Get set to launch your own podcast

It needn’t cost a fortune to launch your own podcast from home, but it’s important to get clear on your goals before splashing out on equipment. The good news is that more people than ever are listening to podcasts; the not-so-great news is that it’s becoming harder – but not impossible – to make money out of it.

If your podcast is a passion project or a way to build brand recognition for your business, making money out of it may not be a top priority. If it is, refine your niche (how will your podcast be different from the other four million out there?), come up with a marketing strategy and plan your first 20 episodes – 90% of podcasts fizzle out after the first few.

The first step in podcasting from home is to choose an audio-friendly spot in which to record. A large, tiled room with glass doors and high ceilings is a recipe for reverberation and an instant turn-off for listeners. A small room with carpet, curtains and other soft furnishings is far more suitable.

The next step is to set yourself up for success with the right microphones, headphones and software to professionally record, clean up and broadcast your podcast.

Home studio set-up A good microphone with a foam cover can mean the difference between a tinny sound that labels you an instant amateur and a high-quality recording. Microphones cost $50 to $1000 and you’ll need a good set of headphones to hear what you’re recording loudly and clearly. Mic stands allow for handsfree recording.

Interview options A portable microphone such as the Zoom H5 Portable Field Recorder allows high-quality recording on the go. Recording interviews with remote guests will require signing up to a platform such as SquadCast ($12 a month) or Zencastr ($18 a month), so you can see your guest and record much better audio than video-conferencing tools can (we’re looking at you, Zoom).

Edit your audio Editing allows you to remove unwanted noise, delete ‘ums’ and long pauses, and improve clarity. Beginners will quickly get the hang of the free program Audacity, while Adobe’s Audition offers more advanced features (but costs $30 a month). Alitu costs more ($38 a month) but is a simple, one-stop shop to record, edit, host and schedule your podcasts.