How to start a podcast in 2023: five easy-to-follow steps
Podcasting is the best way for your brand to build trust with an audience. It takes time to develop a show and build an audience, but it’s worth it! Here are my top tips for starting your podcast.
What podcasting equipment should you buy?
Best podcasting microphone
🙅♂️ Many people recommend the Blue Yeti USB microphone. However, this is a condenser microphone that will pick up a lot of room noises (especially any thumps or bumps you make while recording). Don’t buy it!
👍 Here are better microphone options:
- Samson Technologies Q2U ($60 USD) — this dynamic microphone can plug into your computer via USB or you can use an XLR cable.
- Audio-Technica ATR2100X-USB ($65 USD) — another dynamic microphone with USB and XLR inputs.
- Shure SM7B ($399 USD) — consistently ranked as one of the best podcast microphones by professionals. You’ll also need a USB interface for this mic.
- Heil PR 40 ($399 USD) — another classic microphone for voiceover work, also highly rated. (An additional USB interface/preamp is also required).
Note: if you’re using an XLR microphone, you’ll need to connect it to your computer via a USB audio interface. Most of these have two (or more) inputs, which will allow you to record multiple microphones at the same time. Here’s an example:
I recommend getting the BEHRINGER UMC202HD ($99 USD) or the popular Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 ($160 USD) USB interface.
How to record and edit your podcast
Now that you have your microphone, and you can plug it into your computer, you’ll use audio editing software to record and edit your first episode.
Best podcasting editing software
- Descript (Paid, PC or Mac)
- Garageband (Free, Mac) — If you have a Mac, this is the easiest way to start recording and editing your podcast.
- Audacity (Free, PC) — for PC users, Audacity is a good free choice for recording and editing podcasts. Emily Prokop has a good video tutorial on using Audacity.
- ScreenFlow ($99 USD, Mac) — this is technically video editing software, but I’ve been using it lately for quick podcast editing projects. It works really well for recording audio as well.
How to publish your podcast audio
Once you’ve created your audio, it’s time to upload it to a hosting provider and generate your podcast feed. Every podcast needs:
- A web server to host MP3 files,
- A way to create new episodes, and add show notes,
- A way to publish new episodes, and update the podcast’s RSS feed,
- And a way to generate a valid RSS feed.
This is where a podcast hosting company comes in.
Best podcast hosting and analytics platform
- Transistor ($19 / month) — we started Transistor for professionals who are serious about their podcast. We provide a website for your podcast, a place to store your MP3 files, an iTunes-ready RSS feed, and detailed analytics.
- Anchor (free) — if you’re starting a hobby podcast, Anchor is a nice way to get started.
- Soundcloud (free) — is another popular place for folks looking for a free hosting solution.
🤔 How do I get my podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google?
Check out this guide to learn how to distribute and promote your podcast.
Updated on February 7th, 2022
Originally published at https://transistor.fm.
