We cover planning, equipment, recording, editing, hosting, distribution, and growth – plus our own PATH and SCALE frameworks that you won’t find anywhere else. Let’s go…

How to start a podcast: the 10 steps

Click any step to jump straight there.

What does it cost to start a podcast?

This is likely one of the very first questions you have, and that’s totally fair. There are some one-off startup costs for equipment, and then ongoing monthly fees for the software needed to record, edit, and publish your show.

Step 1: Plan your podcast with the PATH framework

Right, let’s create this show! First is the idea behind it, and the strategy. What does it look (sound…?) like?

I’ve developed a framework called PATH. It’s a podcast plan built for compelling content and consistent growth:

• Purpose: why am I doing it?
• Audience: who am I talking to?
• Topic: what am I talking about?
• Hallmark: why should they listen?

Purpose: Why are you making this podcast?

There are two layers here.

Your functional purpose is what you want to achieve: marketing and brand-building, creative expression, community, education, or pure entertainment.

Your personal purpose is deeper. It’s why you need to create this. The reason you’ll still be doing it in 5 years when downloads are slow, and life gets busy. Maybe you survived something hard and want to help others through it. Maybe you’re obsessed with a topic and can’t not share it. The functional purpose is the goal. The personal purpose is why it’s worthwhile, whether you hit that goal or not.

Audience: Who is your podcast for?

You need an ideal listener, but most people stop too early. They describe their listener and move on. The magic is in going deeper.

Your audience has surface-level interests. But underneath? There’s always a deeper pain, fear, or desire.

Surface: “I want to learn marketing”
Deep: “I’m paralysed by contradictory advice. Just tell me what to focus on.”

Surface: “I want commute entertainment”
Deep: “Everything feels heavy. I need someone to make me laugh.”

Surface: “I want to grow my business”
Deep: “I’m working myself to death and have nothing to show for it.”

Find that deep pain, and everything gets clearer: your topic, your content, your growth strategy. Every episode, every title, every social post should speak directly to it.

Topic: What transformation do you deliver?

Your topic is the solution to that deep problem. Not “a marketing podcast” but “no-BS prioritisation for overwhelmed founders.” Not “entertainment” but “your daily dose of joy when everything feels heavy.”

Every podcast delivers a transformation:

• Educational → “I can now confidently do X”
• Entertainment → “I feel lighter and part of something”
• News → “I understand what matters and why”
• Interview → “I see new possibilities”

That transformation might happen in 20 minutes or over 20 episodes. But it’s real, and it’s what keeps people coming back.

Hallmark: Why should they listen to your show specifically?

When you’ve done the work above, your hallmark often emerges naturally. But let’s make it explicit. What makes your delivery unmistakably yours?

• Tight niche: the more specific the problem, the more specific the solution
• Personal angle: your background or perspective nobody else has
• Unique format: structure, length, segments, interactive elements
• Production quality: sound design and polish that sets you apart
• Distinct outcome: the specific feeling listeners walk away with every time

Nail this, and you’ll always know exactly why someone should listen, and why they’ll come back and bring friends.

PATH framework examples: health & fitness, pop culture

Let’s lay out a couple of examples of a nicely defined PATH, so we can see how it works.

The Health & Fitness Show

Purpose: Growing a personal training business, driven by years of hating his own body and believing he was too far gone to change. Nobody should feel that hopeless.

Audience: People in their 30s-40s who are significantly overweight and have failed multiple diets.

• Surface: “I want to lose weight and get fit”
• Deep: “I’ve failed so many times I feel broken. I’m embarrassed to even try. I need someone who gets it.”

Topic: Realistic fitness transformation for people who think they’re too far gone. From “it’s hopeless” to “small actions are actually working.”

Hallmark: A personal trainer who was once 80 pounds overweight. Real talk, not motivational BS. Every episode includes a short HIIT workout (under 10 minutes) with modifications for people starting from zero.

The Pop Culture Podcast

Purpose: A creative outlet for a zombie film obsessive who always felt like the “old guy” in online communities. He wants a space where older fans feel at home.

Audience: Zombie fiction fans in their 40s-60s.

• Surface: “I love zombie films and want to talk about them”
• Deep: “Everything online is aimed at 20-somethings who only know The Walking Dead. I want to geek out about the classics with people who remember them.”

Topic: Zombie film analysis that honours the classics and connects generations of fans. From “I’m too old for this fandom” to “there’s a whole community of us, and our perspective matters.”

Hallmark: Strictly zombie films (not all horror, not all post-apocalyptic). Bridges Romero-era classics with modern takes. Every episode features a guest from a different generation to spark that intergenerational conversation.

Notice how in both cases, the deep problem led naturally to a specific solution, which made the hallmark obvious? That’s PATH working as it should. Know your why, your who, and your transformation, and the how takes care of itself.

Step 2: Choose your show format and episode structure 

Now that we know what kind of show we’re creating, it’s time to figure out how it looks! (or sounds…?). So, when looking at how to start a podcast, what are the most common questions about how it’s delivered?

Solo, co-hosted, or interview: which format is right for you?

The format you choose is really personal and depends on who’s involved. It’s totally up to you!

So, what are the common types of podcast show formats?

The Solo Podcast

Also known as the monologue. You record (sing along!) “all-by-my-seeeeelfff!”

Pros

• Don’t rely on anyone else
• No scheduling conflicts
• Building a reputation individually as the authority
• You call the shots on sponsorship and monetisation
• No need to split the profits with anyone.

Cons

• Intimidating to record alone for the beginner podcaster
• Takes practice to avoid a monotone sound
• Can be less engaging than a conversation

The Co-Hosted Podcast

Presenting alongside a friend or colleague.

Pros

• Avoids the ‘mic fright’ of recording alone
• Good co-hosts create great chemistry and engaging content
• Builds long-term loyalty with two or more hosts
• Can set up a regular recording time to reduce scheduling admin

Cons

• Needs careful agreement over ownership and responsibility
• Need to split earnings
• Have to manage two people’s schedules

The Interview Podcast

‘Borrowing’ the expertise or entertainment value of others.

Pros

• Talk to your heroes, or other really interesting people
• Bring in different points of view & varied expertise
• Grow your network
• Some growth benefits if they share the episode

Cons

• Interviewing is a real skill: it’s hard to do a great interview
• Need to constantly find and approach potential guests
• Booking logistics, and scheduling interviews
• Builds less loyalty since it’s a new person every week
• And less spotlight on building your brand

How long should podcast episodes be?

This always depends on your content, but here are some stats on average podcast episode length:

Don’t worry too much about these figures, though. Ultimately, your episode lengths should be decided by two things.

1. Your content
2. Your audience

If you have 50 minutes of valuable, relevant content, why chop it down to 20? Or likewise, if you’ve said everything you have to say in 10 minutes, why pad it out to 30? If you do go super-long on an interview, just cut it down into two episodes!

Finally, length can actually be a ‘unique’ factor, as I mentioned earlier. Short and snappy 4-minute episodes could suit a certain type of listener, or huge 3-hour in-depth interviews might suit another. Think about whether length might be a deliberate, unique choice for you.

How often should you release new episodes?

So, how often should you podcast? Here’s the answer:

So, if you can only manage once a month, that’s fine. If you can manage every two weeks, even better. If you can manage weekly, that’s great.

You can still have a big impact with a fortnightly or monthly show, but people often plan their lives around what day of the week their favourite shows drop.

That said, sticking to a deadline just for the sake of it is pointless. You’ll have a bigger impact if you put out one excellent episode a month instead of a very average episode every week.

Should you start a video podcast?

It’s funny; in the early days, it was solely about audio podcasts, but these days, it all kind of blends together.

It’s possible to record a video podcast in great quality, using a lot of the call recording platforms you’ll read about in Step 5. But it does introduce a whole lot of extra factors that can make things more difficult.

Here’s my take:

1. Don’t believe the hype; you don’t NEED to do a video podcast. Audio podcasts are still vastly more popular, and extremely powerful. There’s also more time available in the day for folks to listen than there is to watch.
2. Video (good video, at least) can be harder to create and edit. It can also make people more self-conscious, reducing the quality of the content.

So, normally, I’d recommend starting with audio-only and adding video podcasting at a later date if your audience shows a desire for it, or if it just feels like the next natural step.

