How to Start Your Own Podcast

For many of us, podcasts are a way to keep up with the news or be entertained while we work out, drive to work, or do chores around the house. Chances are you have a favorite (or seven) that you follow regularly.

While every armchair broadcaster with a voice recording app is looking to get in on the game, creating a professional-sounding podcast isn’t that easy. This guide will show you how to create, record and publish your own basic podcast and get people to listen to it.

Be ready to make a commitment

Before you get started, it’s important to remember that starting a podcast takes a lot of effort. It’s easy to assume that they’re easy to create because most of them only contain audio, but don’t be fooled. They can take a long time to put together, especially when you’re just starting out.

Additionally, podcasts work best when they are released sequentially. If you are interested in developing any kind of listener base, you must be willing to release episodes on a regular basis. Podcasting can be a fun job, but it’s still a job and should be treated as such.

Don’t expect to get rich from podcasting. It’s possible to make an income from podcasting, but it usually requires advertising, sponsorships, and patrons – all of which you can only get once you’ve built an audience large enough to make it profitable for advertisers. If you’re not interested in starting a podcast for fun or just to have your voice heard, you probably won’t get much out of it unless you already have an interested audience.

Select format

There are many common podcast formats , from collaborative conversations to interview shows. Which one you choose depends on factors such as the scope of your content and the amount of editing you want to do, but you need to choose one format and stick with it so your listeners know what to expect. If you’re combining formats, such as creating a collaborative podcast that has an interview section in each episode, maintain consistency. Here are a few options to consider.

Podcast solo or monologue

In this format, you, the presenter, talk to your audience about any topic of your choosing. You can work from a script or outline, or just speak extemporaneously, but keep in mind that you will need to find ways to keep your listeners interested since they will only be hearing your voice. Solo podcasts are best for storytelling or for those who have expertise on a particular topic and want the flexibility to record on their own schedule.

Collaborative Podcast

A collaborative or conversational podcast consists of two (or more) hosts informally discussing a specific topic or topic. This format works well for couples or groups who have a good rapport and are willing to record together.

Interview podcast

In an interview podcast, you (and any co-hosts) invite a different guest for each episode. This format requires more planning, coordination, and research to record and edit, but it can keep your show interesting and fresh since each episode is unique. It’s helpful to establish the overall theme of your show rather than doing random interviews so your audience knows what to expect.

Podcast by phone

With a call-in show, you invite your audience to participate in your podcast, either in real time or through recorded messages that are included in the episode. Like an interview show, a call-in podcast can feel spontaneous and fresh, but it requires an existing audience (unless you’re starting with a different format) and you’ll likely want to screen callers before recording.

Screenwriting Podcast

A scripted podcast can be individual or collaborative, but the focus is on scripted fiction or non-fiction storytelling. A fictional scripted podcast can be like an audio version of a movie, complete with sound effects, music, and voiceovers, while a nonfiction scripted podcast is often a serialized or journalistic story (like true crime). This format can be simple and flexible, but it can also require a lot of research and the stories need to keep listeners interested.

Get the Right Equipment for Podcasting

You can’t start a podcast without equipment, and good equipment will go a long way. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Microphone(s): Any microphone will work for recording your podcast, but listeners can usually tell the difference between low-quality and high-quality microphones. (I use four analog Audio-Technica AT2020s for my own podcast). When choosing a microphone, you will also need to decide whether you want to use a USB microphone or an analog (XLR) one. USB microphones convert analog audio to digital audio, so you can plug a USB microphone directly into any computer and start recording without much hassle, but you could potentially end up with lower audio quality than an analog one. Since recording with a USB microphone doesn’t require any additional tools or devices, it may end up being a little cheaper in the long run. Analog microphones use XLR connectors, which means you need another device to send audio to your computer, but you can get higher quality audio and use them with other audio equipment (if you have a speaker system or want to play live music, example example). Of course, if you have a gaming headset or other basic microphone, you can easily use it for podcasts as well, as long as the quality is decent. This won’t work if you’re co-hosting or plan to host frequent guests, as you’ll need multiple microphones to capture everyone.

