By Earl Hall
(Before you start reading, look at Earl's picture one more time. Do you see the TP hanging from the microphone? Genius!!!)
Internet Broadcasting is a passion that I have. The ins and outs of professional broadcasting caught my attention back in 1999 when I did my first broadcast on a small am station in Milwaukee, WI. I always smile when I look back on it.
The Internet opened up an entire new world to me as far as broadcasting is concerned. In 2004 I started my very first Internet Radio Station. I quickly realized that there was a lot more to this than I had initially thought. I think that a lot of people start stations and lose interest in them because of the amount of work that you must put in to it to make a real go at a station that people really want to tune into. Many of the things that make terrestrial radio great such as the awesome sound effects, commercial entertainment, and great programs are the same things that will make any internet radio station great as well.
As an internet radio station owner you have the complete control over the flow of your station. You do not have to conform to the norm of terrestrial radio, but you will want to make sure that your format is consistent. There is a way for everyone to get into broadcasting that will not cost you a lot of money to try and develop your product. I made a few mistakes when I first started out...
1) Play and Do What You Like
If I could go back and do it all over again, I would develop my niche based on what I liked to listen to. There are many people that have your same taste in music and they will remain loyal to your station because of it. If you sound like everyone else, there is nothing that makes your station special. As in any business, you want to develop a niche that you service over and over.
2) Sound Quality Is Important
In internet radio you have to choose the bit rate that you will broadcast at. To get a great CD quality sound I recommend not broadcasting at anything below 64K. As a rule I only broadcast at 128k. I do this because it ensures that I have a great sound and presentation. There are however, reasons to broadcast at lower bitrates. I also broadcast a 32k stream so that people on smart phones or dial-up can pick up my broadcasts, as well as when they're on the run.
3) Use Professional Voiceover Artists
Professional voiceover artists can create an image and a brand that will set your station apart as well. If you have never heard the term voiceover artist, it is the people that create commercials or narration for TV, radio, movie trailers, etc. As a professional VO artist myself, I cannot stress enough the importance of having great VO work on your station. How can you choose a VO artist? You can start at www.studio3productions.com and make that your source for great male and female talent. They do free samples and will always give you professional quality at great prices.
Broadcasting as a pro is a great way for many businesses to be able to promote their own products. And what better way to advise what you do than having your own radio station! Internet radio and professional podcasting can be learned by anyone. A great kick start is a free eBook called “5 Steps to Successful Internet Broadcasting and Podcasting”. You can get your free eBook at www.theinternetbroadcaster.com.
In my next blog we will discuss putting together a podcast. We will discuss your show elements, music, and show development. If you are a true TPE, you must do a podcast to establish yourself as a pro in your field. Make yourself the go to person by producing a professional podcast. 
A big thanks for this post goes to Earl Hall from Mike Michalowicz, Author of The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur
