In the last decade or so, certain trends have dominated the industry. There was the introduction of Social Media, then Online Music Streaming and according to analysts, the next big thing or should we say the current “Big Thing’ is Podcasting.
The term Podcasting is not new, and its roots go back to the 1980s when it was originally referred to as “audio blogging”. But thanks to a massive shift in technology and trends, Podcasting came into reference with the launch of playback devices like the iPod.
The trend of podcasts kept growing at a minimal rate. But as the world went into lockdown last year, the Podcasting industry skyrocketed with experts suggesting over 42% growth in the viewer count. And this rate is expected to grow even further.
With this, the number of aspiring Podcasters also grew. And the course of starting your very own Podcast also became usual. With so many guides and questions floating around the internet, how can you start a podcast?
Well, to answer everything precisely, we have created the perfect go-to guide to Learn How to Start a Podcast Today. Everything from the basics, to hardware and software, we’ve covered all the aspects of podcasting below. So buckle up, and let’s get started!
Why Podcasting?
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Probably one of the most underrated things to do before starting any kind of podcast is ask yourself, why do you want to do it in the first place? Is it some kind of purpose you are seeking or do you just want to become famous?
Whatever the reason is, it should be resourceful enough to keep you inspired through the journey. Starting podcasting may seem easy, but keeping up with the process and growing into a successful podcasting channel can be tiresome.
To Start Things Off
The first step is always the hardest. But once you are past that point, everything can look like a walk in the park.
Initially, you would need to select your genre. And to start with, there are several different genres to pick from. To give you an overview, we’ve given a brief of each type below:
Interview/Conversational podcasts
This is probably the most famous type of podcast out there. You pick guests to feature on a show and discuss various topics through the podcast. Top podcasts like Joe Rogan and Crime Junkie fall under this category.
Monologue podcasts
This podcast falls under the category of “specialist” where you have a one-on-one conversation with your audience on topics such as health issues, political opinions, and even industry gossip.
Storytelling / investigative podcasts
This is a rather growing genre where one uses its storytelling potential to hook the audience through an engaging story.
Roundtable podcasts
This is just an enhanced version of the Interview podcast where you interview multiple guests at once. This type of podcast works best when you can attract some great & engaging personalities to your podcast
Some other types of Podcast
- Theatrical podcasts.
- Repurposed content podcasts.
- Hybrid podcasts.
Choosing the Software
Selecting the software which specifically fulfills all your requirements can be an enduring process. As there are tons of options to choose from, you can either opt for top-rated software like Auphoninc and Adobe Audition, which offers a 360-degree experience but they can turn out to be a bit exorbitant if you are just starting.
Our pick would be something like Boomcaster. It offers a very clean & hassle-free experience for newcomers and even the pricing structure is also moderate. With all this, you also get a ton of storage to play with and a dual recording feature which is extremely handy.
However, if you are looking at specific features that suit your style of Podcasting, then here are some quick suggestions:
1) Pricing
2) User-Friendly
3) Quality (Audio & Video)
4) Storage
Again, this is not a checklist of choosing an online podcast recorder but these are some of the aspects that you should focus on before selecting the perfect pick for you.
Getting the Hardware Part Right!
A basic Podcast-starter kit consists of a great idea, a plan to support that idea, and a set of software & hardware to enhance your work. If you are into professional podcasting, getting industry-standard equipment such as a Camera, Mics and a Studio to shoot is mandatory.
But when you are just a beginner, we suggest you stick to a bare minimum. If you are into video podcasting, you can start with your smartphone camera as most smartphones these days have a pretty good camera.
The same goes for the mic. Although if you can, you should invest in a decent mic as it can greatly enhance the quality of the podcast. But a regular smartphone mic would also work fine.
The Perfect Platform
With so many platforms to choose from, you may fall into a place of uncertainty about where to start. To be precise, certain platforms are suited better to certain types of platforms.
Buzzsprout and Podbean are some of the top free podcast hosting sites available today. These are often referred to as the purist platforms where you can attract loyal audiences to your podcast.
However, you also have the option to choose from budding platforms such as Spotify and Soundcloud. These two are not mainstream podcast hosting platforms, but still, they offer good value to the content and are worth trying.
Summing it up…
So these are the steps that you need to consider before starting your podcast. We’ve tried summing up everything related to the top free podcast hosting platforms which you can use to start your channel by selecting the best online podcast recorder you can get.
We hope this guide helps you in your journey to becoming a top podcaster!