• Portable XLR recorder (optional) . If you plan to use analog microphones for your podcast, you’ll need something that captures analog audio and converts it to digital. Portable XLR recorders can capture multiple microphone channels and allow basic audio level adjustments and muting on the fly. Your audio files are automatically organized and saved on a memory card, which you can insert into a card reader or slot on your computer. These are great tools, but they can be expensive. You can find them for anywhere from $100 to $500, depending on how many channels and options you need. (I’m using a Zoom H6 portable recorder with four available analog channels.)

• Audio interface (optional) : If you want to record directly to your computer using analog microphones, you’ll need an audio interface. These devices allow you to connect one or more analog microphones and convert analog audio to digital. Most audio interfaces connect to your computer via USB or USB-C. Audio interfaces can cost anywhere from $30 to $300, depending on what you need.

• Computer. Any Windows or Mac computer will work for recording, editing, and uploading your podcast. Luckily, audio editing doesn’t require a ton of computing power. Additionally, depending on how you choose to record—directly to your computer or to a dedicated recording device—your computer will also need suitable ports. For example, USB microphones will obviously need an open USB port. If you’re using analog microphones with a portable XLR recorder or device with an audio interface, you’ll need a 3.5mm audio input, a USB/USB-C port, or in some cases a FireWire port. Before you spend money on hardware, make sure you have a computer that supports it.

• Audio editing software: For the actual recording and editing, you’ll need a digital audio workstation (or DAW). There are many good options , but the licenses for most of them are not free. Professional-grade DAWs like Reason cost between $99 and $599 depending on the features you need, while Pro Tools starts at $99 per year. Hindenburg offers audio editing software licenses starting at $12 per month, Reaper is a fully loaded audio production app that will set you back $60, and Adobe Audition CC audio editing software is available with a monthly subscription for $22. $99. You probably shouldn’t start throwing money away. into podcast software as a beginner. For this reason, most people will recommend free and open source programs like Audacity when you’re just starting out, and that’s what we’ll use as an example in this guide.

• Pop filters (optional): The cleaner your sound, the better. Pop filters, while not necessary, are fairly cheap and can prevent unpleasant plosives from making an unpleasant sound on your recording. If you don’t want to buy anything, you can easily make some yourself .

You might think that all this equipment is quite expensive, and you’re not wrong. However, keep in mind that decent audio equipment will last forever if you take care of it. It may be expensive at first, but after your first purchase you’ll be all set.

Narrow your topic and find your niche

There are tons of podcasts out there, which means you can probably already find a podcast about just about everything. Dont be upset! While almost all the broad topics have already been covered, you just need to find your twist to turn an old idea into something new.

For example, if you want to create a podcast about music, ask yourself if there is an audience you want to talk about. Maybe you’re narrowing your focus from music in general to bluegrass in particular. Now your reporting is specific: the music, the people, and the culture of bluegrass.

Once you narrow down your topic, it will help give it flavor. Perhaps you talk about bluegrass music and culture while sipping moonshine with your co-hosts. It is partly true that everything has been done before, but not everything was done as we would like . Find an interesting and engaging angle – the more your passion comes across in your podcast, the more people are likely to continue listening.

Download, install and configure Audacity.

As mentioned earlier, Audacity is a great DAW for beginning podcasters. It’s open source, you can use it as much as you like, and it’s available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Before you can start recording, there are a few steps you need to follow to get everything set up correctly:

1. Download and install Audacity .

2. Connect your microphone and open Audacity.

3. Check if Audacity recognizes your microphone by checking the drop-down menu next to the small microphone icon. If you see your microphone, select it.

4. In the top left corner, you should see buttons for pause, play, stop, go back, go forward, and record. Press the record button and talk into the microphone to make sure it is working properly.