How to write great podcast episode titles

This is the final thing around formatting, and a really important one to be found in search. Choosing good descriptive episode titles is vital!

Here are two mistakes I see all the time!

Episode numbers or unknown names just get in the way of the ‘hook’. Because the goal of your title is one thing, and one thing only: give them a reason to listen that they just can’t ignore!

• What’s the real meat of the episode?
• If there’s one key takeaway or solution here, what is it?

Some examples of great podcast episode titles are:

• Why You’re Always Tired, & What to Do About It
• How to Launch an Online Business with No Money
• Get Fit in 30 Days With These Simple Strategies

Step 3: Build your podcast brand (name, music, artwork) 

In the world of podcasting, your brand is in all three realms:

Let’s get that sorted before we get into making the thing!

How do I choose a podcast name?

No “how to start a podcast” guide is complete without answering this most common of questions: What the flip do I call the thing?

There are three main camps for choosing a podcast title and naming your show.

• The Clever Name – A catchy or creative title that stands out, but pair it with a descriptive tagline so listeners can actually find it when searching.
• The Descriptive Name – Simply name your show what your audience is already searching for. Less flashy, but great for discoverability. You can still add a little personality to keep it from feeling flat.
• Your Own Name – Best avoided unless you’re already well-known. If you want to use it, add a descriptive element (e.g. Rock Climbing with Mike Smith) so people know what they’re getting.

Finding music for your podcast

There’s no rule to say your show must have music, but many podcasters include a theme to add a bit of polish.

With podcast music, less is more. Keep any intro shorter than 10 seconds, and fade into your voice from there. If you go beyond 10 to 15 seconds, you’ll just train your audience to hit the skip button.

Two great options for finding podcast-safe music are Shutterstock and Epidemic. You can pay monthly to use all of their music and SFX.

How to create podcast cover art

First impressions matter. Your cover art needs to stand out among thousands of shows in Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

• The basics: Go for 3000x3000px (jpeg or png), keep text short and large, and make the overall design bold and simple so it pops as a small thumbnail.
• Creating it: Canva is a great free option with ready-made podcast templates, or hire a freelancer if you’d prefer a professional touch.

Think of your artwork like your podcast name: it needs to balance descriptiveness, personality, and clarity, all in a single image that still works on a tiny phone screen.

Step 4: Set up your podcast equipment 

Once you’ve done the groundwork and planned out your show, it’s time to get to work recording your first episode.

This is where it’s really, really easy to overcomplicate things. Instead, let’s keep it simple, because the bare minimum you need to podcast is a recording device and the internet!

Smartphone recordings can actually be just fine to start out (hold it to your face like you’re doing a call, and hit record!). But, using an external USB microphone is a wise, low-cost upgrade that won’t complicate things.

The best podcast microphone for beginners (our top pick: Samson Q2U)

What is the best podcast microphone for aspiring and early-stage creators? The Blue Yeti might be the most popular, but it’s the Samson Q2U I always recommend to new podcasters. It’s cheaper, sounds better, and you can use it in both USB and XLR form!

The Shure MV7+ is a great mic, too. It’s more expensive than the other two, but it sits in the “high-end” bracket. I’d only recommend buying one if you’ve been podcasting for a while and have a decent budget behind you.

Can I start a podcast with just my phone? 

Yes! Smartphones are powerful little devices, and there’s nothing to stop you running your entire podcast on yours. Recording on your phone is a great, low-barrier, no-cost way to test out whether you like podcasting, too.

If you plan to use your phone beyond a few experimental episodes, add a wireless lavalier kit like the Rode Wireless Micro or BOYA Mini. These will drastically improve your audio and are especially handy if you want to record video, too.

Recommended setups by budget: beginner, standard, pro 

Here are three recommended podcast equipment and setup tiers:

Other useful accessories (boom arm, headphones, recorders)

Mounting your mic on a boom arm doesn’t just make you look and feel like a pro; it drastically improves your presentation, too. Now, you have complete flexibility with your mic positioning, no more hunching over a desk stand, and you can even stand up to record, if you’d prefer.

My favourite boom arm is the Rode PSA1+ ($110), whilst Matthew swears by the IXTech Lizard ($60). You can even mount a Blue Yeti on a boom arm, even though it famously comes with a desk stand built in.

On the podcast headphones front, there’s a chance you might get a pair of over-ear Samson “cans” in a Q2U bundle, and I actually really like those. If you’re looking for something high-end that won’t break the bank, you’ll get a pair of Audio Technica ATH-M20Xs for about $60.

Finally, if you want to run your Q2U in XLR form, or, run any other XLR mic, for that matter, you’ll need an interface or digital recorder. I use the Rode Rodecaster II in the studio, though that’s overkill for most podcasters. Matthew uses the Focusrite Vocaster 2 as a USB audio interface, and you can get those for as little as $60.

If you don’t want to run a USB device into your computer, opt for a Zoom recorder. We’ve used those regularly over the past decade and a half, and our favourites include the Zoom H5, Zoom H6, and Zoom PodTrak P4.

Step 5: Choose your recording and editing software 

Nice work, you’ve plugged in your USB microphone or your audio interface! But how do you capture a podcast recording? How do you edit the audio file? Including audio recording, removing mistakes and background noise reduction, it’s time to pick your podcast software.

The good news is that there are plenty of great packages that do both recording AND editing. Let’s take a look.

Audacity: the best free option

Audacity is the most popular recording and editing software in podcasting. It’s totally free, which makes it an obvious option for many, but it’s also a powerful and flexible platform.

Audacity always felt functional but clunky, though improvements in recent years have totally streamlined it.

With that said, it’ll still be intimidating to complete beginners and could take a bit of time to learn. Audacity also isn’t a call recording platform, so if you want to include remote guests or co-hosts, then you could combine it with Zoom for a free setup, or you might want to look elsewhere.

Alitu: the all-in-one option

Alitu started as a way to make podcast editing as quick and easy as possible. It still offers those benefits today, but has everything else you need to podcast built in, making it an all-in-one podcasting tool.

You can record solo or remotely and in audio or video. Alitu automates all the noise reduction, EQ, compression, and volume levelling for you automatically, and you can remove umhs, ahs, and long pauses at the click of a button. You can also edit video and audio by deleting text from Alitu’s automatically generated transcripts.

Alitu also has podcast hosting, so you can publish and distribute your episodes to Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all the other apps without needing a separate login or subscription.

You can give Alitu a trial run, free for seven days, and test it all out for yourself!

Remote recording: what to use if you have guests 

I’ve already mentioned Alitu, which has everything you need to record remotely. There are many other top-quality remote recording platforms out there, too, from Riverside and Zencastr to Descript and Iris.fm. Honestly, there isn’t much to split these tools nowadays.

Other podcast software options

Beyond remote recording, you also have a bounty of choices when it comes to podcast editing software. Again, you can use Alitu or Audacity for all of your editing and production needs, but platforms like Reaper, Hindenburg, and Adobe Audition are popular among podcasters, too.

Step 6: Record your first podcast episode 

Time to get this thing down on tape. Or… the 21st-century equivalent, anyway! Let’s cover presentation skills and recording that audio.

How to script (or outline) your episode

Finally, we’re ready to hit ‘Record’! But what will you say? That’s where podcast scripting comes in. Here are two tips:

Word-for-word scripts give you confidence & cover the details, but they’re time-consuming to write & hard to read naturally.
Create a bullet-point outline to guide you, but one that keeps you flexible and conversational when recording.

The intimate nature of podcasting is far more suited to a conversation rather than a sermon. Feel free to use more detailed scripts in the early days, but try to work towards more flexible, natural outlines over time.

Mic technique: how to sound great on your first recording

Before trying to optimise your technique, you need to get used to being behind the mic and talking into it – especially if you’re recording a solo show.

This is hard when you start out, no question. Here’s some advice:

• Put a photo or teddy (?!) on a chair behind the mic, to have a ‘person’ to talk to.
• Imagine your audience avatar in your head: speak to them.
• Take confidence in the fact that you have a message to share, and there are people who want to hear it!

Feeling comfortable and confident behind the mic will take time and practice, or “reps” as they call it in the training world.

This isn’t an overnight process, and I know some very experienced and accomplished presenters who openly admit that they still get butterflies when they sit down to record.

The first few minutes are usually the trickiest, and then you’ll find your groove.

Of course, we also need to think about mic technique to help you sound your best.

