If you’re new to podcasting, it can be difficult to figure out what you need to get started. Even if you have a unique idea, you have to meticulously plan the production of each episode, arrange for guests to appear, and edit and publish the final product.
To help you with your podcast setup, we’ve put together a list of essentials for recording, editing, and promoting your episodes. Having the right tools at your disposal can help make things a little easier – and set you up for success!
In this post, we’ll look at the types of gear you need to start a podcast, including hardware, software, and hosting solutions. Let’s dive right in!
Podcast Hardware
The hardware that you use plays a critical role in the production of your podcast. Therefore, you’ll want to make sure you select the right tools. Sure – nowadays you can probably record directly with your laptop or mobile phone, but that comes with a caveat. Quality won’t be as good as using dedicated podcasting gear. The hardware you use doesn’t necessarily have to be the most expensive or best available. Even a $50 microphone can go a long way when you compare to a mobile phone recording.
We recommend to start with some basic gear, and slowly but surely find areas for upgrade as you grow your podcast.
Here’s what you’ll need for your podcast setup.
Microphones
Microphones are possibly the most important piece of equipment for recording your podcast. While you can record audio on devices like your smartphone or laptop, you’ll want to invest in a microphone for high-quality audio recording.
There are two types of microphones that are readily accessible to podcasters:
- USB microphones: These plug right into a USB port on your computer, making them easy to set up and use.
- Microphones with XLR connectors: These provide higher-quality audio but require an audio mixer to record sound onto a computer.
Whichever option you go for, you’ll want to test your microphone before you start recording.
Booms and Pop Filters
You’ll also need a few accessories for your microphones. These include a boom (or a swinging desk), which allows you to easily move your microphone around so you can position yourself comfortably while recording.
Another accessory to consider is a pop filter. This is a screen that is mounted to your microphone or boom. It blocks popping sounds caused by the air that comes out of your mouth when saying words containing letters like P and B.
Audio Mixer
If you opt for an XLR microphone, you’ll need to have an audio mixer to record. While there are a lot of options out there, you’ll want to consider the number of connections that are available on the mixer you choose.
A two-mic setup is likely fine for most cases. However, having a more advanced podcast setup is necessary if you want to have a group discussion during the episode.
Headphones
Headphones enable you to hear your podcast audio in real-time and are just as essential as a good microphone, especially if you’re recording remotely. Wearing headphones can also isolate any secondary sounds that your computer makes, preventing them from being picked up by the mic and creating an echo.
You’ll want to opt for a solid set of noise-canceling headphones to block out any distractions while recording.
Dedicated Recording Computer
The final piece of hardware that you’ll need is a dedicated recording computer that your microphone, audio mixer, and headphones can all feed into. It doesn’t matter if you choose either a laptop or a desktop, but you’ll want to consider both the storage space and available RAM of your device.
While audio files aren’t necessarily huge, you’ll likely need to archive your recordings and access them at a later date while editing. This can add up over time.
The other thing to consider is how much RAM the computer has. More RAM makes it easier for your processor to handle certain short-term tasks for podcast recording, like editing and publishing audio files, handling large live recordings, and working across multiple applications at once.
Software
The software that you use to edit and produce your podcast is just as essential as the hardware that you use to record it. A proper software suite will make it easier to edit, refine, and publish your episodes.
Let’s take a closer look at what software you’ll need.
Audio Editing Software
Audio mixing and editing software enable you to remove unnecessary sections or errors in your recording. You can also use them to adjust the audio balance of different files to match one another and add in sections that may be recorded separately, like introductions and ad-reads.
There are many different audio editing tools out there, including free options like Audacity. This open-source software enables you to edit your recording on different systems, including Windows and MacOS:
It’s important that your chosen software supports exports in MP3 or M4A file formats. These are the most commonly supported file types on podcast networks.
Publishing Software
Podcast publishing software is not an absolute necessity, but it can give you a massive leg up in marketing your podcast and growing its reach. Uploading a podcast episode can be tedious, as you have to fill in the title, description, tags, and a variety of other metadata for each platform that you want to publish on.
Publishing software makes this a simpler process by taking all that information and automatically uploading it to every network your podcast appears on. This can reduce the amount of post-recording work that you have to do to push an episode live, giving you more time to focus on recording and editing.
You’ll want to look for software that supports major podcast hosting networks like Apple and Spotify. It should also help you tap into lesser-known platforms. Increasing the availability of your podcast can help expand your audience.
Website Hosting
Setting up a podcast website can be an effective way to grow your audience and build a fanbase. Podcastpage.io is a website builder dedicated to podcast websites. It’s the most flexible and robust tool in the space, offering a wide range of features to help you get your website up and running quickly:
These features include a customizable integrated audio player, ready-to-go templates, and automatic imports to easily host all your past and future episodes. The best thing is that it’s easy to use, and you don’t need any coding experience or any prior experience with websites in order to build a beautiful site.
Podcastpage gives you all the tools and automations you need to scale your website as your podcast grows, without having to worry about integrating plugins and doing any of the heavy lifting on your own.
Conclusion
Starting a podcast may seem daunting. However, with the right tools and a strategic approach, you can create a successful show and build a loyal following.
To recap, here’s what you need for your podcast setup:
- Hardware like microphones, headphones, and a reliable computer
- High-quality software, including an audio editing and publishing tool
- A podcast website builder like Podcastpage.io
Creating a website with Podcastpage.io can help your podcast stand out and attract more listeners. Get started for free!
