Podcasting for Beginners

All the equipment you’ll need to start a podcast that sounds great – even if you have no audio background at all. Note: Commissions may be earned from the links below, but it doesn’t impact the price you pay at all.

Microphone

Your main tool of choice for podcasting. You certainly could record directly on your computer, but your audio will suffer as a result. Luckily, you don’t have to break the bank for a high-quality microphone. I use the Audio-Technica ATR2100 for my podcasts. It was recently discontinued, but you can grab the updated version, the ATR2100x-USB Cardioid Dynamic Microphone below. The best part? This mic has a USB input, so you can plug it right into your computer and get going.

Mic Stand

Unless you want to be holding your microphone during your entire recording (and have arms that never get tired), it’s worth investing in a microphone stand. We don’t need to get fancy here. Either choose a tabletop stand like the InnoGear one below, or go for an extendable arm mic stand, like the Neweer suspension boom scissor arm stand, which easily clips onto your podcast recording table.

Digital Audio Workstation

A digital audio workstation (or DAW) is where you’ll record and edit your podcast. If you use a Mac, you’ve already got a great one in GarageBand. For Windows users, I recommend Audacity, a completely free downloadable piece of software. Both of these will allow you to record your audio onto your computer, and also let you easily edit, including adding in music and sound effects. For shows with multiple hosts, it may be worth investing in a mixer to control the volume levels of each host. I use the Behringer U-PHORIA below, but you can use a mixer with two inputs if you only have two hosts.

The Best Podcast Hosting Options

After your podcast is recorded, you’ll need a place to host your show. A podcast host will not only house all your episodes, but it will also give you an RSS feed, which you’ll use to submit your show to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and any other place you can listen to podcasts. I’ve hosted on several different platforms over the years, and have found these three to be the easiest to get started while also having long-term benefits:

  • SIMPLECAST: Easy to schedule episodes in advance, and the advanced analytics can provide some really useful info for your show. Simplecast also uses “Recast,” a tool to create small snippets of your show that you can share on social media or in emails. Plans start at $15/month, or $13.50 a month if you prepay for the year.

    • Best for you if you want: Detailed analytics, ways to create short audio clips, quick scheduling

  • PODBEAN: I like the simplicity of Podbean’s user interface. It doesn’t overwhelm you and makes uploading episodes a breeze. Podbean also runs several webinars and lessons to dive into different elements of podcasting. Paid versions start at $9/month, which is very reasonable.

    • Best for you if you want: Simple user interface, solid support and resources for podcasters

  • SOUNDER.FM: A newer podcast hosting platform, Good People, Cool Things uses Sounder, and I think their players look very sleek. They provide some nice analytics and also offer a free transcription option, or you can upgrade to a paid plan. The basic plan is free and then pricing moves up to $12.99/month. Their business plans are a great option if you plan to have multiple shows under the same network.

    • Best for you if you want: Good-looking podcast players, solid transcription options, an opportunity to dip your toes into podcasting for free

The Best Way to Record Remote Podcasts

You may have a show where you and your cohost(s) are in different locations while recording. Or perhaps you’re planning to interview people on your show and need them to dial in. You could go through the trouble of asking them to download some kind of recording device on their computer and trying to navigate that world, or you could do something much easier and use SquadCast.

SquadCast is THE EASIEST way to record remotely with someone. You send a link to the other folk(s) recording. It records your audio on one track and the other person’s audio on a second track. That makes it exceptionally easy for you to edit the two together: just line ‘em up and you’re good to go.

I like SquadCast more than similar tools because the audio is PRISTINE. It sounds so good, even if the person on the other end isn’t using a quality microphone like you are. And again, there’s no technical knowledge needed on their end, except clicking on a link that you send them. SquadCast also works for up to four people, so you can get a real lively conversation going.

I can’t recommend it enough for any kind of remote podcast recording you need. Try it out here.

Other Good Podcasting Tools

Your podcast is coming together nicely! Here are a few more ways to improve your show even more.

Build a website.

While you can certainly point people to your podcast host and encourage them to subscribe to catch new episodes, having an actual website for your podcast allows you to do so much more, like adding people to your mailing list, sharing unique content with them, and offering transcriptions or other tidbits from your show. WordPress and Squarespace both make it very easy to get started; I’d also strongly recommend Bluehost as a podcast web host because, well, they keep my sites afloat AND have incredible customer service. One time I fiddled around with the backend of a website (I highly suggest NOT doing this) and Bluehost kept me calm through my panic while they restored everything back to normal. I can’t praise them enough!

Grab a shock mount.

Chances are that you may move your arms while speaking, or otherwise bump the mic stand or table during your podcast. A shock mount suspends your microphone in the air, helping reduce excess noises that may occur from hitting the table, mic stand, microphone, or even noises from your computer. Again, we don’t need to get fancy here, a quick one designed specifically for the ATR-2100 will work.

Use a pop filter.

Say the word “pop” right now, or a word that starts with the letter “d” or “b” – sounds kind of aggressive, yeah? That hard “popping” sound can sometimes get picked up on your microphone, which creates distorted audio. To reduce that distortion, you can use a pop filter, which connects onto your mic stand.