Level: <channel> Descriptive Data

Just like a concise overview of an article, the podcast summary and description both play a vital role in your ability to attract and inform a potential subscriber. These tags should be a branding/marketing tool, and must convey the overall objective of the show in order to be effective.

Recognize that the <description> works in tight coordination with the title, podcover and the author/artist to make the case for subscription. It is also important to recognize this information is metadata and used during searches. Thus, iTunes will use the available information when an iTunes customer uses the search functions in the iTunes Store. So, as developers, we need to be attentive to what we place in the <description> tag to maximize searchability.

Just like the <itunes:subtitle> tag, the <itunes:summary> tag data is designed to be displayed in the iTunes podcast directory only. In the iTunes podcast Directory the summary information will be used as a podcast description, too. As a sidenote, if the <itunes:summary> tag is not used, then the iTunes software automatically looks for the default <description> tag.

What are the characteristics of a well-planned and executed <description> tag? Provided are a few excellent examples of what a polished overview looks like with a few comments on some potential sticky points or observations. Undeniably, there is too little space to cover some of the truly great sermons that are accessible in the <description> tags found in every directory of podcasts, but I’ll leave it to you the reader to find them–it won’t take long.

Three key ingredients provide a starting point for the Podcast Engineer in the pursuance of the ever-elusive overview that will capture the attention of a wandering channel surfer.

• The overview should be concise: A well-written overview should be nomore than 500 characters. Shorter is better!
• The overview should be informative: It should include key elements of the podcast that the target audience finds irresistible.
• The overview should be branded: It should have an interesting tagline, call to action, or even a Web address.

Can you identify any of these key ingredients within the example below?

<title>MacCast - For Mac Geeks, by Mac Geeks</title>

<itunes:summary>The enhanced AAC edition of the show for Mac Geeks by Mac Geeks. We cover everything Macintosh. Keep up to date on the latest Mac news, topics, and rumors. Throw in a good dose of helpful tips and listener questions and feedback and you have the MacCast. Enjoy.</itunes:summary> (261 total characters)

Note: Some folks may not know what enhanced AAC is and wonder what the big deal is. See Enhanced Podcast Episode Development for details.