A large part of this is simply the distance between your mouth and the microphone.

The optimal distance varies from person to person, because our voices vary, as do the default volumes we each seem to speak at.

But, a great starting point here is to stretch out your pinkie and thumb so their tips are the furthest away they can be from one another. Try that distance, then adjust accordingly.

If you find yourself up pretty close to it, you might also want to talk slightly to the side of the mic, rather than straight down its barrel. This will go a long way towards preventing annoying plosives.

If the room you’re recording in is quite echoey and reverberous, then I’d recommend getting up close to your mic – that can prevent a lot of the reflective sounds from spoiling your vocals.

Of course, it’s better if you record in a decent environment whenever possible, which brings us nicely to our next section…

How to treat your recording space (without spending money)

If you don’t want your podcast to sound like it’s been recorded down a well or inside a cave, then choose a room in your home with the most soft furnishings and surfaces.

Typically, this will be a bedroom. Some podcasters literally record in their closets or in front of open wardrobes, as all of those hanging clothes absorb sound waves, rather than reflect them.

One of my favourite tricks is to pop your mic inside a cat bed or cat house, which creates a mini “studio” around it. Sound treatment doesn’t need to extend to the entire room – only the area around the mic.

Video podcast hype has made life harder for aspiring and early-stage creators because it puts pressure on them to shoot video from day one. This means you aren’t just trying to get good sound, you’re trying to make it visually appealing, too – and often, the two are at odds with one another.

So learn how to make great audio before you try to crack video. Especially if you’re recording at home with a “use what you have” approach.

What to do when you make a mistake mid-recording

There are two ways to approach “mistakes” during your recording sessions.

The first is the ‘recover and move on’ route. This is when you get slightly tongue-tied or trip over a word. These are completely natural occurrences in human speech and, honestly, I’d just recover and get on with it.

The second is if you’ve properly botched something. Maybe you’ve misread an important fact, or you realise that you’re waffling and over-explaining something and would prefer another stab at it.

For the second instance, I’ve always recommended the three-click or three-clap approach. Pause for a few seconds, then click your fingers (or clap) three times in front of the mic, take a breath, and take that section from the top.

This means that, when it comes to editing, you’ll see those edit points immediately in your waveform, which makes cutting out those mistakes a quick and easy process!

Step 7: Edit your podcast episode

Gear: check!

Software: check!

Irrational hatred of your own recorded voice: check!

But you’ve recorded it anyway. Strong move. Now, how do we polish it up nice, so it can be catapulted out into the world?

This is where you take your podcast recording, edit out mistakes, stitch together audio clips, add music or FX, and make sure it all sounds great with EQ, levelling, compression, and more. Let’s look at how it all works.

How much editing do you actually need to do?

From awkward pauses to uhms and ahs, there is no shortage of things you could edit out in the post-production phase. But it’s unlikely you’re starting a podcast to spend hours selecting and deleting sections of waveforms.

Let’s be straight – most podcasters don’t enjoy editing, it’s just a necessary part of the process if you want to make something good. So how do we get through it as quickly and painlessly as possible?

I’ve included a few of my video tutorials here because editing is such a visual thing. It’ll be much easier for you to quickly watch what I do, rather than read me trying to explain it!

The essential edits: top-and-tail, mistakes, and audio cleanup

If you’re using a tool like Alitu, you can edit by deleting text from the auto-generated transcript, and you can remove all the ums and ahs automatically at the touch of a button.

I wouldn’t recommend removing filler words manually if you’re using a DAW such as Audacity, though. It’ll just grind, become unsustainable, and make you want to quit.

In Audacity, I’d simply top and tail the file, then remove any obvious disruptions like phones ringing, doors knocking, or coughing fits.

Now and then, there might also be sections of the conversation that you will want to prune, too. But don’t over-edit, in the main. And if your crutch words bother you, use them as fuel to improve your presentation skills rather than leaning on editing as a crutch.

How to set your audio levels

Editing out mistakes is only one aspect of post-production. Cleaning up and levelling out the audio is an essential step, and can really hurt your sound if done poorly.

In podcasting, we have a loudness standard measured in what’s known as “LUFS”. This stands for “Loudness Units relative to Full Scale”.

The above video shows you how to make your episode “loud enough” in Audacity by setting mono episodes to -19LUFS and stereo episodes to -16LUFS. I’d always recommend working in mono, unless you’re making something like an audio drama or fully soundscaped documentary-style show.

Then, the video below shows you how to clean up any annoying background hiss from your audio using Audacity.

Audacity is a great podcasting editing package, but everything is very manual, and it can take a wee bit of time to learn.

If you’re using Alitu, on the other hand, then all the noise reduction, EQ, compression, and volume levelling is handled for you automatically, so you don’t need to worry about any of this.

Alitu’s noise reduction capabilities are pretty incredible, and it can rebuild your voice and bring it on-mic if you mess up your recording, too. Check out the following sound samples, and you’ll hear what I mean:

Here’s an example of Alitu’s incredible automatic noise reduction in action.

And here’s how Alitu automatically sharpens up a recording to eliminate reverb and bring your voice ‘on mic’.

Remember, this is all handled for you – in Alitu, you don’t need to learn how it works, or ever hear the term “Loudness Units relative to Full Scale” again in your life

Adding your intro, outro, and music

The video below shows you how to edit your entire episode in minutes, using Alitu.

A big part of this is piecing together segments like your intro, main conversation or interview, along with any ads or CTAs. Then, any intro or outro music can be faded in and out at the beginning and end of the episode.

With your music, you don’t really want any more than about seven seconds at the start, before you come in with your intro. You might love your fancy new theme tune, but your listeners are here to listen to you – so don’t make them feel like they’re on hold to a call centre!

If you’re using Audacity, then the video below shows you how to add your music and piece together your segments in the multitrack editor.

Again, Audacity isn’t complicated; it’s just a lot less streamlined and a lot more hands-on. Maybe you prefer the granular control, it’s totally down to whatever works best for you!

How to export your episode, ready for publishing

Alright then, now that your episode is as ready as it’ll ever be, how do we gift wrap it for the world to hear? You need to turn that editing session into a single audio file.

That’s (shock of shocks!), really easy to do in Alitu as you simply hit the “build episode” button, as shown in my video above.

In Audacity, there are a few more steps and options, but nothing too complicated if you’ve come this far.

In your Audacity project, go to File > Export Audio. A wee window will pop up.

My recommended settings are:

• MP3 file
• Mono
• Sample rate of 44100Hz
• Constant Bit Rate Mode
• Bit Rate Quality of 96 kbps

And export the entire project.

A quick word on bit rates, I opt for 96 kbps on spoken-word mono audio. This balances decent quality with a modest file size. If I’m making an audio drama or highly-produced piece with music beds, transitions, etc, I’d go with stereo at 128 kbps.

So now that we have that audio file, what on earth do we do with it? That’s where podcast hosting comes in…

Step 8: Choose a podcast hosting platform

When it comes to getting your podcast out there for everyone to hear, you’ll need a podcast hosting platform, sometimes called a media host.

What does a podcast host actually do? 

This is one of the great things about podcasting – you don’t need to upload your episode everywhere. You create one single account to publish your show, and it handles the distribution for you.

That means you set up your podcast inside your hosting account. You enter the name, the description, choose a category, upload its cover art, and this is the place you’ll upload all your episodes, too.

Our recommended podcast hosts: Alitu, RSS.com, Captivate, Castos

I use a few different podcast hosting providers, and you can read what I think of them in that dedicated roundup. But here’s the TLDR;

• Alitu: Hosting tied in with call recording, audio editing & audio cleanup, plus podcast analytics, transcriptions, podcast distribution and more.
• RSS.com: Superb value-for-money service, fully localised in three languages (English, Spanish, and Italian), which includes customer support.
• Captivate: Growth-focused podcast hosting, with tools like media kit generation, dynamic ad insertion, multiple podcasts, podcast distribution and excellent podcast analytics.
• Castos: a host focused on private podcasting & linked with a strong production service.
• Transistor: another top-quality long-running podcast host with brilliant people behind it.

Can I host a podcast for free?

Yes, you can host a podcast for free on a few different hosting platforms, including Spotify. Though, in my opinion, RSS.com have the best free tier offer out there right now.

