A lot of people want to know how to start a podcast of their own. Small wonder, seeing how there are few better ways to express yourself creatively than speaking directly to your listeners. Podcasting knows no limits when it comes to topics and ingenuity. From dieting to ancient languages – there is a podcast for everything, and the number of both creators and listeners has been steadily increasing.
How to make a podcast with a digital voice recorder?
The idea of starting a podcast can be a bit daunting if for a fact that you are going to need equipment. Fortunately, any modern phone has a built-in recorder. Unfortunately, the less-than-perfect quality of homebrew phone sessions might not be enough if you want to get serious about running a podcast. On top of this, a phone is multifunctional, and so you will need it for internet access, or texting, or someone is calling you – things like that can’t be predicted or scheduled.
So the next logical step toward creating a podcast would be to skim the market for recording devices. Most professional sets are made to be used at a studio, so they are the opposite of compact. You are going to need something light and digital, with the ability to transfer recordings to your computer for post-production. You can look into stuff used by reporters, although the quality of sound here is directly proportional to price, or you can search the net for more interesting solutions which would fit your format of choice.
A prime example would be Senstone As a digital voice recorder, not only does it record sound but it’s also screen free and wearable. Each file is automatically downloaded into the cloud and can be accessed later. The tap-and-speak technology makes it possible to work wherever you find inspiring and/or sufficiently quiet. Senstone is especially fit for creating podcasts shorter than average (which is just perfect for beginners) and interviews you might want to take.
How Do I Record a Podcast? Where Do I Start?
Below we offer some advice on how to create a podcast for those who really want to start but don’t know where to dip their toes.
- What are you going to talk about?
Sounds basic, right? But it’s the most important question here. You are going to need to decide on your topic or set of topics and stick to them. Why? For the simple fact that listeners look for very specific content and you want as many subscribers as possible. Inconsistency can only hurt your project, as people who enjoy motivating philosophy aren’t all going to be enthusiastic about you switching to gardening or fiction.
The topic can be extremely narrow (Aleut Grammar) or as broad as one can get away with (Health), as long as you can speak about it at length and find it interesting.
- What is your format?
Again, there is no default option. You can choose to record episodes only a couple of minutes long or dive right in with an hour-long talk. One speaker, two speakers, multiple speakers, dialogue, monologue – it’s all fine. However, beginners should probably start with shorter episodes to get a grasp on editing and postproduction.
- Where are you going to record it?
While postproduction will most likely take place in front of your own computer, production itself can be all over the place, literally. Before you start recording anything, find a location with few distracting noises and sound-absorbing walls. If a bright idea strikes you in the middle of the street, make sure to always have a recorder such as Senstone at the ready.
- How to podcast?
While the question of how to start a podcast can be rather general, the moment when you actually open your mouth to record something is very real and occasionally intimidating. The best you can do to help yourself and make your life easier in this regard is planning.
Planning a podcast comes in two shapes, and you should try and see for yourself which one feels more natural to you.
The first type of planning is nothing more than a detailed outline. A title, a bulleted list of points you want to mention, notes and marks, and that’s it. If you’re eloquent and good at improvisation, this type of planning is going to make you shine.
The second type involves writing down the script of an episode and reading it on record. If you need more time to compose your thoughts or don’t feel comfortable doing type one, this is a great way to plan your podcast too. It prevents you from going off topic as you can edit and proofread everything, and it saves time as well, since you’re going to need fewer takes and less postproduction.
- Where to upload?
When your podcast has successfully survived postproduction, you should consider letting other people enjoy it too. Find a host for your audio and then list it in spotify, podcast iTunesStitcher, and other podcast directories. Don’t forget to title and tag the podcast properly; no one is going to search for “My First Podcast #1”, ever. After you’ve uploaded the file, check if it plays correctly, and you’re all set.
- How to promote?
At the very beginning, you’re going to find that you have only a couple of or even zero views. This is completely normal if you don’t have a large following on social media. Speaking of which, do try to post news of your podcast on your accounts where more people can see them. Join a community on the topic you’re discussing in your podcast and post links to your recordings there.
Now that you know how to start a podcast, be prepared to immerse yourself into one of the most rapidly growing alternatives to the traditional radio. While we have touched upon many significant points in this article, most things are best learned from experience, and if you want to start a podcast, you should do so.
Good luck!
