Just as the iPod revolutionized the way many people listen to music, it also opened up a new way of communicating the spoken word. Podcasting, a term that comes from combining iPod and broadcasting, makes it easy for almost anyone to create and distribute content -- almost like a personal radio show. Content providers create and upload audio files, such as MP3 files, to discuss parenting, politics, sports and thousands of other topics. "For so many people, it is something they are passionate about," says Josh Hallett, who runs a firm called Hyku in Winter Haven and calls himself a blog and social media consultant.

Now, businesses are jumping on the podcast bandwagon. "It's a chance for them to come across as experts," says Tom Olivieri, creative director of The Creative Underground, a Fort Lauderdale advertising agency. For example, Olivieri and his partner, Dan Gershenson, are encouraging one of their clients, the Florida Beer Co., to promote its brand by doing a podcast geared toward consumers, who download the files the same way they would a song.

Because they are inexpensive to create, podcasts can be targeted to a very specific niche. A landscape architecture firm could do a podcast on maintaining a healthy landscape in Florida's harsh summer climate. A retailer might focus on what's fashionable and what's not for teenage girls. Because a consumer has to actively download or subscribe to the podcast, it's a good bet that he or she will be paying attention. "These are people who are 100% interested in your product," Olivieri says.

A podcast may sound like an audio infomercial, but it's not. "Consumers can smell B.S. a mile away," says Hallett.

Podcast content has to be authentic, with information that is valuable to listeners. It can't be a commercial because after the first download, consumers won't come back. You also have to have enough to say on a regular basis -- once a month at a minimum -- to keep people interested. The marketing message must be subtle. That might mean a casual reference to your product or service or just using the podcast to enhance your overall brand.