It is estimated that in 2024 there will be 84 million new podcast episodes—and 2 million new programs. Over the past few years of "pandemic life," people previously unfamiliar with podcasts have become interested in this form of entertainment as they frantically searched for other methods to stay connected. “Starting a podcast” became the new “starting a blog”.
According to various podcast statistics, 62% of people aged 12 and older have listened to a podcast, and 79% know what a podcast is. This rising tide of popularity has not gone unnoticed by organizations and companies. Simply put, no one can deny that the industry is experiencing a surge in revenue, and you too can start a podcast and make money.
Analysts attribute the growing popularity of podcasts to the rise of themed programs and unique speakers, including celebrities. The ongoing podcast trends indicate that the popularity of podcasts will continue to rise. You can easily monetize your podcast, using the next part of our guide.
Creating podcasts is easier than making videos. What do you need to start a podcast? Well, all the essentials are a microphone, some editing hardware and software, a topic to discuss and a guest or co-host—and you can get started!
Hardware and software
Before you start recording podcasts, hardware and software are essential.
Professionals can rent a ready-made professional recording studio. However, if you intend to record at home, you'll need a solid setup of podcasting equipment.
Equipment
All you need to start a podcast is a laptop or a desktop computer, a good quality microphone and headphones. You don’t need a webcam - but if you want to make money on Instagram (like many podcasters do), it might come out useful.
A high-quality microphone is a must-have piece of equipment to improve sound quality. Dynamic microphones are recommended for podcasting because they are less sensitive to ambient noise than microphones. Be sure to get a microphone stand, an anti-shake mount and a pop filter to eliminate the crackle effect on sounds like "p" or "b."
Invest in decent headphones, too, which can help you monitor and adjust the sound quality—maintaining sound quality while recording makes editing easier. Also, whether you're listening to a podcast with guests or participating remotely, headphones block out outside noise, allowing you to focus on the sound. However, sound quality is poor on wireless headphones, so it's better to buy a good wired headset.
Additional gear for podcasting
Other gear that will help you record more efficiently will be good XLR cables for connecting your microphone to the mixing table. If you use a sound card mainly for games or movies on a daily basis, you may need a more professional USB sound card. Many of our tips for starting a Youtube channel will also apply.
Audacity is a free audio recording software that many podcasters, even professionals, use. You'll also find it useful to have software to remove noise from voice recordings—such as LALAL.AI.
If you need to interview someone living elsewhere, you can use apps such as Zoom, Google Meet or Waveroom. Another alternative is to allow your guests to record their quotes on their own and send them to you.
Remember that having a complex setup from the get-go is not required. You can gradually upgrade your setup and have a studio with the latest hi-tech equipment as you gain more listeners.
Where to post your podcasts?
You can distribute your podcasts to various streaming services. Fortunately, you don't have to upload the program to each platform separately. If you want your podcast to appear on multiple streaming services, you need an RSS feed—a link containing all the information about your podcast.
You can create the link only once and use it on multiple platforms. Anchor and Castbox are the most popular free platforms for streaming your show and getting RSS links.
Here's a list of the main podcasting apps to sign up for and link your podcast:
- Apple Podcasts is not just for iPhone users—you can download podcasts to your PC or Android phone. In the U.S., however, about 50% of users on an iPhone,
- Spotify - more and more podcasts are moving to the Spotify platform thanks to the Anchor app,
- Google Podcasts - it's easy to find any Podcast here, especially on Android smartphones,
- Audible.com - if you want to monetize your podcast, it is worth starting a partnership with Audible,
- You can also host your podcast on YouTube - but it’s very impractical, since it’s harder to download it and few people want to watch the screen of their phone.
If you want to host a podcast for free, you can upload files for free on archive.org - many beginners use this combined with free blogging sites like tumblr or blogspot.
