Technology and entertainment go hand in hand. From streaming movies to streaming radio, many Internet users are turning to their computers, laptops, and tablets for entertainment. This creates a need for services that offer entertainment through technology. For those music lovers it can create the listening base to create a successful streaming radio station. Many who listen to online streaming radio don’t know that they themselves can have their own stations as well. Here is a look at how to create your own streaming radio station and the benefits of owning your own station.
What you need
Many of us have our favorite playlists that we like to jam to. If you are a music lover or a home audio enthusiast, your collection may be vast. With digital downloads it is not unusual to see users with thousands of MP3s in their collections. If this sounds like you, why not share your collection with online radio listeners? If you are considering creating your own streaming radio station, here are a few things you will need.
Radio Host: Online radio has been around for years, though many don’t know how easy it is to set up. There are many different hosts available for online streaming radio stations that are low-cost and easy to set up. Spacial.com, Voscast.com and Blogtalkradio.com are among the leaders in streaming radio hosting. You can set up your hosting for as low as $7 a month for up to 30 listeners at 32kbps. As you increase in listeners and popularity, you can upgrade your account to allow your new listeners.
Broadcasting Software: After you have set up your radio host, you will need a way to broadcast your music over the internet. This is accomplished with broadcasting software. The most popular software used by many amateur web radio stations is Sam Broadcaster. This easy-to-use software allows you to connect to your radio host, create a playlist, mix your music, and will even fade between songs. You can also connect your microphone and broadcast your DJ skills over the Internet.
Music: The most important part of running your own Internet radio is the music you play. Whether you like rock, jazz, pop, country, rap, hip-hop, or slow jams, you can broadcast your favorites for others to enjoy. You can use any MP3 file in the broadcaster. You can even create your own MP3 introductions or dedications and add them to the mix.
Benefits of Owning Your Own Station
With so many users streaming their favorite genre of music there is always room for new stations. Other than the fun of running your own station, there are other benefits as well.
Advertising for Companies: There are many different ways to use the Internet to generate income. The best way is by advertising for other companies. Blog and site owners currently use this method to generate income from their websites. However, if you have the right amount of listeners you can also collect some advertising dollars. Many companies use Internet radio as their method of advertising their products or services and pay for air time.
Advertising for Yourself: If you have your own site, business, or blog, you can also advertise for yourself. By creating an MP3 commercial and slipping it into the playlist, you can gain exposure for your business or website. This is a great way to generate additional income through the advertising on your site or increased sales on your e-commerce site.
Meet New People: You can never have enough friends and music is a great way to break the ice. If you have your own station you can invite your listeners to your social networking site such as Facebook or Twitter. This can increase your fans and friends and find more people you have something in common with.
Streaming radio is quickly becoming the preferred method of accessing music. If you are a music lover, have a vast collection of MP3s in your home entertainment system, or just enjoy getting your name and interests out there, creating a streaming radio station is a great way to accomplish that.
About the author: Jeremy Thompson works at home as a blogger and counts on VideoLan Media Player to listen to his favorite music while he works.
