As a pro blogger, I try to keep up with new and interesting ways to deliver content online. Since my early days of experimenting with blogging I’ve had a soft spot for audio. I guess I never really did get my radio days out of my system.
Today, I’d like to share a tool with our readers that I have been playing with for a few months now, a tool called Cinch. Cinch allows you to create a Tweet (140 characters of text), add a photo, and record audio. The three are then posted together as a “cinchcast.” Full integration with both Facebook and Twitter combines with an extensive dashboard of sharing options to create a powerful tool for the online media producer on the go.
The fact that the service is so robust should come as little surprise. The people and technology behind it come from BlogTalkRadio, which has a proven track record. Not only is the output quality higher than I expected, but loving attention has been lavished on making the cinchcasts as shareable as possible.
Take a look at this sample cinchcast I just did for you:
Click the “Share” button on the bottom to see an array of options. You can sign into most blogging platforms and post directly, use an embed code as you would with a YouTube video, and use social bookmarking or a wide array of other platforms to spread it.
Additionally, it allows you to create different folders in your account. When posting from your iPhone, Android, or laptop, you can designate a folder as you do so. This not only helps you keep organized but also allows you to segment your content for differing audiences. I have one of each for my home town of New Orleans and my new home of Cincinnati, then there are others broken down by topic. This really becomes useful when you use its online toolbox to create a widget for your blog or website. You can set it to only display content from one folder, keeping the content on topic for the platform on which it is presented.
Then we reach what I consider to be one of the best things about Cinch, something Sarah Evans noted on her blog as well:
A major differentiator for the network? They have a community manager who welcomes users and ACTIVELY seeks out feedback (the good, the bad and the ugly) and then does something about it.
I can attest to this. That holy grail of online apps — the rapid, engaged, and open-minded relations with those who use its service — seems to be present at the Cinch HQ.
Source: “New Network Alert! Cinch Cast,” PR Sarah Evans, 10/29/09
Image of CinchCast is used under Fair Use: Reporting.