If you’re just testing out podcasting to see if it might be a fun hobby, then this will be more than good enough. However, if you start to take your show more seriously and want to grow and monetize, then I’d upgrade to their paid tier, which is superb value at less than $12 a month!

Step 9: Submit your podcast to Apple, Spotify, and other directories

Once you’ve created your show inside your podcast host of choice, you can then link them up to all the listening apps and directories out there. The many places where listeners can discover, subscribe to, and download your show.

How to submit to Apple Podcasts

Apple Podcasts accounts for 36.5% of all podcast consumption from the 114,000+ shows hosted on Buzzsprout. It’s the most popular podcast listening platform, and you’ll definitely want to add your show there.

Most hosting providers have a simple one-click ‘submit to Apple’ button in their interface. Here’s a screenshot from inside Alitu.

However, I’d still recommend submitting to Apple manually, because you’ll get access to some brilliant analytics in Apple Podcasts Connect. In the future, this will enable you to calculate a total ‘listen time’ metric that comes in handy if you want to work with podcast sponsors.

Submitting to Apple manually isn’t hard; you just need to go to podcastsconnect.apple.com and have an active Apple account to sign in with.

You’ll also need to have your show set up in your hosting account with at least one published episode (even a 30-second trailer will do). Grab your RSS link from your hosting provider, paste it into Apple Podcasts Connect, and it’s all straightforward. The following video walks you through it.

One of the best things about being in Apple Podcasts is that it automatically puts your show in almost all the other apps and directories. Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, CastBox, Overcast… they all use the Apple Podcasts API, making mass distribution so much easier for you.

How to submit to Spotify

Buzzsprout shows Spotify a comfortable second behind Apple Podcasts with 27% of consumption share. This is another no-brainer place to submit if you want to maximise your podcast’s reach.

The process is quite similar to Apple’s. Go to creators.spotify.com and log in or create an account.

Click on the user icon in the very top-right corner, then ‘Add a new show’. Then choose ‘Find an existing show’ > ‘Somewhere else’, and paste in your RSS link.

Again, all straightforward, but if you want to be walked through it visually, then start at about 4:09 on the video tutorial below.

One good thing about being in Spotify is that you can get episode comments, run polls, and team up with other podcasters to recommend one another. And they offer some really good analytics, too, including listen time data, audience demographics, and the music tastes of your listeners!

Other key directories: Amazon Music and more

If Apple Podcasts and Spotify account for 63.5% of consumption, and that’s before you consider the many other places you get into via Apple’s API, then you’re pretty well set at this stage.

You’ve maybe heard of Google Podcasts and Stitcher, but these have both gone to that big podcast directory party in the sky and are no longer active.

That leaves a few notable places worth submitting to, but most are clever enough to find your show and list it automatically, especially if you’ve been publishing for a few weeks or months.

• If you’re not in Amazon Music/Audible, head over to podcasters.amazon.com and click “Add or Claim Your Podcast”.
• For iHeartRadio, here’s where you can check the directory, and if it isn’t there, here’s where to submit.
• If you’re not in The Podcast Index, email them at info@podcastindex.org
• If you’re not in Pandora, you can submit it through Simplecast Creator Connect.
• If you’re not in Deezer, you can submit your RSS feed directly through Deezer Podcasters.
• If you’re not in TuneIn, use the ‘Add a Podcast’ option in their Broadcaster Portal

Anywhere we’ve not covered? What, like, a place starting with Y and ending in Tube…?

Where to upload your video podcast: YouTube, Spotify Video, and Apple Podcasts

I’ll start off by saying that you can (and should) get your show on YouTube even if you don’t record video. In fact, there’s evidence to suggest that many YouTube podcast consumers listen away from the screen anyway.

Many hosting providers offer an easy “publish to YouTube” option, where they’ll post your new episodes to your YouTube channel as “videos” which simply show your cover art and play the audio. And if they don’t offer this, you can submit your RSS feed to YouTube, and it’ll work in the same way.

The second thing to mention here is that, if you were amazed at how streamlined and synchronous audio podcast distribution is, you’ll be brought right back down to earth by video podcast distribution.

In this fragmented landscape, a video podcaster needs to upload their episodes separately to Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts (via your hosting provider).

Video Podcasts on YouTube

Go to the YouTube Studio section and click the ‘create’ button in the top right corner. Then, select ‘New Podcast’.

You’ll see three options:

• Create a new podcast
• Set an existing playlist as a podcast
• Submit RSS feed

Submitting your RSS feed is the most “hands-off”. It’ll add your new episodes automatically, though they will be audio-only static image “videos”. If you record actual video episodes, you’ll need to upload them manually and mark them as podcast episodes.

Video Podcasts on Spotify

In Spotify for Creators, go to your episode list, click the three dots beside an episode, and upload a full video version. The video plays exclusively on Spotify and won’t affect how the episode appears in other podcast apps.

It’s worth mentioning that Spotify now pulls the audio directly from the video file, even for listeners who only tune in for audio. This also means dynamic ad insertion is disabled for that episode. Something to factor in if sponsorship revenue is part of your model!

Video Podcasts on Apple Podcasts

To further complicate matters, Apple’s new way of supporting video podcasts does things differently, too.

To be fair to them, this is handled in your media host, rather than having to upload directly to Apple. But, rather than being tied to your RSS feed, this is a technology known as HLS.

Podcast hosting providers that support HLS video include Captivate, Buzzsprout, Transistor, RSS.com, Blubrry, and Libsyn, and that list is growing all the time.

You might have to upgrade your hosting subscription to access HLS video distribution, and, as I’ve said already, you should probably launch with audio-only until you find your feet and your voice. Video can always come later!

Launch with a trailer or episode zero first

You need to have at least one published episode in your feed before you start submitting it. A quick and easy way to do this is to create a podcast trailer, or episode zero. This way, you can ensure you’re listed on all popular platforms in time for you dropping your first “proper” episode.

A podcast trailer should be between 30-60 seconds long and offer a succinct hook for potential listeners – what’s it about, who’s it for, what will they get out of it, and where can they find it?

Five to seven minutes is a decent length for an Episode Zero, giving you a little more room to lay out your plans. Just keep in mind that this shouldn’t be a brainstorming session – come to the mic armed with a confident plan rather than some half-formed thoughts and a lot of “might”s.

Step 10: Launch your podcast and get your first 100 listeners 

Once you’ve set up your podcast launch, that’s when you’ll move on to thinking about podcast promotion, building your listener base, and maybe even earning a crust from your show.

Your launch week plan: what to do before and on day one

I know… this is a huge article, but there are a lot of steps to this whole process!

Here’s a handy podcast launch checklist for you now, focusing on the lead-up to your launch, and your show’s first week.

The SCALE framework: how to grow your audience 

When it comes to podcast promotion, growth and visibility, I work with the SCALE Framework:

SCALE is a practical framework for sustainable podcast growth. It’s not about gaming algorithms or chasing viral moments. It’s about doing the right things, consistently, in the right order.

Here’s what each letter stands for:

S – Syndication

Be everywhere your audience listens and searches. Submit your show to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and YouTube as a minimum. The beauty of podcasting is that once your RSS feed is live, you can reach listeners on platforms you’ve never even heard of. Don’t limit your show’s reach by only showing up in one or two places.

C – Communities and Collaboration

Grow through people, not just platforms. That means building relationships with other podcasters in your niche, collaborating on episodes, swapping trailers, and guesting on each other’s shows. It also means nurturing the audience you already have – running listener surveys, responding to feedback, and building the kind of fan culture that makes people recommend your show without being asked.

A – Advertising

Strategic spend can accelerate growth at the right moment. Podcast listening apps like Overcast are often more effective than social ads for reaching new listeners, because you’re already in front of people who actively listen to podcasts. That said, a creative guerrilla marketing campaign can be just as effective for those without a budget.

L – Live and In-Person

Don’t underestimate the offline world. Events, conferences, panels, and even vox pops out in the street can all put your show in front of people who’d never find it through a search. Real-world connections build a different kind of loyalty than online ones.

E – Email and Engagement

Your email list is your most reliable channel. Unlike social media, it doesn’t rely on an algorithm deciding whether your audience sees what you share. Use it to send show notes, promote episodes, and build a direct relationship with your listeners. Pair it with strong calls to action at the end of each episode – not just asking for reviews, but asking listeners to share the show with one specific person they think would love it.

Try at least a few of these methods in the first few months, and you’ve every chance of reaching far more of your target audience!

