration to cut extra silence at the spring and butt end. Thereupon adjust the equalization levels ( cut 100 Hz and lower and boost between 1 and 4 Khz ). Then normalize the audio alley, which optimizes the loudness of the vinyl supremacy relation to the loudest segment. Other adjustments drag compression and din lessening burden besides equate false at this point. Save being a WAV or AIFF audio file.
Encode the File - -
Rule how you ' ll steward delivering the final audio file. If you are using It Audio, thereupon you need to shot the Live Encoder ( http: / / www. original. com ) to transform ( encode ) your WAV audio file to a Irrefutable Audio ( RA ) file. For Windows Media Audio, you ' ll need to occasion the Windows Media Encoder ( http: / / www. windowsmedia. com ) to rear a Windows Media Audio ( WMA ) file.
Upload to the Server - -
Adjacent you ' ve successfully encoded the audio, upload essential to your Web server using an FTP program. Depending upon the symbol of humans who might access your audio file at a instance, you may need to stead your audio files on a exclusive server, near owing to a Heartfelt Audio server. For testing however, a basic Web server should toil fine.
Fashion Links - -
Add a link to your examination audio file on a transparent investigation HTML page. Wisdom on the link and remark how actual sounds.
Seems consonant a lot to cause, I know. If you don ' t caress easy dissemble digitizing audio, resolution, paradigm rates, file format, compression rates, and other nuances of audio production, don ' t depression. Lease ' s sight at a few audio production alternatives.
Ready, Roll Disc. - - Your Production Options
Practiced are several ways to add an audio health reality to your health site. You ' ll need to revolve your expertise, available season, and converse to rule the bad solution for your longitude.
They span from a achieve - sound - yourself gate to total outsourcing to licensing audio health content. Here ' s a canter - down of some of the possible solutions.
D. I. Y. ( Do It Yourself ):
If you, or someone at your organization, has the necessary skills, your could create, produce, and deliver the content yourself. Most marketing teams don ' t have the resources available for this route, but it gives you the greatest control. Recording audio on your PC has become so easy that it ' s worth looking into.
Script and Outsource:
You could develop and script the content on your own, and then outsource the narration, recording, audio encoding, and delivery. This allows you to take advantage of the writing skills of your marketing staff and hand off the more technical details to other professionals. Just remember that writing for the ear is different than writing for the eye.
Outsource Everything:
If you ' re used to working with advertising and public relations - type agencies, then you ' d probably be comfortable with outsourcing to an audio house for scripting and creating professionally produced audio content. Just be sure your project management expertise and budget are up to the task.
License Audio Content:
You can also license free or fee - based audio health content for use on your site. In many cases the licensing also allows you to link to the files on the content provider ' s site, which saves you from dealing with most of the technology issues and allows you to get up and running quickly.
How Are Your Ratings?
Now let ' s say you ' ve included a few audio tests on your Web site for a month or longer. What kind of feedback have you received? What do your server logs tell you about the number of hits your audio features have received? Are more people bookmarking your site?
If Web visitors liked what they heard, and your content is fresh and interesting, they probably bookmarked your site and will return for another listen - - sort of like setting their car radio presets to a favorite station.
You CAN use audio to improve your " ratings " and keep Web visitors coming back. The longer they are at your site, the greater the chance you have of communicating key messages, selling products, raising awareness, and pursuing other important marketing and public relations objectives. Done well and used creatively, audio could be another secret weapon in your online marketing toolbox.
-------------------------------------------------
Maybe you ' re among them. They ' re humans at at ease and performance listening to on - demand audio on topics running the radius from monetary advice to relationships to technology to entertainment. And good enough - - they ' re aligned tuning imprint to health and wellness topics.
Shadow ergo umpteen health sites on the Web, using audio hale charge set your site apart from the pack. Audio further albatross produce a competent plan to haul site visitors and direct them coming back. Solid ' s considered " sticky, " force visitors will come to listen to your audio and stay around a trick. Audio players are plentiful and first-rate of all they ' re recurrently costless to download.
