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Saturday, April 21, 2007

Podcast Pickle Upgrades Good For Audio Cinema

On April 6, the newest upgrade of the Podcast Pickle directory, Pickle 5, was launched, sporting a new look and several new features. The features are designed to make the Podcast Pickle experience even more user-friendly, and a one-stop resource for both the podcaster and the listener alike. The upgrades include:

* A newly-designed podcast player, with the look of an mp3 player, designed to fit in any blog margin. It streams through your podcast feed, so your listeners can listen to any episode directly off of your podcast site, or any website you wish.

* A “tip jar”, in which listeners can opt to leave a few dollars for their favorite shows. (This option can also be removed by the podcaster.)

* A direct link to your Amazon or Ebay store.

* Rss for any blog you wish to feed into your Pickle page.

* For the listener, especially those who listen through their computer, all of your favorite shows can now be played on the “My Pickle” player. This feature is located directly on the Podcast Pickle homepage. It opens up a player containing every one of your chosen favorites.

Pickle 5 is still beta, with many threads and discussions in the Pickle Forums for feedback on glitches that still may be in the system. Site owner Gary Leland and team appreciate and ask for all feedback regarding any portion of the website.

I've tried most of these things out, and have found no kinks thus far.

Now I know, I'm a total cheerleader for this website. However, when you look at these features, and how inclusive and supportive they are to the podcasting community, how can I not be?

With so many audio cinema groups now podcasting, along with collectives like the Sonic Society and the endless array of pod-books out there, the pickle player would be an asset to their websites. It not only has the look of an mp3 player, but also works in the same fashion. People who hit your site do not have to search the archives for your content- it's all right there in the player. An example? Well, none better than mine, since I haven't searched around to see who else is using it yet (yes, you can customize the color).

Take some time to play around with all these features, you will definitely find they will work for you, whether a listener or a podcaster. :-)

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