What are good podcast download numbers?

Podcast hosting services offer download stats, which help you gauge how your show is doing. You can also get some platform-specific data from the likes of Spotify, Apple Podcasts Connect, and YouTube.

Download stats can become an obsession, especially when comparing yourself to any popular podcast. But there are so many variables when it comes to what are “good” download numbers. You might be surprised to learn that many successful podcasters thrive with “only” a few hundred downloads per episode.

For reference, here’s a handy breakdown of the average downloads of the 114,000+ shows on the Buzzsprout podcast hosting platform.

These numbers are based on the performance of new episodes within the first week of their release:

• Top 1% – 4,611
• Top 5% – 1,012
• Top 10% – 413
• Top 25% – 101
• Top 50% – 28

So if you can get more than 28 downloads per episode, that essentially puts you in the top 50% of all podcasts – a very realistic early goal for any podcaster, no matter their topic or genre.

But ultimately, try not to compare yourself with others. Just try to improve every week, look after those who are already listening, and your show will start to gather momentum!

Can you make money from a podcast?

It’s totally possible to earn money from your podcast, and many do. It goes without saying that you need to put the work in to deliver quality content consistently over a long period of time. But, of course, this How to Start a Podcast guide has helped you lay the groundwork on that front

Once you’ve built an audience – even a “numerically small” one – there are loads of podcast monetization doors open to you. Here are a few you can try in the early days:

Affiliate links

If you ever mention any products or services they use, you could use affiliate marketing to earn commissions from your recommendations. Amazon has an affiliate program, which can be a good place to start.

Donations

A simple tip jar option for your fans is a low-hanging fruit. Sign up to Ko-Fi or Buy Me a Coffee and make it part of your end-of-episode Call to Action.

Sponsorship or ads

If your topic is quite niche, you could potentially negotiate a sponsorship with a business from episode one. I’ll not pretend this is simple, but if you find the right fit, it can be hugely beneficial to both parties.

Premium & exclusive content

You can use a platform like Patreon and encourage listeners to become paid subscribers. Bonus content is a good incentive – just record an extra 15 minutes each episode and put that section behind a paywall.

Podcast merch

Selling podcast merchandise is arguably more of a marketing tool than a monetization scheme. But setting up a Teepublic, Teespring, or PodSwag store can bring in a small amount of passive income over the years.

Frequently asked questions about starting a podcast

Here are the common questions we get asked about launching podcasts.

How much does it cost to start a podcast?

It doesn’t need to cost anything other than time. You can record for free on your phone or laptop, edit in Audacity or GarageBand, and publish for free using RSS.com or Spotify.

But if you plan to level up, a great mic like the Samson Q2U will cost about $80. You can also get all your recording, editing, and hosting tools under one roof with Alitu for $38/month.

Do I need a website for my podcast?

You can run a podcast without one, but there are benefits to running a website alongside your show – especially if you choose to sell products or services.

Fortunately, you don’t need to be a web designer to get a decent website. Most hosting providers provide one by default, and you can level up even more without any technical knowledge by using a service like Podpage.

How many episodes should I launch with?

You’ll need at least a trailer or Episode Zero live in your feed before you can submit to Apple, Spotify, and the rest. If we’re talking “proper” episodes, three is good for giving new listeners more time with you, but launching with one is absolutely fine.

How long does it take to start a podcast?

The planning stage could be months of thinking, or an afternoon with a coffee and a notepad. The nuts and bolts of recording, publishing, and distributing can all be done in about a week, amongst work and family life.

What is the best podcast hosting platform?

Honestly, there’s no single “best”, just a lot of great options. Check out Cativate, Transistor, Buzzsprout, RSS.com, Castos, or there’s Alitu if you want your recording and editing tools included.

Is it too late to start a podcast in 2026?

For perspective, there are an estimated 1.43 billion websites on the web. At the time of writing, The Podcast Index shows that there are fewer than 4,700,000 podcasts. Many of the biggest podcast hits of 2027 haven’t even launched yet. If you don’t launch, yours certainly won’t be one of them!

Ready to start your podcast?

We’ve covered a lot in this guide so that you’re armed with everything you need to launch. But the good news is, you don’t need to know or do it all at once.

Starting, running, and growing a podcast is a big project when you look at it from afar. But like any big project, it won’t feel overwhelming if you break each step down to simple “what’s next?” bite-sized chunks.

I’m not going to say that nothing about this is hard. Creating a show that people love… growing an audience… that takes work. It’s not easy – but it’s the fun type of work.

And the challenging work should always be in the topic, the content, and the messaging. Tools, gear, and tech should never stand in your way. They’re the means to get your voice out there, and they should do nothing other than enable you.

So I’ll give one final shout-out for Alitu, an all-in-one place to record, edit, and publish your podcast. Even if you’re a complete beginner in the non-techy camp, you’ll be amazed at how simple it all is. Try it free for seven days, and I’m certain you’ll agree!

Most people already have a preferred app or platform to get their podcast fix. These are sometimes referred to as “Podcatchers”.

One of your jobs as a creator is to make sure you meet your audience where they are. So, you might be asking, “Where should I submit my podcast?”

The good news is… you’ve come to the right place. With a couple of clicks, I’ll help you list your show in podcast directories and apps you didn’t even know existed. Let’s get into it.

Quick-Start Podcast Distribution

If you’re short on time and just looking to get started as quickly as possible, here’s the thing. Submitting your show to Apple (which I cover in more depth below) means you’ll automatically appear in most other places podcasts are consumed.

Then, take another moment to submit your podcast to Spotify. Hosting giant Buzzsprout shows Spotify as the number-two place where podcasts are consumed.

Having your podcast on Apple and Spotify will cover around 58% of the listening market, and remember, your Apple listing gets you into a load of smaller apps, too.

That’s the bulk of the work done already. Easy, eh?

So, in summary, do a soft launch of your podcast by publishing a trailer or Episode Zero. This gives you the “one published episode” podcast directories require before you can submit to them. Then, tell Apple and Spotify about it.

Bookmark this Best Podcast Directory List guide to come back to once the dust has settled. There are still a few gaps to fill in where you can list your podcast.

Of course, if you’re ready to learn more about them right now, then read on…

Podcast Distribution Must-Knows

Just in case this isn’t quite clear yet, let’s make sure we understand how it all ties together. There are two stages to podcast distribution, and some clarity might be needed if you’re totally new to it all:

1. YOU upload your episode files to a podcast hosting platform. That’s where they’re stored on the web.
2. YOU, with the help of your hosting platform, register your podcast with the directories, apps, and platforms where podcasts are found.
3. Those apps and directories handle distribution, while your host handles delivery.

Think of your hosting platform as the central hub where you upload your content, and the following apps and directories as the places where it can be discovered and consumed.

And the good news is that submitting your podcast to directories or apps is a one-time process. Once it’s done, all of your episodes will appear in them automatically, so you only ever need to upload content to your hosting provider.

Best Podcast Directory, App, & Podcatcher List for Maximum Distribution

So now that we’ve cleared that up, let’s get that podcast distributed far and wide…

1. Apple Podcasts

Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes) is and has always been one of the top podcasting platforms. Most podcasters see the bulk of their downloads coming via Apple.

To submit to Apple Podcasts, you need to go through the Apple Podcast Connect system and navigate to My Podcasts.

You can find a full guide on how to get into Apple Podcasts / iTunes here.

Being listed in Apple Podcasts also gets you into Overcast, Podcast Addict, Castbox, and many, many more by default. If you’re serious about your podcast, submitting to Apple is ESSENTIAL.

2. Spotify

Spotify are another major player in podcasting, accounting for around 24% of overall consumption.

One of Spotify’s strengths is that you can use it to host your podcast. They also offer their podcast hosting service for free, which makes it appealing to zero-budget and dabbling hobbyist podcasters.

Spotify for Podcasters was recently rebranded as Spotify for Creators. You can log in here to submit podcasts hosted elsewhere or upload content directly to Spotify via its hosting and distribution tools.

Spotify is really pushing video podcasting right now, and if you have a visual component to your podcast, then it’s a good place to publish those, alongside YouTube.

Here’s our full guide on how to get your podcast on Spotify

3. YouTube

Video streaming giant YouTube supports podcasting, even if you don’t record a video element for your show.

