Podcasting is getting more and more popular these days. South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Australia, etc. are just a few of the countries that have the most active podcast listeners. In the US, 75% of its population is familiar with the term 'podcasting'. These numbers may seem staggering, but podcasting has not yet saturated the market. So if this is your passion or if you want to leverage on this platform, you must do it now.
For beginners, the idea to set up a podcast studio might be overwhelming especially on the financial aspect. But hey, you should not worry because there are budget-friendly ways to get that podcast studio of your up and running.
1. Find a room for your podcast studio.
It does not have to be big or fancy. Your room will do fine. Some tricks to better audio quality? Shop inexpensive soundproof curtains and window treatments. Even your usual thick draperies will do.
Got a sofa, armchair, bookcases, tables, etc.? Get it inside your podcast studio. Go for the heaviest ones. The furniture adds a great deal of mass to space which in turn greatly improves soundproofing.
If you want to go the extra mile but still on a budget, go for cheap foam panels. And oh, keep that door from giving off unwanted noise with acoustic sealant tape.
2. Invest in a good quality microphone.
Remember that podcasting banks on superb quality audio. Hence, don't be stingy in investing in good quality mics. Good quality does not necessarily spell expensive. Just do your research. You can find mics around $20 which sounds good.
3. Pick a headphone.
The secret to a better recording is listening to your recording while you are recording. Oops, that’s so much 'recording' in one sentence but you got it right. Headphones also come handy when you are editing podcasts so get a decent yet affordable one.
4. Ready your laptop.
We will not discuss this further. Your current laptop will do the job. You do not need a high-end laptop for this.
5. Find a recording software of your choice.
Recording software allows you to record and edit. There is free or affordable software out there that will do the job. Check out GarageBand, Audacity, ProTools First, and many others and find the one that works for you.
6. Get audio interfaces/mixers.
An audio interface is a sound card that connects to your computer via USB and feeds your microphone via an XLR cable. Your built-in soundcard is just fine but if you aim for quality audio, go for this. Built-in sound cards have too much latency. This means that there is a slight delay between input and what you hear on your headphones.
If you need to mix several audio sources together, that's when you need a mixer. You can find cheap mixers with built-in Audio Interface out there.
7. Accessorize.
This may sound like an add-on but it will make your recording so much easier. Cables and microphone stands/arms are necessary for you to record comfortably. That sense of comfort will go a long way as it manifests on the voices.
8. Think about a podcast hosting and distribution.
If you are on a tight budget, you can just upload your podcast episodes to every single platform out there. However, it may take time and time is money. Depending on what works for you, you can invest $5 per month for a host that will publish your podcast in just one click to a wide variety of listening platforms. You can also get insights about your listeners as it provides analytics. You may check Libsyn, Buzzsprout, Podcast.co, PodBean, and Zencast.
Most of these things you already have so just a bit of effort and you are on your way to publishing your podcast. Happy podcasting!
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