Podcasting: The Complete Beginners Guide
Updated: Nov 16, 2022
Do you have interesting stories to tell?
Then a podcast will be perfect for you to share your anecdotes with the world.
Podcasts are increasingly becoming one of the most chosen forms of entertainment. You can listen to it as you exercise, work, drive, cook, basically anything that doesn’t require too much focus.
Because of that, numerous podcasts have been popping up all over the world.
But, how to start a podcast?
In this article, we have listed podcast recording apps, streaming services, and marketing tactics.
By the time you are done reading this article, you will be ready to host your own podcast.
Podcast recording apps
As a podcast host, the first thing you need is the right podcast recording apps. Here are some of the best free podcast recording software that you can use.
If you are on a tight budget, we recommend that you stick to the free ones.
Audacity
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If you are recording on your local device, it doesn’t get better than this.
Audacity is free for all devices, supports multiple microphones, lets you edit audio, allows you to save in various formats, and many more.
This is the best podcast recording application for newbies. It is extremely easy to use. You can watch one of the numerous Audacity basic tutorials which will help you use this podcast recording software fast.
Zoom
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For video podcasters with participants located in different areas.
Zoom is popularly known as the place for virtual meetings, webinars, and conferences. Interestingly, it can be used as a podcasting software too.
By using the “Record Meeting” feature, you can use Zoom as a lightweight, cross-device podcast recording app. Of course, you will be limited to do 40 minutes long episodes if you are on the free plan.
The part with using Zoom is its prevalence which makes it much more friendly than other apps.
Check out the pricing plans of Zoom to choose the best for yourself.
Zencastr
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This app has it all.
You can record audio podcasts on the internet and locally for unlimited lengths. You can save the audio in different formats. You can do a lot of post-production tweaks within the application, like add background music, clean the audio, etc.
And that is all available in the free version.
The paid version includes all of that plus the ability to record video podcasts as well. You can sync it up with your Google Drive and directly save all the recordings there. You can use Zencastr in the browser directly.
Check out the pricing plans for Zencastr.
Now, let’s take a look at the podcast streaming apps.
Podcast streaming apps
The next goal as a podcast producer is getting it listened to. For that, you need to make it accessible to your potential listeners easily.
You can start by uploading it into one of the following platforms, but we recommend it to do so on all of them.
Let’s check out some of the best podcast streaming apps.
Spotify
Started as a music streaming app, Spotify has extended its legs in terms of functionality.
As of 2022, Spotify has 182M paid subscribers. It has more than 400M users. If you upload your podcast into one app, make it this. Spotify is available for all platforms and devices, and since people can easily switch between music and podcasts, it is the way to go.
YouTube
Currently, YouTube has more than 2B users worldwide as of 2022.
The only drawback of YouTube is that it can censor your channel and drastically reduce it's visibility if your content violates its community guidelines.
That means you are limited to creating content that is acceptable to the viewers.
Other than that, it is just fine. A vast majority of content consumers spend most of their time on YouTube fishing for interesting content.
Google Podcasts
Although you can use it on both Android and iOS, it is potentially the best podcast app for Android users.
It is free and has a very simple interface delivering a premium listening experience to its viewers. Listeners can skip through the silences by using the fast forward feature.
Apple Podcasts
Free with all iOS devices.
This is a great option for you if you are using an Apple device. It has a great UI that will take no time for your listeners to get used to it. On top of that, you can share and listen to your favorite podcasts with your friends through Stations.
However, you need to let your target audience know that you exist.
Podcast marketing tips
Recording and uploading your podcast is not enough. With so many podcasts coming up every day, it is crucial to keep sharing your message so that people will know about you.
Here are some simple tips that you can start implementing right now.
Post on social media channels: Based on where the majority of your audience hangs out, you should stay active on social media. It will give you a direct opportunity to engage and interact with your audience.
Create a website: This will be the best podcast marketing tool in your arsenal. You can post anything you want and you will have complete access to your content.
Start a newsletter: This is how most people are receiving updates anyways. Emails are private, end-to-end encrypted, and impactful. Be creative when it comes to crafting your newsletters.
Collaborate with other podcasters: Listeners love it when their creators come together. Furthermore, it is an easy way for you to test how a new niche reacts to your content.
Remain active in forums: Public forums and groups are a great way to jump into discussions with your listeners. You can also find authentic feedback from your readers.
Conclusion
We hope that this article has helped you in taking the first step toward starting your podcast.
In closing, you have four things to do.
Record a podcast.
Upload it to a streaming site.
Market it to your audience.
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Cheers.