Assuming you already have a YouTube/Google account, go to YouTube Studio and click the ‘create’ button in the top right corner. Then, select ‘New Podcast’. You’ll see three options:

1. Create a new podcast
2. Set an existing playlist as a podcast
3. Submit RSS feed

Submitting the RSS feed of your audio-only podcast means new episodes will be published to YouTube with static image backgrounds of your cover art as the “video”. Some hosting providers (Transistor, RedCircle, Libsyn) also have dedicated tools for publishing episodes to YouTube in this manner.

You can mark any YouTube playlist to be categorised as “a podcast”, and you can set any YouTube-uploaded content to be marked as episodes within that podcast, too.

Check out our full guide on how to put a podcast on YouTube for more details.

4. Amazon/Audible

Amazon has its finger in every pie, and podcasts are no exception. Amazon, along with its audiobook wing Audible, is becoming an increasingly popular place to find and listen to podcasts.

The process here is pretty simple. In fact, if your podcast has been around for a while, it’s probably already in there.

Nevertheless, you can still ‘claim’ your show on Amazon to access analytics and verify ownership. To do this, head over to podcasters.amazon.com and click “Add or Claim Your Podcast”.

5. iHeartRadio

The iHeartRadio app has more than 188 million registered users and can be accessed across 500+ platforms and over 2,000 connected devices, including smartphones, smart speakers, tablets, gaming consoles, TVs, wearables, virtual assistants, and in-car systems.

If your podcast already exists in Apple Podcasts, it’s likely already showing on iHeartRadio, but there’s no harm in making sure. Here’s where you can check the directory, and if it isn’t there, here’s where to submit.

6. The Podcast Index

The Podcast Index is an open-source podcast directory. This means that anyone can add to it, much like Wikipedia. As of May 2026, it is well over four and a half million podcasts big. And it’s growing fast.

The good news is that your show is probably showing here already, but if, for some reason, it isn’t, you can email them at info@podcastindex.org

Here’s our full guide on how to submit your podcast to The Podcast Index.

7. Pandora

Pandora is one of the biggest audio streaming platforms in the US and has steadily expanded its podcast offering over the past few years. Though it isn’t as dominant in podcasting as Apple or Spotify, it still has a sizeable listener base and is worth submitting to, especially if you’re targeting a US audience.

Unlike many podcast apps, Pandora has historically been a bit more selective about the shows it accepts. Nowadays, though, the submission process is much more straightforward, and many hosting providers can distribute there automatically.

If your podcast isn’t already listed, you can submit it through Simplecast Creator Connect.

8. Deezer

Deezer is a music streaming platform with podcast support built-in. It’s particularly popular in parts of Europe, Latin America, and France, and while it probably won’t drive huge download numbers for most podcasters, it’s another useful place to have your show indexed.

Submitting to Deezer is simple. If your podcast is already listed in Apple Podcasts or other major directories, there’s a good chance Deezer has already picked it up automatically. If not, you can submit your RSS feed directly through Deezer Podcasters.

9. TuneIn

You can now get your podcast on TuneIn again, Podnews reported in April 2026. In the past, TuneIn maintained a rather archaic manual submission process and possibly buckled under the strain in mid-2024. But there’s now an ‘Add a Podcast’ option in their Broadcaster Portal, making it another worthwhile place to check your show is listed!

10. What About Stitcher & Google Podcasts?

Imagine podcast distribution as a High Street or shopping centre. Some places are busy, thriving hubs, but you’ll see the odd boarded-up store here and there.

Stitcher

The once-mighty Stitcher formerly occupied second place in this list, with a share of around 5% of total podcast downloads. Sadly, the platform faded in recent years and was closed for good in August 2023.

Google Podcasts

Google Podcasts was one of Google’s half-hearted forays into podcast distribution, but the platform was a damp squib and suffered a fairly drawn-out closure between mid-2023 and 2024. It’s safe to say Google’s podcasting eggs are now firmly in the YouTube basket.

Podcast Distribution Is a One-Off, Podcast Creation Isn’t

With its recording, production, and hosting tools, Alitu brings everything you need to capture, edit, and publish your podcast into one place.

It automatically cleans up your audio and balances levels, offers instant filler-word removal, and allows you to edit audio or video simply by editing the transcript text.

Sound like a fit? Try it free for seven days and see how it works for you.

There’s a lot of brilliant podcast gear on the market these days. But too much choice can be overwhelming, and often, people will spend a lot more than they need to.

Listen, follow, or subscribe on your podcast app of choice!

Nobody likes to feel ripped off, so let’s look at the cost of podcast equipment based on your unique needs, wants, and budget.

What Podcast Equipment Will I Need?

The type of show you want to run will determine the equipment you need. Here, I’ll look at the different pieces of kit required to record the most common types of podcasts.

A quick heads up, too, that we sometimes use affiliate links when recommending certain products. This means we may earn a small commission if you were to buy through them, though never at any extra cost to you.

With that all said, what podcast equipment do you need, and how much does it cost?

A USB Microphone: $50-$100

A USB mic setup comes with the assumption that you’ve already got a PC/laptop/Mac, and that you’ve installed the audio-editing software Audacity, which is free. Audacity is great if you’re recording a solo show. However, if you’d like to do online/remote interviews or conversations, check out our best call recorder tools roundup.

The quality of USB mics has come on leaps and bounds these past few years. In my opinion, the best overall option remains the Samson Q2U or the ATR2100 because you can also use them with digital recorders and audio interfaces further down the line.

In our 2024 Podcast Gear Survey, the Q2U was found to be the second most popular mic. You might naturally wonder about the most popular, the Blue Yeti, but I don’t think it’s worth paying $90-$110 when you can get the (much better) Q2U for cheaper.

Aside from the mic itself, you just need to plug in some headphones. Yes, you can buy yourself a high-end pair of studio headphones, but you can just as easily use the trusty set of earbuds you have lying around. The Q2U is often found in bundle deals with headphones included.

For the vast majority of people, this is all you need to make a podcast. You can be up and running with an excellent kit for less than $100.

Naturally, there are more high-end USB mic options out there too. The Shure MV7+ or the Rode Procaster will give you top-of-the-range sound quality, but you’ll pay anywhere between $150 and $280 for the privilege. Find out more about them in our Best USB Mics roundup.

But what if you don’t own a computer, or don’t want to be tied to one for recording your podcast? Then, a smartphone setup might be more suited to your needs.

Smartphone Podcast Equipment ($45-$135)

The average smartphone offers many options for recording audio and video. In the short term, you can get away with using it without any additional equipment. Still, if you’re serious about growing an audience, you’ll want to upgrade your audio sooner or later.

We’re well-catered to for affordable smartphone audio now with the BOYA Mini and Rode Wireless Micro. Both setups are pretty similar—you plug a wireless receiver into your phone and connect a wireless transmitter (mic) to your jersey and another to that of your guest or co-host, if you have one.

But if you don’t want to use a computer or a phone, what next?

A Digital Recorder ($100-$400+)

Some podcasters naturally prefer dedicated single-use technology. If you’d rather keep your computer for work and your phone for doom-scrolling, then a digital recorder could be right up your alley.

Lower Cost Digital Recorder Setups

The Tascam DR-05X ($80) and Zoom H1n ($90) are two great entry-level digital recorders, perfect for on-the-go podcasters.

Both have built-in mics, and you can record directly into them, either solo recordings or chats with guests and co-hosts.

Sound quality will always be limited when sharing a mic, and you can optimise this setup by plugging Lavalier mics into the H1 via a splitter, though this can triple your podcast equipment cost.

Higher Cost Digital Recorder Setups

The H1’s bigger cousins, the Zoom H5 and Zoom H6 come in at between $200 and $300, respectively. These recorders are chunkier, more powerful, and can record XLR mics on multitrack. Bear in mind that you won’t pay much less than $100 for each XLR mic you use. Again, you can simply record into the recorder’s built-in mics, but this will limit your overall audio quality.

An alternative to the H5 and H6 is the Zoom PodTrak P4. At only $150, the P4 is a cheaper option, and comes with call recording capabilities. On the flip side, it doesn’t have built-in mics, so you’d need to buy at least one XLR mic to make use of it.

Mixers & Audio Interfaces ($85-$700+)

Audio interfaces are the bridge between using XLR mics and podcasting on your computer.

