If you made it here, you have probably recently decided to start that podcast you have been thinking about. Good for you! Podcasting is growing in popularity more and more every day and it is a great way to reach your ideal audience and grow your business. All of that being said, there are quite a few things to know about the technical side of podcasting. Sure, you could just record yourself talking and publish it, but if you want to put your best foot forward and make your business or brand stand out, there are some things you’ll want to do to ensure you are creating high-quality content for your listeners.
Here is everything you need to know about the technical side of podcasting:
Equipment
To make your podcast sound professional, you’ll want to use professional equipment. Here’s what you need.
A microphone: This is the most important piece of equipment you’ll need. Recording on your computer’s mic or your headphone’s built-in mic might sound like a good idea, but there’s only so much help editing can provide with any noise issues you may encounter due to your microphone choice. Choosing a professional microphone will drastically improve your audio right from the start.
Pop-filter: This one is optional but very helpful for improving your audio quality. This is a noise protection filter that goes in front of your microphone. It can reduce, or even completely eliminate, those little extra sounds and pops that your microphone might have picked up on.
Headphones: a good pair of noise-canceling headphones can be extremely helpful for helping you hear what you need to and tune out the rest. This is especially helpful if you plan to do any guest interviews.
Recording and Editing Software
The next step is recording and editing your podcast. There are various options depending on your preferred price point that will serve you well. Here are some to consider.
Riverside: This online recording studio has a lot of tools that you may find helpful on your podcasting journey. Many professionals use this service for its crystal clear audio and video recording capabilities. It allows you to use separate tracks, edit, grab clips, and even record on the go. This is a paid service so you may want to take a look at the pricing first and decide if this is an investment you want to make or if free options are your best bet.
Garageband: This option is only available to Mac users, but it is completely free and a good tool for audio editing. It is a bit more user-friendly than other options and easier to get the hang of if you are brand new to the editing game.
Audacity: This editing software is one of the most commonly used out there. It is also a free option and has a large number of tools you can use to make your audio sound great. Furthermore, if you get stuck or need help figuring something out, there is a lot of information available online to help you.
Adobe Audition: This is a paid option with a lot of bells and whistles if that’s what you’re going for. It’s arguably the best editing software available, and it’s considered more of a professional choice for this reason. It does cost a monthly subscription fee, so you may want to consider if it’s right for you or if the free options will serve your needs.
Post-Production
On just about any podcast, you’ll hear music at the beginning and end. It is a great way to set the tone for your show or get your listeners excited to dive into your episode. This is one of the most exciting parts of starting your show- think of it as your own theme song!
Now, this doesn’t mean you can just go grab any song you want. You must choose royalty-free music to put on your show. No one wants to get in trouble for copyright infringement! Find some music that you like that you can purchase the rights to use on your show as needed.
One of our favorite places to find music is Audio Jungle. They have tons of music to choose from and the prices are affordable.
Commercials and Ads
This part is very important if you are looking to monetize your show. Honestly, who wouldn’t want to make money doing something this fun?
Adbarker offers dynamic ad insertion for your show. This means you can update your ads to your most current offers, no matter when the episode came out. This makes your show seem fresher and your audience will always get the most up-to-date offers. No outdated discount codes!
Hosts that offer this include Buzzsprout and Captivate.
Publishing to Podcast Platforms
This part isn’t quite as complicated as it might sound. In the past, you had to go through and add it to each platform. Now, many hosts will submit your podcast for you. How cool is that?
Buzzsprout (our top recommendation), will distribute your show to each podcast platform (Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, etc.) so all you have to do is create and publish it.
It’s easy to get intimidated by starting when you learn about the technical side of podcasting, but trust us, you’ve got this! Once you start, you will pick up the technical side of things pretty quickly. Millions of people use this platform every day. If they can do it, so can you.
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