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Last night I had a superb time at a dinner event in Denver called “What’s New! Technologies for Today’s Business Person.” This was part of the Da Vinci Institute’s “Mover’s & Shakers” event series. I was one of five presenters, and it was a total brainfood festival.

I gave short overview-style talks about two emerging communication tools/media: feeds and podcasting. I also was supposed to discuss wikis, but we ran out of time.

Good thing I did a handout, since there was no way I could discuss these topics adequately in such a short time. Here’s my handout, in both web and PDF formats…

Below is the content of my handout. If you want to print it out and pass it around, here’s a pdf version.

MAIN POINT: Feeds, podcasts, and wikis are examples of versatile communication tools that help people connect with each other, share their thoughts, and collaboratively build a base of knowledge, creativity, and culture. Such tools are becoming incredibly popular because we are starting to outgrow the “Information Ageâ€? and emerge into the “Connection Age.â€? (More on this…)

FEEDS (RSS or Atom):

• What they do: This new communication medium alerts people or other sites about what’s new online from specific venues (sites, blogs, publications, forums, etc.) or on particular topics.
• How to use them: People often subscribe to desired feeds as an easy, fast way to browse headlines and summaries. Searchable feed aggregator services (such as Technorati) let you follow up-to-the-minute keyword-specific developments on millions of sites and blogs. Feeds also can be used to syndicate content to other web sites.
• Geeky basics: Feeds are a type of XML file, usually automatically generated by content management, blogging tools, or online services. The most popular format is RSS (really simple syndication – like we needed another clunky, misleading acronym!), but there is a competing format called Atom. A feed resides on the publisher’s web server, at a permanent, unique URL. People or other sites subscribe to the feed by periodically polling the feed’s URL and retrieving new items. You can subscribe to and read feeds using feed reader software (such as SharpReader) or online services (such as Bloglines). Feeds can be public or private, on the internet or on intranets. You can deliver almost any kind of data and attach almost any kind of file via feed.
• Business/org uses: Replacement or alternative to e-mail newsletters/alerts; instant communication with customers or partners; vast expansion of your online “reach,â€? visibility, and findability; staying on top of news in your field or about your org.; etc.
• Advantages: Instantaneous, automated, technically simple and cheap to implement, completely circumvents e-mail spam problem, spam-proof (so far), becoming more mainstream (esp. to business people), fully under user control, preserves user privacy, hosted feed-generation services available for non-geeks.
• Drawbacks: Not intuitive for nontechnical people (still too geeky for many users), cryptic terminology and icons (XML and RSS icons, “Syndicate this siteâ€? links) hinder widespread understanding and adoption, difficult to estimate number of subscribers to any given feed, increased server hits and possible bandwidth concerns.
• My primer/tutorial on feeds

PODCASTING:

• What is it? Fast-growing way to distribute all kinds of audio programming over the net using feeds and relying heavily on portable MP3 players (such as the iPod). Has led to a boom of diverse homemade and organization-produced audio content. (More…)
• How to receive and listen to podcasts: See my tutorial
• Business/personal/educational uses: Some kinds of content work better in audio than text. Some people are better speakers than writers. Some people prefer to listen than read. It’s just another way to connect. Can provide news, interviews, audiobooks, essays, op-eds, alerts, conference sessions, humor, music, lessons, and more. Marketing, promotion, education, relationship-building, information, evangelizing, entertainment, and other goals. For listeners, podcasts offer a diversity of views, topics, and geography that you’d NEVER hear on the radio!
• Geeky basics: Most podcasts are MP3 audio files placed on a web server. Generally each file (show) is associated with a feed item, and appears as an “enclosureâ€? in an RSS 2.0 feed. Special “podcatcherâ€? software (such as ipodder) polls podcast feeds and downloads new enclosures, which then can be listened to on your computer, burned to CD, or downloaded to a portable MP3 player (not necessarily an iPod).
• Advantages: Very personable and unique. The human voice is a powerful way to build relationships and offer rich context. Convenient for user.
• Drawbacks: Still too geeky for the average person (creators and listeners). Requires basic audio tools and recording/editing skills. Quality varies widely – often sound quality is poor. Bandwidth demands can be high and costly for popular shows.

WIKIS:

• What are they? Online hyperlinked documents (net, intranet, or personal computer) that can be collaboratively edited and expanded. Can be edited by anyone or a defined user group, with or without moderator approval. Each wiki page addresses a specific topic, and can be freely linked to any other page in that wiki, an external file, or URL. Can embed any kind of media (audio, images, video, interactive) on wiki pages.
• Popular example: Wikipedia. Wiki tools include Mediawiki.org, VoodooPad, WikidPad, etc. Web-based services include Seedwiki, EditMe, etc.
• Geeky basics: Pretty simple – basically a souped-up, online version of HyperCard. (Remember that?)
• Business/org/personal uses: Documentation, education, knowledge management, project management, authoring (reports, papers, books), “backup brain,â€? etc.
• Advantages: Free or cheap tools, technically simple, many options available.
• Drawbacks: Often clunky interfaces or display; not immediately intuitive. Audiences often skeptical of credibility if anyone can edit. Tracking down editing history can get complicated.

ABOUT AMY GAHRAN

I’m a content strategist and “info provocateur� based in Boulder, CO. I offer a wide range of consulting, training, editorial, educational, and project-management services that focus on innovative ways to use online media. I like to make people think about how they communicate, and how they can reach their target audiences more effectively to achieve their goals.

My background is as a journalist, editor, and managing editor. I’ve been independent since 1997. I work mainly in online media: web content, feeds, e-learning, blogging, e-mail publishing, and much more.

Workshops and Seminars: I teach all kinds of professionals and ordinary folks how to communicate well. Your organization could get a private session tailored to its unique needs. Call or e-mail me for details and pricing.

Coaching: Need some one-on-one help with writing, blogging, or other communication skills? Need to develop a strong content strategy or a unique voice in the public conversation? I’ve coached dozens of people by phone. Call or e-mail me for details and pricing.

News and Musings: Read my weblog, CONTENTIOUS