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RapidWeaver allows you to easily add Podcasts to your blog entries. Podcasting is an evolving standard that allows audio or video files (most commonly in MP3 or MP4 formats) to be published online in a way that allows Podcast receiver programs - such as iTunes, Transistr, NewsFire and others - to automatically tune-in to them and download the files for playback at the listener's convenience.

When you add a Podcast to your blog entry by clicking the "Add Podcast..." button, RapidWeaver presents a Podcast pane that allows you to drag-and-drop your Podcast media file into your blog entry. You can customize your iTunes tags, set custom RSS tags, and even specify external multimedia files to be used for your Podcast if you choose not to use the Podcast dropbox.

NOTE: In order for Podcast applications to receive and download your Podcasts, you must enable RSS Feeds for your Blog page. Enabling RSS Feeds in RapidWeaver is described later in the Blog Setup section.

The first step in creating Podcasts for your blog page is to author the audio or video multimedia file you intend to use. A variety of audio and video Podcast creation tools are available, including GarageBand, Podcast Factory, AudioExpress and others. Once you have authored your multimedia file, you turn it into a Podcast by clicking the "Add Podcast..." button. When the Podcast pane opens, drag your media file on top of the Podcast dropbox (found under the "Podcast" tab). When you publish your website, RapidWeaver will automatically export the file to your website as a Podcast.

Blog - Podcast: Podcast Dropbox

RapidWeaver directly supports MP3, MPG, MOV, MP4 (including M4V and M4A variants) and PDF file types for Podcasting. You can add any one of these file types to your Podcast simply by dropping the desired multimedia file onto the Podcast dropbox. However, you may also link to external multimedia files to create your Podcast rather than using the Podcast dropbox by using the "Override default Podcast settings" option found under the Custome RSS Tags tab.

NOTE: Podcasting is merely a specialized implementation of the RSS tag in your blog entry that points to the multimedia file you are syndicating. While MP3 audio files are most commonly used, you may attach other types of files to your Blog including images, movies , documents and more. However, only one multimedia file may be added as a Podcast per Blog entry.

By default, RapidWeaver inserts the iTunes RSS tags defined in your blog page's Setup... area. These tags are specifically used by Apple's iTunes to to cagegorize your Podcast, describe its contents, assign your Podcast to a channel, and manage other settings.

Blog - Podcast: iTunes Tags

You can add, remove, or change the default iTunes tags by clicking the "Enable Custom iTunes Tags" checkbox and editing the fields on the iTunes tags pane.

TIP: For more information about Podcasting and iTunes, including a complete list of the iTunes tags used by by iTunes, go to Apple's Podcasting and iTunes: Technical Specifications page.