How to Start a Podcast Without Expensive Recording Equipment

Starting a podcast isn’t always easy. In an effort to make the world of podcasting just a little bit more accessible, we’ve simplified the five essential steps for starting a podcast without breaking the bank. Here are our best free to low-cost tips for getting your podcast out to the airwaves:

Step 1: Create your podcast’s brand

The first item on your to-do list is to create your own podcast brand. This step includes everything from content ideation, thumbnail art, understanding your niche, and naming the show. We recommend starting with identifying your podcast category (think true crime, finance and business, comedy, etc.) and writing a list of specific episode topics you’d like to cover on the podcast. Podcasting is an ever-booming industry that is growing by the minute. In order to stand out from the competition, you need to hone in on the aspects of your podcast that make it unique. This will not only help to identify your podcast niche, but will also help you recognize exactly what makes your show different from other podcasts within the same target category. 

Another way to stand out is to have eye-catching cover art. Your podcast’s thumbnail image is the first thing listeners see when browsing for a new show to listen to. Take this opportunity to make a good first impression and make sure the cover art accurately reflects the tone of your show so listeners get a taste of your content. 

Lastly, if you haven’t already decided on a name for your podcast, it’s time to do some brainstorming. Grab a pen and paper and jot down as many words as possible that relate to you, your podcast idea, the show’s category, or the more unique aspects of your podcast. Aim to create a concise title with keywords that represent your podcast, keeping readability and discoverability in mind.

Step 2: Grab some basic equipment

Recording equipment is notoriously expensive, but it doesn’t have to be that way. There are three pieces of equipment you’ll need in order to get started — a microphone, a recording interface, and a pair of trusty headphones.

Microphones

When choosing a microphone you’ll likely run into two options: dynamic or condenser mics. Your best bet as a podcaster is to go with a dynamic USB mic. Dynamic mics are generally better for noisy environments and less sensitive to background noise, whereas condenser mics can capture more detail, and as such, pick up on unwanted noises. We suggest going with USB simply because it’s versatile and easy to use. Check out this article for a breakdown of some tried and true podcast microphones in different price ranges. 

Recording interfaces

A recording interface refers to the device your audio will actually be recorded on. Smart phones or laptops can work as recording interfaces with the help of apps like Voice Memos (iPhone). 

If you plan on investing some money into your podcast, there are some lower-cost options like this compact audio interface from RØDE. 

Headphones

Many podcasters prefer recording episodes with the help of headphones. Using headphones is a personal preference and not entirely necessary for creating a podcast (unlike microphones and audio interfaces, which are a must). Headphones are helpful for hearing the recording in real time so you can adjust audio levels if needed. 

Step 3: Set up the acoustics

Creating an at-home studio doesn’t have to be expensive. Before you go shopping for the best sound-proofing foam panels out there, try some of these tips for limiting unwanted noise with items you already own:

• If possible, put your set up in a room that’s far away from the road. This will help to minimize the amount of traffic-related sounds in the background of your recording. 
• Record in a room with soft surfaces like a bed or a couch.
• Add cloth materials to the room such as a rug, blankets, pillows, your pile of laundry that still needs to be put away, and any other soft materials that can be added to the room to reduce echo and dampen loud noises.
• Hang blankets or towels on the walls and over windows. This is especially helpful if you live on a busy street.
• If you have heavy moving blankets, those work great as sound dampeners when laid over furniture or hung on the wall.

If you’re serious about limiting noise and want to get fancy with it, there are plenty of options for noise-reducing foam panels and soundproofing curtains available online. 

Still not convinced you can create a studio at home? Try one of our free podcast recording studios! With state of the art recording equipment, our studios are perfect for those looking to get their shows up and running — no strings attached.

Step 4: Record and edit the episodes

Now that you’ve created a podcast brand, gathered some equipment, and set up your recording space, it’s time to start planning your episodes. We cannot stress enough the importance of creating an episode plan, whether that’s making a list of topics to discuss, starting to research a topic, looking for guest speakers, or writing scripts. Putting in the effort ahead of time to organize your future content, however that might look like for you, will make your life as a host just a little bit easier.

When it comes to actually recording the podcast, take advantage of apps like Audacity that offer free software for both recording and editing audio.

TIP: Did you know you can record a podcast on Zoom? Here’s a helpful guide for recording audio through the app. 

Step 5: Choose a podcast hosting platform

In order to get your podcast on the airwaves, you’ll need to hop on a podcast hosting platform. You’ll also need something called an RSS feed to get your podcast online. Let’s dive in:

Podcast Hosting Platforms

When starting a podcast, you need to choose a hosting platform to store all of your audio files. It’s a must for getting your content on the web and for professional formatting. At its core, a podcast hosting platform is a website that provides optimal storage for large audio files and also provides an RSS feed for podcasts. 

With a plethora of podcast hosting platforms out there, it can be pretty overwhelming to decide on one to host your show. Here at LPM, our most used platform is Spreaker. We prefer Spreaker because of its ease of use. On this platform we can see podcast stats including current and total downloads, what apps listeners are using to tune in, where listeners are tuning in from, how many downloads individual episodes receive, and much more.

There are many other beloved podcast hosting websites. Each platform ranges in price per payment and suits different needs better, like business or personal. It all depends on what you’re podcasting for and what you want to get out of it. Here are some of the most used services besides Spreaker:

• BuzzSprout
• RSS.com
• PodBean
• Transistor
• Libsyn

RSS Feeds

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication and consists of the XML files that automatically update information for a computer. In podcasting, RSS feeds contain information about your show, such as titles and descriptions, and are necessary for automatically communicating updates for your podcast with distribution platforms like Apple and Spotify. This ensures that your podcast is always up to date on every publishing platform, saving you from having to update it yourself.  Additionally, RSS feeds will typically be provided by your podcast publishing platform.

Remember:

Expensive equipment won’t get you anywhere in podcasting — it’s the quality of your content that actually matters. Plan ahead, get creative with your recording setup, and enjoy the beginning of your podcasting adventure!