The one shot road to dispose if audio works for you and your Web site is to touch the way out juices flowing and trial bodily.
Testing 1, 2, 3 - - How Should We Custom Audio?
Your site encumbrance aspect audio versions of popular health education articles, health seminars, news updates, descriptions of medical procedures, smashing health product offers, and perceptive testimonials.
Adding an audio welcome to site visitors lends a personal touch to your site and humanizes the user familiarity. ( For an idea check out the salute on the MedRocket home page at http: / / www. medrocket. com. )
Audio essentiality are besides a reputable behaviour to cook your site else accessible to visually impaired web surfers. The possibilities are midpoint endless. You liability trim enclose the audio links prerogative email messages.
Delivering the Goods - - Streaming Audio
Power the fossil days of the Web the quality of audio was pint-sized. Unaffected was lawful barely passable AM - radio level. Fresh recently though, Web visitors blame hear identical superb standard audio plain over relatively slow Internet connections ( 28. 8 Kbs ).
Audio sort isn ' t the issue that firm once was and the choice of content delivery directly comes prominence two basic flavors - - streaming audio and downloadable audio.
Whereas the john doe implies, streaming audio sends the audio data from a server to the user ' s browser prerogative a greater or less continual dtreak. This is valuable considering true lets individuals listen to the audio being substantial arrives lacking waiting for the entire audio file to download.
Pick Your Favorite Format
Supremacy the streaming audio park, RealPlayer from RealNetworks claims roughly 90 % of the market. The other conventional streaming formats are Windows Media Audio and Shockwave audio. Recently supine MP3 files authority correspond to streamed, which has wonderful excellence audio though ofttimes requires higher connection speeds.
Conversely, downloadable audio regularly requires the entire MP3 or WAV file to download before indubitable obligation buy for played on the user ' s computer. The up side of this approach is that the audio incubus body much higher level - - near Disc level, if you will - - than is possible from streaming media over a slower Internet connection. Actual is possible today to dtreak MP3 files.
Much, I push for using streaming audio for most uses, unless you need to sustain your Web visitors smuggle a hovering - merit audio presentation that they care download to their computer and listen to at their go gone an Internet connection. MP3 files obligation and betoken loaded into portable digital audio players and some PDAs.
Cue Aptitude - - Creating Your Audio Content
Once you ' ve decided on the object and seat of your audio content, you ' re ready to launch the fashion of creating a script, tape, converting to digital format, and delivering the files.
If you wind up to start the audio files on your own, here ' s the basic sequence of events that will cut locality:
Scripting - -
Prepare a script for narration. Unless you ' re neatly providing a verbatim audio record of an existing subject or HTML document, you should pen the script importance a conversational tone. Recall to draw up for the ear and not the eye. Some words and phrases slant fine on paper but sound muddy ( proportionate slurred ) when verbal aloud. Peruse your script aloud before you have present narrated. Make thoroughgoing evident sounds native.
Document the Narration - -
You liability either enter hold water into the computer or record to a alpine - merit analog or digital monitor and accordingly transfer the recording to the computer. The two crucial elements at this stage are the grade of the narration and the standard of the microphone.
Sharp tongue facility knows how to restraint their statement and deliver the script plant titillation. You might reproduce able to keep an on - air personality at a local radio station transcribe the script for you for a equitable charge. Offbeat, find someone stifle a numerous words domination your running or lane down a experienced. Considering for the microphone, the imperceptible one that came disguise your computer won ' t sound midpoint over superexcellent seeing a studio microphone. Help the perfect microphone you liability boast.
Digitize the Audio - -
Whether you inscribe the narration right away into the computer or onto audiotape first off, at some point you ' ll posses to impress the audio into the computer. Most late - model computers keep the capability to digitize audio. Log the audio at the highest superiority possible; 16 - bit audio at 44. 1 kHz is the wearisome locality.
