You have something to say. You have a voice. How will you be heard? In an era where everything demands our attention, it’s amazing how effective podcasts are. People have only half a second to post on Instagram, but they have three hours to listen to Joe Rogan.
So why not start a podcast? The minimum you need is an idea, something to record your voice, and a way to upload it to the podcast site. Let’s do it! Start now! But think about these tools, some of them are free to help you take quality a few notches.
Get ready for the show
Get your offer together
You have an idea. Wonderful. Now you need an outline, maybe a little research, and if it is going to be a theatrical podcast, you need to write a script.
Perhaps the best writing tool is Scrivener. It is used by some of the most famous authors, podcasters, and television writers. It’s your all-in-one text editor, research repository, and publishing tool.
If you’re looking for something free, you’re no better off than Google Docs. The real beauty of Google Docs is that you can work with them from anywhere without losing your job.
Computer crashes? Pfft, Google Docs saved your work, probably down to the last word you wrote. Plus, you can dictate in Google Docs if you’re using a device with a microphone. Including your phone.
Write
Get it registered
Yes, you can record directly to your device, but it won’t sound perfect. You can help with this.
First, download and get used to working with Audacity Of all the free software, Audacity is one of the most professional and valuable you can get. This is a free recording studio on your computer.
You can record directly in Audacity or import audio files from another source and edit them here. However, since you will need to export MP3 audio for publishing, you will need to install the Lame MP3 encoder for Audacity It’s easy to do.
Mac users already know about GarageBand, which is available for free on most Macs. GarageBand is a great recording studio for interview style podcasts or any production.
Several top podcasters record their show on video and then post it to YouTube. To get audio from a video file, they use video recording software like Camtasia
Camtasia started out as a screen recorder, so it’s great for podcasts about how to do things on your computer. But Camtasia also makes it easy to work with sound and extract it for use yourself.
See how YouTuber Mamapreneur uses Camtasia to edit their audio. She claims: ” even your grandmother could do it!”
Second, choose equipment for recording the podcast. Will you do it directly to your phone? If so, consider buying a microphone that will connect to your phone.
There are two types to consider: a lavalier microphone (which attaches to your shirt) or a shotgun microphone. A lavalier microphone is good for recording if only you are talking. You can get double interview buttonholes. Shotgun microphones are reminiscent of the handheld microphones that singers use, but they are much smaller in size and connect to your phone.
Shotgun mics are good for picking up sounds around you in addition to your voice. Ideal for radio plays or group interviews. You can also use it just for your voice.
If you want to record straight to your computer, consider purchasing a studio condenser microphone. This is what you would expect to see in a recording studio. Some of these can be placed on your desktop, or you can attach them to swivel arms to bring them even closer to your voice.
You will need a decent standalone camera to create video and audio podcasts. You can do this with a camera on your phone or a high-end webcam. Once you have the money, you may be upgrading to a quality DSLR.
Speaking of professional recording, consider adding intro music or even sound effects to make your podcast popular. Both paid and free music are available at MelodyLoops The Free Music Archive is exactly what is written, and FreePD also offers creative music for general use.
Do it
Get it there
While it’s a good idea to have your own website to host and promote your podcast, it’s not necessary. There are several free and affordable podcast hosting services.
Take your time looking through them to choose which one best suits your needs. PodBean, Spreaker, and BlogTalkRadio have free plans that will host a limited amount of audio. They all also have tools and features to help you record and promote your podcast.
If you have your own WordPress-based website, podcasting is a good place to start. At its core, WordPress supports podcasting Just add an absolute URL to your audio file and WordPress will generate an RSS2 feed tag to use as a podcast.
There are also several WordPress plugins that make sharing your podcast easier for you and help people find you and listen to you.
One of the best WordPress podcasting plugins, Smart Podcast Player, was created by top-tier podcaster Pat Flynn, the man behind the very popular Smart Passive Income website. Pat did this to solve all the problems he found while podcasting. There is a monthly subscription to use it, but there are also many free WordPress podcast plugins that can help you as well.
Download podcasting
Get Podcasting now
Although podcasting has been around for about a decade, it is still in its infancy. He has many opportunities and a bright future, plus he can quickly help you establish yourself as an authority in your field. So, get started right now using everything you have to do this.
If you’d like to work with a friend on a podcast, share this article with them to show them how easy it is to get started. Do you know anyone who has talked about podcasting but haven’t done it yet? Share this with them to encourage them. Be heard!
–