I’ve owned a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 for about 15 years, and it remains the most popular audio interface among podcasters. Now in its 4th Generation, you’d be looking at about $200 to buy one brand new, or $140 to get the solo (one mic) version.

Focusrite has since released the podcast-focused Vocaster, too. You can get a two-mic version for $110 and a solo version for $85. I really like the Vocaster, and switched to using it after my 2i2 started to die of old age.

Mixers are an alternative to audio interfaces, but they are much less common in podcasting these days. This is because they’re overly complicated tools designed for musicians, and much of their capability can be achieved with much simpler tools (like the PodTrak P4) or software.

The Rode Rodecaster Pro 2 is as close to a traditional mixer as I’d recommend for podcasters these days. It’s the ultimate “all-in-one” podcast recorder, though it doesn’t come cheap (around $690), and that’s before you buy any XLR mics to run into it!

On the other end of the pricing scale, the PreSonus AudioBox USB 96 is a great sub-$100 option. But again, we still need to get some mics…

XLR Mics ($50-$400)

I’ve mentioned XLR mics a lot so far. You might want one (or more) to plug into your digital recorder or audio interface.

Our Best Podcasting Microphones roundup is a deep dive into the top choices on the market right now. Here’s a summary of some options, though.

• Samson Q2U/ATR2100 – sub-$100 and also works as a USB mic
• MXL 990 – sub-$100, great sound, at a low cost
• Shure MV7+ – $280 – one of the best podcasting mics around

Other Bits & Pieces: Podcast Equipment Cost FAQ

You might have some additional outgoings on top of the gear you plan to buy. Don’t worry, though, you can keep these additional podcast equipment costs pretty low.

Q: Do I need headphones?

Yes, but you can get away with using the earbuds you already own. If you want to buy a decent set of studio-quality headphones, you’d be talking $30-$40, at least.

Q: Do I need a mic stand?

Most USB mics come with desk stands, so you can get set up to record right out of the box. However, you might want to upgrade to a boom arm later on. You can pay as little as $15 for a boom arm, but a word of warning – the really cheap ones tend to be false economy.

Q: Do I need a pop filter?

Some mics come with a foam windshield, which might see you through in the short term, especially if you’re using a desk stand (which means you’ve nowhere to mount a pop filter). If you’re buying a boom arm or mic stand, it’s worth chucking in a pop filter, too. You can get one for around $10.

Q: What about cables?

If you’re using a USB mic, it’ll come with a cable that plugs directly into your computer. If you want to run XLR mics into a digital recorder or interface, then you’ll need an XLR cable for each one. You can pick one up for less than $15 if money is tight, but it’s worth spending a little more if you’re able.

Summary: How Much Does Podcast Equipment Cost?

Most people don’t need to spend more than $100 on their podcasting equipment. If you’re recording solo or online/remote conversations, a USB mic will suit you.

Best Podcast Equipment & Setup for 2026

Read article called: Best Podcast Equipment & Setup for 2026

For the other bits and pieces, if you need them, you can be anywhere from $20 to $100+.

A digital recorder setup can cost $100 (bare basics) to $300+. Running a couple of XLR mics into your computer via a USB audio interface will cost around $300.

Nobody wants to spend more than they need on podcast equipment, so make sure you’re not getting something overkill for your podcasting requirements.

If you’re spending more than $300 on your gear, make sure you’ve got a very good reason for it. Are you certain that you need everything in your shopping cart?

And Once You Choose Your Equipment…

Choose an all-in-one podcast-maker tool to save you time, money, and tech stress.

Alitu brings everything you need to record, edit, and publish your podcast into one place.

It automatically cleans up your audio and balances levels, offers instant filler-word removal, and allows you to edit audio or video simply by editing the transcript text.

Sound like a fit? Try it free for seven days and see how it works for you.

And with well over two and a half million shows in Apple Podcasts, you have to give people a reason to listen.

So, how do you make YOUR podcast unique?

• What You Think Is Unique Might Not Be
• How-to #1: The Format Unique features, length, frequency and hosts
• How-to #2: The Topic Personal angle, niche, and more
• How-to #3: The Outcome Case studies: Today, Explained and Podcraft
• How-to #4: Production Quality Editing, atmosphere, and raising the bar for quality
• How-to #5: YOU! Personality, psychographics, and the comparison trap

Taking on a new podcast, as a listener, is a commitment. Don’t underestimate that. It’s giving up 20 minutes of your time, at a minimum, to find out: is this any good? Is this going to make my life better?

Dramatic? Yea. But true? Undoubtedly.

They want a problem solved. Anything from the deep three – health, wealth and happiness – to the surface one – fighting boredom.

They pick their problem, and they search for a topic based on that. So, when they find your category, the question becomes: “Why should I listen to this particular show, and not one of the other squillion shows on video games?”

That’s where your uniqueness comes in.

It’s what makes you stand out from the crowd. It’s what attracts listeners to you like a moth to the flame.

But do you know what your uniqueness is? Or your unique selling proposition, as some call it? That’s what we’re here for.

How to Make Your Podcast Unique

What follows is a breakdown of all the ways that I’ve seen people find their uniqueness.

Some are unique to podcasting, while others apply to the broader aspects of content creation or marketing a business.

Either way, if you can find one or two elements here that you can apply to your podcast, you’re well on your way to having a great answer to the question.

Our goal today is that, next time someone asks, “Ooh, why should I listen to your show?” – you’ll be able to say, with confidence, “Now, let me tell you!”

First, What You Think is Unique Might NOT Be Unique!

There’s one trap that a lot of podcasters fall into.

They pick a uniqueness that is anything but. Sounds silly, yeah? But you see it all the time on the high street.

• “We’re the bank that gives great customer service.”
• “We’re the window cleaners that make your windows shine!”
• “We’re the restaurant that gives you great value.”

Good aspirations, sure. But not unique. Every competitor out there will claim the same thing.

Name me a bank that will say, “Nah, we don’t bother with good customer service.”

Show me a window cleaner who WON’T claim to give you shiny windows.

Find a restaurant that doesn’t claim to offer good value. Even top-of-range establishments will say their food… the experience… is worth it.

Here’s the test: can you think of a competitor who would say this? “Nope, we don’t do that.”

Your USP can rarely be quality, value, or entertainment. They’re a given in most environments.

You need something else. Something that not everyone wants to do.

For example:

• The bank that offers live chat customer service
• The window cleaner who ALSO makes your car windows shine
• The restaurant that offers the lowest prices in town on Graham Cracker Mozzarella Sticks.

How to Make Your Podcast Unique #1 – The Format

Podcast format is the most functional way to be unique. Find a format others haven’t tried, and you start generating interest immediately.

What does that mean? It means NOT following everyone else’s example, running a stock-standard interview show where you “chat about life with an expert” for 30 minutes every week.

There are a few ways to do this.

Break it Up With Unique Features

Andrew and Pete’s podcast is a great example of this. They do things differently in so many ways, but one is in the repeating features they run every week, many of which are really unique.

For example, on their last series, they ran a feature called ‘Tool Don’t Drool’. The idea is that the guest has to share one of their favourite tools. Same old, same old, you think. At first… Then you realise that the guest has to do it with a mouthful of water

Kinda crazy, and definitely not for everyone, but it suits Andrew and Pete’s style perfectly. And most importantly, it’s really unique. It teaches the listener something – the tool – while also providing a bit of a laugh, and something really memorable.

So, standard interview, to begin, but a segment format, and unique approaches to each segment to turn that into something different.

Of course, it’s possible to go too far with this and turn yourself into a show of gimmicks, but even simple features can work really well.

For example, a listener call-in section can be enough to stand out if you make it a regular feature, or a “weekly tool tip” without the water, but with your own particular take on it.

Your listeners will remember you because of the useful, memorable features you run, and they’ll come back for more.

Length

This is a simple one, but it works! Try a different length.

So many shows are 20 to 30 minutes long, and even more hover close to the hour mark. Do you know why? It’s for the same reason meetings are always 30 or 60 minutes long… That’s the way our tech works!

Book a calendar slot, and it shows up 30 or 60 minutes by default! It’s not because that’s a good length for a show – it’s just a default.

Many shows are doing really well right now by exploring the ‘short form’. Daily news podcasts, or ‘short, sharp tips’. It stands out because people can get a quick hit of info or entertainment.

Super long shows stand out for the same reason – they’re a bit different.