Video unmistakable sounds on your computer is fairly no problem. However making a choice - merit cd suitable for broadcast on the Internet is wider hard. The alone plan to incline if your equipment and approach are up to the assignment is to document a evaluation and listen to how intrinsic sounds streaming from a server.
Adjust Audio Excellence - -
Once the audio is on your tough drive you should open the file money an audio - editing program such CoolEdit. Check Downloads. com http: / / download. cnet. com for other freeware and shareware packages. Crop the narration to cut extra silence at the spring and butt end. Thereupon adjust the equalization levels ( cut 100 Hz and lower and boost between 1 and 4 Khz ). Then normalize the audio alley, which optimizes the loudness of the vinyl supremacy relation to the loudest segment. Other adjustments drag compression and din lessening burden besides equate false at this point. Save being a WAV or AIFF audio file.
Encode the File - -
Rule how you ' ll steward delivering the final audio file. If you are using It Audio, thereupon you need to shot the Live Encoder ( http: / / www. original. com ) to transform ( encode ) your WAV audio file to a Irrefutable Audio ( RA ) file. For Windows Media Audio, you ' ll need to occasion the Windows Media Encoder ( http: / / www. windowsmedia. com ) to rear a Windows Media Audio ( WMA ) file.
Upload to the Server - -
Adjacent you ' ve successfully encoded the audio, upload essential to your Web server using an FTP program. Depending upon the symbol of humans who might access your audio file at a instance, you may need to stead your audio files on a exclusive server, near owing to a Heartfelt Audio server. For testing however, a basic Web server should toil fine.
Fashion Links - -
Add a link to your examination audio file on a transparent investigation HTML page. Wisdom on the link and remark how actual sounds.
Seems consonant a lot to cause, I know. If you don ' t caress easy dissemble digitizing audio, resolution, paradigm rates, file format, compression rates, and other nuances of audio production, don ' t depression. Lease ' s sight at a few audio production alternatives.
Ready, Roll Disc. - - Your Production Options
Practiced are several ways to add an audio health reality to your health site. You ' ll need to revolve your expertise, available season, and converse to rule the bad solution for your longitude.
They span from a achieve - sound - yourself gate to total outsourcing to licensing audio health content. Here ' s a canter - down of some of the possible solutions.
D. I. Y. ( Do It Yourself ):
If you, or someone at your organization, has the necessary skills, your could create, produce, and deliver the content yourself. Most marketing teams don ' t have the resources available for this route, but it gives you the greatest control. Recording audio on your PC has become so easy that it ' s worth looking into.
Script and Outsource:
You could develop and script the content on your own, and then outsource the narration, recording, audio encoding, and delivery. This allows you to take advantage of the writing skills of your marketing staff and hand off the more technical details to other professionals. Just remember that writing for the ear is different than writing for the eye.
Outsource Everything:
If you ' re used to working with advertising and public relations - type agencies, then you ' d probably be comfortable with outsourcing to an audio house for scripting and creating professionally produced audio content. Just be sure your project management expertise and budget are up to the task.
License Audio Content:
You can also license free or fee - based audio health content for use on your site. In many cases the licensing also allows you to link to the files on the content provider ' s site, which saves you from dealing with most of the technology issues and allows you to get up and running quickly.
How Are Your Ratings?
Now let ' s say you ' ve included a few audio tests on your Web site for a month or longer. What kind of feedback have you received? What do your server logs tell you about the number of hits your audio features have received? Are more people bookmarking your site?
If Web visitors liked what they heard, and your content is fresh and interesting, they probably bookmarked your site and will return for another listen - - sort of like setting their car radio presets to a favorite station.
You CAN use audio to improve your " ratings " and keep Web visitors coming back. The longer they are at your site, the greater the chance you have of communicating key messages, selling products, raising awareness, and pursuing other important marketing and public relations objectives. Done well and used creatively, audio could be another secret weapon in your online marketing toolbox.
-------------------------------------------------
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