5. Stop recording and play back what you just recorded to make sure everything sounds good.

Note that previously you had to download the LAME MP3 encoder in order to export the file as MP3. LAME is now built into Audacity for Windows and Mac. If you are using Linux, follow these installation instructions .

Record and edit your podcast in Audacity.

Recording in Audacity is quite simple, but there are a few things you should do before you give your first performance:

1. Plug in a microphone and do a quick recording the same way as before to check the audio levels.

2. You can adjust the recording volume using the slider directly above the drop-down menu where you selected the recording device.

3. When you find a good level, delete the recording test by clicking the small X in the top left corner of the track. You don’t need it anymore.

4. Make sure your recording location is quiet and record about five seconds of “silence.” This is called room tone, and you can use it to drown out background noise during actual recording. You can mute this track by clicking the mute button on the left side of the track. You can also collapse it by clicking the arrow in the bottom left corner of the track.

5. Go to File > Save Project > Save Project As and choose a name for your project. Keep in mind that this does not export audio, it simply saves your progress.

Now you’re ready to record the bulk of your podcast. Click the record button and Audacity will begin recording your audio to a new track. When you are finished recording, click the Stop button. It is so simple. Be sure to save your work before continuing.

How to add intro and outro music

Writing and recording your own theme music is incredibly difficult if you don’t know what you’re doing (and it probably won’t sound very good). Leave it to the professionals and find free tunes on any site that offers music under an Attribution International License or a Non-Commercial Attribution International License , such as Free Music Archive :

1. Browse music by genre or search.

2. Find a track you like and click the down arrow to download it.

It may take a while to find exactly what you want, but once you do, all you have to do is credit the creator in the podcast description.

Now it’s time to add music and make the necessary changes:

1. Go to File > Import > Audio . Find any music you want to use in your podcast and click Open. The music will be added to Audacity as a separate track.

2. Find the Selection tool in the Audacity toolbar. (This is similar to a typing cursor.)

3. Drag the Selection tool over the section of music you want to use for the intro and outro.

4. With that section of music selected, find the “Trim Audio” button on the Audacity toolbar and click it. You should only be left with the section of music you chose.

5. While this section of music is selected, find the Copy button in the toolbar and click it (you can also use CTRL+C or Command+C ).

6. On the same music track, click anywhere to the right of that music section. Then find the Paste button on the toolbar and click it (or CTRL+V or Command+V ). Now you have the intro and outro music, but it’s not quite ready yet.

7. Use the Selection tool to select one of the music copies. Then go to Effect at the top and select Fade . Do the same for the other music copy, but select Fade In instead. Your intro and outro music is now ready to go.

How to edit specific audio portions of a podcast recording

If you need to cut something out of your podcast (like swear words, if you’re trying to keep things clean, or information that shouldn’t be made public), it’s an easy fix:

1. Find the section of audio you want to cut.

2. Use the Selection tool and select the entire section you want to delete.

3. Find the Cut button on the toolbar and click. Boom, it’s gone. (Alternatively, you can also use the Mute button.)

4. Remember the room sound you recorded earlier? You can copy some of this and overlay it over the cut out part to make the silence less jarring.

Once your music is ready to use and all the necessary changes have been made, you can align everything using the Time Shift tool (two arrows connected by a thin line). Simply move each piece of audio along its appropriate track until you’re happy with how all the audio is lined up. You may have to play with this a little to find the sweet spot.

What if my podcast sounds bad?

If you feel like your audio isn’t sounding as good as you’d like, there are a few things you can tweak. For example, you can use Audacity’s compression and equalizer settings to bring the audio quality closer to radio. The best ways to use compression and EQ settings can be covered in several articles, but this video from VoiceOverMaster provides a quick overview of how to use them in Audacity.

