In this blog post, we’re addressing one of the most common questions we’re asked, which is what equipment you need to start a podcast.
There are 6 things you need to produce your show:
- A Computer
- A Microphone
- Headphones
- Editing software
- Artwork and
- Podcast hosting
In the future, we’ll do a deeper dive into these tools, but for now, we’ll just keep it general so you know what is needed to get started.
The first thing you need is a computer. This will be your main tool for recording, editing, and storing your podcast episodes.
Next, you need a microphone. Now, you might be thinking to yourself, I have one built into my computer – I’ll just use that. We would caution against that if you want to have good audio quality. Invest in a decent microphone. Your audience will thank you.
At some point, you may also want to consider things like a pop filter, which makes it so your Ps and Bs aren’t amplified, and a boom stand which holds your mic in place.
Another thing you’ll need is a good set of headphones. They allow you to hear what’s being recorded so you can catch background noise as it’s happening and fix it, or adjust your position if you’re too muffled or distant.
Then, you’ll need some editing software to get rid of background noise, eliminate dead space, add your intro, and much more. We recommend GarageBand for Mac or Audacity for PC.
Artwork is another element you’ll need for producing your show. This is the graphic you’ll use to market your show on your hosting site as well as podcast directories. You can create your own artwork using a program like Canva. The other option is to have a graphics designer create a custom piece for you.
The final thing you need to produce your show is a podcast hosting account. A good hosting company will generate and update your RSS feed, create a website where your podcasts can live, and be easy to use.
Like we mentioned at the beginning of this video, we’ll be doing future videos further breaking down some of the equipment and tools you need to launch.
Let us know in the comments if there are more videos you think we should create to help you in your podcasting journey.