The popularity of Internet video has exploded online and you would be hard-pressed to find Internet and affiliate marketing websites that haven't embraced videos. While most are submitting videos to their favorite video hosting sites or self-hosting their videos online most are unaware of the benefits of podcasting those same videos.

A common misconception is that podcasting is only for audio files such as MP3's but any video file can be made into a video podcast regardless of the video format (MOV, AVI, ect.). The same advantages that make podcasting such a powerful medium applies to video podcasting. The RSS enclosure tags allow just about any media file out there so you can easily turn your videos into video podcasts (also known as vodcast).

It's the RSS technology which makes distribution of media files so exciting and this applies to audio as well as video files. Your subscribers will automatically receive your latest videos via their favorite podcatcher software such as iTunes or Google Reader. You do not have to do anything different when shooting your videos and you can easily use your existing videos to turn them into video podcasts.

I use QuickTimePro to easily convert my videos. The pro version of QuickTime is only $29.99 and well worth the cost. All you do is select "Export" from the file menu and choose "Video Podcast" and you're now a video podcaster. If you use WordPress you can use a fantastic and free plugin called podPress which will post your video in just about any format you can think of. Both of these tools are Windows and Mac friendly. Yes, even Windows users can purchase QuickTimePro which offers a Windows version.

Video podcasting is an excellent way to get your videos into popular podcasting directories like iTunes.. This is a great way of tapping into the high traffic volume of these podcasting directories and getting your videos in front of many more viewers. Just as audio podcasting is an indispensable tool for Internet marketers so should be video podcasting. Imagine your marketing videos accessible to even more prospects.

So remember the next time you're uploading your videos online-don't forget to also leverage the power of video podcasting.

Alan Petersen is the author of Niche Podcasting. A step-by-step guide to podcasting written with the Internet marketer in mind. An entire chapter of Niche Podcasting is dedicated to video podcasting. Discover the power of podcasting by visiting: http://www.NichePodcasting.com