How to Use AI to Edit Your Podcast

There are several artificial intelligence tools you can use to edit and produce your podcast, which can reduce some of the hands-on effort traditionally required for podcasting. For example, Descript is an AI editor that can transcribe your recordings, remove background noise, detect and correct annoying filler words, and dub audio. Other tools like Cleanvoice.ai , Podcastle, Resound, and Adobe Podcast have similar features. Otter.ai can transcribe audio files as well as recordings via Zoom and Google Meet, and tools like Dubb offer AI-generated transcripts, show notes, and newsletter content.

You can even use AI to create scripts or interview questions for guests, although you’ll also want to review and edit anything written by the AI ​​before recording.

Optional: Recording using multiple microphones or Skype.

Why should you record with multiple microphones? First, it makes it much easier to correct someone’s audio, either on the spot by adjusting the microphone level, or later if you have multiple audio tracks recording at the same time.

However, even with multiple USB microphones, Audacity can only recognize one audio input for recording at a time. The Audacity team offers several ways to get around this limitation:

• Windows: When using multiple USB microphones on Windows, you can combine them all into one recording device using software such as Voice Meeter (free) or Virtual Audio Cable . (The trial version supports up to three devices.) Audio from each microphone will be heard normally, but all level adjustments must be made using the software. In Audacity, you will still only see one recording track for editing.

• macOS: In macOS 10.7 and later, you can set up aggregated devices without any additional software. Check out Apple’s official instructions for pairing devices here .

If you are using multiple analog microphones , you can do this in two ways:

1. Use an audio interface or mixer that connects to your computer.

2. Record everything on a portable XLR recorder and download the files to your computer.

You’ll need one of these devices to use analog microphones anyway, so if you get a device that supports multiple microphones, you’re good to go.

What about Skype, Google Hangouts or other internet calling services?

Audacity doesn’t support Skype recording directly, but the Audacity team has a few ways around it for both Windows and macOS .

Otherwise, you’ll have to use additional software like MP3 Skype Recorder and import the call audio into Audacity the same way you import music or other audio files. Once it’s in Audacity, you can adjust the levels and make sure everything sounds right. As powerful as Audacity is, especially being free, it certainly has its limitations, so if you really enjoy podcasting, it might be worth upgrading to a better DAW in the future.

Tag and export your MP3 file to Audacity

Exporting your podcast as MP3 should be easy since you’ve set up MP3 export before you start recording. However, there are still some important things to keep in mind when exporting.

First you need to edit the file’s metadata (also known as “tagging”). Metadata is information that appears regardless of the file name and includes things like title, track number, album, and artist name. Luckily, Audacity allows you to do this when exporting audio as MP3:

• Go to File > Export > Export to MP3 .

• Select MP3 Files from the File Type drop-down menu. Then give the file a name (for example, your podcast name and episode number). Click “Save”.

• You will now see the Edit Metadata Tags window. Enter all the required information (we will discuss this shortly). Here you can also add and remove sections as you wish.

• Go to the “Template” section and click “Save”. Save this template for future editions so you don’t have to fill out much of this information again.

• Click OK. Your MP3 should be exported and ready to download.

If you’re not sure how to fill out the metadata template, Daniel J. Lewis of The Audacity to Podcast has some tips :

Track:

your series number. This will help sort episodes chronologically if the player does not read published or changed dates.

Heading:

your episode number and title, as well as your blog post. For example, “AYJW027: Courageous (2011)”.

Artist:

the name(s) of the episode’s host(s) or the name of your network.

Album:

the name of your podcast (remember, this is your entire show, not a single episode).

Year:

year of issue.

Genre:

select whichever is most appropriate or “Podcast”.

A comment:

a summary of your episode. This could be the same as your WordPress excerpt, or just the web address of your show notes.

Copyright:

your copyright information. I recommend writing it like this: “© 2011 D.Joseph Design” – note that “by” is not necessary and the symbol should always precede the year. Not all tagging programs have this.

URL:

your web address shownotes. Not all tagging programs have this.

