OK, so you have a web site up. Chances are, your site is mute. You may have pretty graphics on it, but if there’s no sound you’re missing a lot. If you are a solopreneur, using audio will be one more way you can establish a personal connection in an effort to create a relationship with your audience (i.e. visitors to your web site).

What is streaming audio? This powerful technology is very simple to implement. If you know how to edit and update your own web pages, you will be able to add sound to them. The technology is based on Macromedia Flash, that is already installed on almost every computer. Flash provides the technology to play audio (and video), however you will need one of the tools discussed here to provide the missing link in the audio on the web puzzle.

Two kinds of solutions are available to you: simple, low-cost, stand-alone computer programs that record/convert to Flash format, and subscription-based online services that offer all the bells and whistles.

If you are OK with updating your web pages, or have a virtual assistant helping you, one of these two programs may be all you need. The benefit of using your own software is that you pay a small licensing fee and you can use the software for as long as you like.

Impact Web Audio (PC only)

This software runs on MS Windows and provides an easy way to add new or existing audio recordings to your web pages. Feature highlights:

• record your web audio using a microphone;
• import an existing recording that you made elsewhere, for example, you could record and edit your tele-seminar;
• add a music background track to your audio;
• select the size, colour and style of the player control buttons to match your web site;
• generates the code and a few files you need to upload to your web site.

If you are interested in re-selling this software, then definitely take a look at Impact Web Audio with Master Resale Rights

SonicMemo (PC and Mac versions)

Doesn’t have recording capability, relies instead on you to provide the audio in MP3 format (this is really not a deficiency because there are many free audio recording programs available);

• greater selection of player styles, such as one-, three- or five-button, and colours to match your style;
• ability to encrypt your recordings for protection;
• allows you to track your audio programs, e.g. if people listen to the complete recording or bail out after 10 seconds;
• send audio by email (call it audio emails, or audio postcard)
  redirect web visitors to a new page after the audio completes
  uploads your audio to your site with built-in FTP.

Full-featured version of SonicMemo is available for a small one-time fee, or consider the free version of SonicMemo with basic functionality.

Please note: regardless of which program/service you use to prepare the audio for the web, once your recording is posted to your site it will play on any computer.