Combine Audio Streaming & Podcasting

In most cases where you are doing podcasting, you will want to use the combination of a streaming audio player and the downloadable podcast.  That way a visitor can listen to a sample before deciding whether or not they want to download the file.  Here is an example of what one of my clients did with their employment web site.  They included audio testimonials from people who currently work in those positions so applicants would better understand the position before applying.

They used a flash based audio player which plays the mp3 directly and then also made the mp3 available for download.  Using a player that plays mp3's is the best way to do it because it minimizes encoding and processing time.

As you can see, the visitor gets a brief written description of the position, can then listen to the audio using the streaming audio player or download the mp3 file to their computer.