Cover/picture/album cover:

cover of your podcast…

Metadata is important if you want to list your podcast later, so take the time to make sure you have as much information as possible.

Optional: Add podcast chapters.

Podcast chapters are a great way to give users more control over the listening experience. For example, your podcast could cover a wide range of topics, or you could give your listeners easy access to different segments. This isn’t a requirement and very few podcasts use this feature, but podcast chapters certainly help if you’re trying to present superior work.

Podcast chapters work like chapters in a book and allow you to “skip” segments of the episode, such as the introduction, or skip segments you’re not interested in. You can even add images to sections of your podcast, linking the image to a discussion or using it to present even more information on a topic. Unfortunately, adding them manually can be difficult and time-consuming. To save you the hassle, use software to add chapters:

Windows : The free Chapter and Verse app lets you add podcast chapters, as well as other pieces of metadata such as images and chapter notes.

macOS: The Podcast Chapters app ($19.99) makes it easy to add chapters on Mac. You can save podcast settings if you’re working on multiple podcasts, adjust playback speed to find segment markers faster, and add images.

Choose a strong name and create a cover image.

When it comes to people finding your podcast, what name you choose for it matters. John Lee Dumas, host of the Entrepreneur on Fire podcast, suggests you choose a name that tells your audience exactly what your podcast will be about.

If we go back to the bluegrass and moonshine example, it could be something as simple as Bluegrass n’ Moonshine , or something less obvious but still gets the point across, like Sippin’ and Singin’: The Bluegrass Podcast . The title gives you an idea of ​​the show’s content, but more importantly, your show is more likely to show up when someone searches for bluegrass music podcasts.

You will also need an image for your podcast. It’s the first thing people will see when they see your show, so it needs to look good. An image is also required to submit your podcast to directories like iTunes , Stitcher , and BluBrry , as well as podcast managers like Pocket Casts and DoggCatcher .

The cover can be a photograph or a piece of art, depending on how you want to present your show. If the show is about you, you can even use a good photo of yourself. If you want, you can use a simple logo as long as it has something to do with what you’re talking about on the podcast. You want your image to convey the essence of your show as best as possible.

Whatever you decide to use for the cover, make sure the image includes the show’s title. If you’re not comfortable designing the image yourself, don’t be afraid to hire a designer to do it for you from service-oriented websites like Fiverr or 99designs .

Podcast images also need to be of a certain size, otherwise your illustrations won’t look as good when scaled down. In fact, some directories won’t even accept podcast feeds unless your art is the right size. Here are the main points you’ll want to shoot for:

• The image must be at least 1400 x 1400 pixels.

• The image must be in .jpg or .png format (.jpg is preferred).

• The image should look good and readable at 300 x 300 pixels.

A good rule of thumb is to optimize your image to 150 x 150 pixels. If it looks good this small, know that you won’t have any problems. Daniel J. Lewis of The Audacity to Podcast also recommends treating certain types of images differently to ensure they always look their best:

• For photo/image based artwork, purchase the largest version possible and design within its dimensions.

• For color or illustrative illustrations, create your design in a vector editor (such as Adobe Illustrator) to create an illustration that can be scaled to any size without losing quality.

You can easily do most image editing in Photoshop or its alternatives like GIMP and Pixelmator . Once you have a good name and decent art representing your show, you’re almost ready to start recording.

Find a place to host your podcast

Once you’ve finished marking up and exporting your podcast, it’s time to find a place to put your MP3 file. Submitting your podcast is very important so you can start getting your show distributed to podcast directories and apps. Here are some of the best options for beginners:

• SoundCloud : SoundCloud offers free podcast hosting (in addition to two competitive paid options if you’re more serious) and lets you distribute podcasts via RSS. Your podcasts will be instantly published to SoundCloud, making it much easier to share your podcast on social media, blogs, and other websites .

• Podbean : Podbean provides several tiers of hosting, including a free option (although free hosting is quite limited). The service has its own iOS and Android listening app, as well as analytics tools, although you’ll have to pay to get most of their best features.

• Podomatic : Podomatic is very user friendly. It offers free hosting with enough bandwidth and storage for podcast beginners. There is also a pro option that allows you to increase your throughput if that’s your thing.

• Libsyn : Libsyn is one of the oldest dedicated podcast hosting sites and is considered one of the best. Their lowest price plan is $5 per month with unlimited bandwidth—unfortunately, this is not a free option.

• Amazon S3 : Amazon hosting offers a free plan, but it limits your storage (among other things). The paid service only charges you for the storage and bandwidth you actually use, meaning the cost can rise as your podcast becomes more popular.

• Fireside : A new podcast hosting platform from the creator of the 5by5 podcast network, Fireside offers unlimited storage, downloads, episodes, analytics, and a website for your podcast (with custom domain support) for $19 per month. Each additional podcast costs an additional $8 per month. You can easily import your old podcasts from any valid podcast RSS feed, as well as other hosts including Soundcloud, Squarespace, and Libsyn. It also makes finer details like chapter markers and metadata more accessible. If you have a few episodes under your belt and want to give both yourself and your audience more fun, give it a try.

If you’re new to podcasting or online media hosting in general, try free services and see how you like what they do. Once you find one you like, it’s worth paying for hosting if you’re serious about continuing your podcast. Each host listed here will provide you with simple instructions on how to download your podcast audio file, but there are a few basic steps you’ll need to follow no matter which service you choose:

1. When you sign up for the service, use the name of your podcast (or the closest title to it).

2. Upload a cover image that is at least 1400 x 1400 pixels.

3. Complete all sections of your profile, especially your show description.

4. Upload your MP3 file. Most hosting services allow you to listen to the podcast directly on the site, so give it a listen to make sure everything sounds good.

5. The file metadata you created earlier should contain a lot of the information you need. However, if something doesn’t look right, now is your chance to make changes and fix it before submitting your RSS feed to any directories.

Once you’re happy with how everything looks, you’re ready to check out your channel and submit it to podcast directories.

Connect with Apple Podcasts

There are many podcast directories you can submit to, including Stitcher , Blubrry , and Miro . However, most podcasters will tell you that if there is only one directory you should try to get into, it is Apple Podcasts because it is the most popular and has the largest reach. Here’s how to get into the Apple Podcast directory:

1. Check the title, author, description, and cover art associated with your podcast audio file on your hosting service. Apple Podcasts uses these search fields. For more information and tips, check out the official Apple Podcast specifications here .

2. Find the podcast RSS feed URL and copy it.

3. Make sure your podcast’s RSS feed is valid. Some hosts have a built-in validator and will tell you if your channel is valid. Otherwise, paste your channel URL into Cast Feed Validator and see what apps and podcast directories see. If necessary, make changes to your hosting.

4. Sign in to Podcasts Connect using your Apple ID. To get started, you’ll need to test and verify your podcast by adding an RSS feed (click the “+” sign to add and click “Verify”).

5. Review your podcast and correct any errors.

6. Once your RSS feed has been reviewed, you can submit it for review for publication. Monitor the status of your podcast in your Podcasts Connect dashboard.

This should work. If you don’t see the Apple Podcasts pop-up right away, don’t worry. It can take anywhere from 24 hours to two weeks before your podcast is added because your podcast must first be reviewed by a group of people. Luckily, the process for getting listed in other podcast directories isn’t much different, so once you get the hang of it with Apple Podcasts, the sky’s the limit.

Finally, as fun as it can be to put your podcast out there for everyone to see, consider waiting to submit your first episode until you already have a few of them in the bank. Submitting just one episode can leave a lot to be desired for those who stumble upon your show. You are also less likely to be presented or promoted as something new and noteworthy. So record three or four episodes before you try to expand your audience.

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