People listen to Dan Carlin on Hardcore History because he goes in-depth for hours. Tim Ferriss, too – one of his biggest unique hooks is going into the most minute detail on his show, delving into a person’s approach to life – again, for hours.

If most folks in your niche are doing 30-minute interviews, try 10-minute tidbits. You’ll be unique.

Frequency

Episode release frequency is a hard one to stand out on alone.

There are only so many different release schedules you can follow, and there are already plenty of daily, bi-weekly, weekly, fortnightly, monthly, and on…

But… it has worked in the past, it’ll work again, and it can be a strong combining factor with another USP.

For example, do a short-length daily show covering one quick tip on your topic. Or, do a monthly show that goes four hours with a group of experts and comes out with a series of actions you can take over four weeks to make a change in your life.

Frequency might not be as powerful a USP as it once was, but it can be a multiplier when combined with other unique factors.

Hosts

This can make a big difference because so many shows today run with the same host every week, talking to a different guest.

Instead, try two hosts and one guest. It brings in a whole new dynamic. Look at 3 Marketers Walk Into a Podcast. Rob and Kennedy bring the banter and feed off each other while getting the most from the guests.

If you can get both hosts in the same location, recording locally, that can be another unique element. The dynamic shifts massively when you’re in a room together, rather than on an online call.

Finally, go bigger!

Get three or more people on. It requires a lot more management, and it needs a good lead host to facilitate. But a group conversation can bring in so much value and be so much more entertaining.

One of my earliest podcast loves, Movies You Should See, nailed this. They had five or six regular hosts, running three or four of them on any given episode, and all recording in the same room.

The chemistry was amazing and entirely different from every other movie show out there featuring a couple of people stuttering their way through a bad Skype call.

How to Make Your Podcast Unique #2 – The Topic

Next, we’ve got your topic. Get the topic right, and it can be enough, on its own, to propel a podcast to success.

The biggest mistake people make is going too broad. I’m afraid that a general ‘health and fitness’ show is going to be a pretty hard sell. Instead, you need to speak to a much smaller audience.

Don’t worry, there’s nothing to stop you from broadening out later – seasons-based podcasting is ideal for that. But you’ll grow your first few thousand listeners much, much easier if you target them specifically, so they know, at first sight, the show speaks directly to them.

There are two aspects to this.

Personal Angle

You can go broad in topic, but narrow your audience by the angle you take on it. An ‘angle’ is a particular viewpoint that you take on a topic, how you think about it or how you relate to it.

It’s important to know exactly who your ideal listener is before thinking this through. It’s their situation, their way of thinking, and their problems that all power the angle you should take. We go deeper into this in our guide to creating your podcast avatar.

So, what kind of angle could we put on Health and Fitness, for example?

Well, say you’re a new parent, and you figured out how to keep going to the gym, and how to stay healthy during that crazy first year. Your angle is your situation: being a new parent. Health and Fitness for new parents. Or even more specific: health and fitness for new mums.

Taking an angle on a topic means that you can still cover the whole subject – you just relate it to a particular situation.

The possibilities to make your podcast unique are endless here:

• Politics for Schoolkids
• Mountain Biking for Retirees
• Comedy for Buddhists

Choose your wide topic, and think about what angle you can put on it. There’s your uniqueness.

Niche

Whereas an angle lets you talk about a whole topic from a particular point of view, a niche instead narrows down what parts of the topic you cover.

This just means going deeper and deeper, more and more specific, until you have a really tight niche that a very specific audience group (that ideal listener or avatar I mentioned earlier) strongly identifies with.

It tends to be that the tighter the niche, the smaller the audience, but the easier it is to persuade them to listen because it’s so clear how relevant the topic is to them.

Taking health and fitness again, a niche of that might be CrossFit. It’s a segment of health and fitness, all on its own, and there’s an army of CrossFit fanatics that wouldn’t give two hoots about a general health and fitness show but would run a 500m, 50kg farmer’s carry to listen to your CrossFit podcast.

Again, some examples related to the ones above:

• Welsh Socialist Politics – choosing a country and a segment of politics only
• The Mountain Biking Gear Review Show – talking about just one aspect of biking: equipment
• The Clean Startup Comedy Show – funny stories about startups you can listen to with your kids in the car

“But I Don’t Want to Limit My Audience!”

I know, I know, but don’t worry. I would argue it’s almost impossible to go too niche. With a worldwide audience, you’ll always find a decent group of people who love the same specific subject you do.

Remember, again, that it’s possible to branch out later, once you’ve got that initial audience. Once you have their trust, they’ll follow you to related topics, and you’ll be able to attract a new group of listeners in the process.

Seasons are your friend here. Do season one on “Nintendo Video Games from the 90s”. That’ll attract a really particular audience. But then season two could be “Sega Games in the 90s.”

Those original listeners will still be interested, even if it’s not their platform, and you’ll attract a whole new hardcore Sega audience too.

In the end, 200 episodes in, you might be running a show about general video games with a million listeners, but it starts with those hardcore, specific listeners who grow to know you, like you, trust you, and follow you on the journey.

How to Make Your Podcast Unique #3 – The Outcome

For me, the outcome of your show is a great place to stand out and differentiate. And it’s one which is rarely used.

The outcome is what your listeners get from the show. It’s the change in your listener as a result of listening.

In some cases, this falls into the ‘NOT unique’ category we talked about earlier. For example, in a comedy show, the outcome is less boredom and more fun. But you won’t find many comedy shows that DON’T claim that.

A unique outcome, though, is very possible.

Case Study: Today, Explained

Take Today Explained, as an example.

Today Explained is a news show, so it’s in a busy, busy niche. But its USP is the outcome – it’ll help you understand just one thing in today’s news.

For some news shows, the outcome is that you’ll be up to date on the headlines. You’ll know a little bit about a LOT of news.

But, for Today Explained, the outcome is that they’ll explain, to the complete novice, just one thing.

They’ll go from first principles, assuming no prior knowledge, and they’ll explain it all.

The outcome is that geopolitically challenged people like me can talk about current affairs without looking like a complete idiot.

Notice there’s a niche here, too – a niche audience of news novices. Another show might aim at news experts, going super deep on one topic but starting at a much higher level and covering more detail. That’s how USP elements can combine to create a really unique show.

Case Study: Podcraft

Effective outcome USPs can often include actions.

On Podcraft, I see outcome as one of our USPs. Each season, we cover one topic in-depth, and the outcome is that you’ll understand that topic and be told the exact next steps to take to put it all into action. The ‘next steps’ are the key outcome – you’ll have solid, concrete actions to DO.

For example, Season 2: Podcast Equipment. At the end of episode one, you’ll know exactly what microphone to buy. In episode two, you’ll know whether to get a mixer or not. And at the end of the season, the outcome is that you have a shopping list and setup instructions for your podcasting gear.

To create a good outcome USP, paint a really strong picture of how your listener will change as a result of listening and how you’ll get them there.

This needs specifics and might well tie into another of the categories here. It can be really powerful if you can pull it off. People are often looking for transformation!

How to Make Your Podcast Unique #4 – Production Quality

This is an area where time spent and skills learned can make a big difference.

The majority of podcasts have always been relatively low-production hobby shows. It makes sense – the medium grew up around the ‘friends in their basement’ conversations, which are great to listen to, entertaining as hell, but low on quality control and high on ramble.

Same with the rise of the interview show – 45 minutes to an hour is the standard, a dodgy remote call is the default, and the average approach is to fire out the interview unedited, mainly because… well, who has time to edit!?

So, if you put the time in and raise the quality, you can create something a league above the average.

My favourite example here is How I Built This with Guy Raz. On the face of it, it’s just an interview show, but two of the many ways it stands out fall right into the production quality category.

Take Time to Edit

Firstly, these interviews are edited down to the highlights, and Guy provides a voice-over narrative to bridge those entertaining bits and move things along briskly. There’s no fat, no rambling. It’s all quality because their team selects what makes it into the show.

I don’t know the numbers, but I’d wager Guy spends at least twice as long talking to his guests as the eventual show length, and it wouldn’t surprise me to hear it’s even more!

One simple approach is to take an interview, pull out three or four of the strongest sections, and cut them into a highlight reel of five to 10 minutes each. You can add a short intro to link them together if you like, but it is not essential.

Often, trimming an interview in half will double its impact, and that can be your USP.

If audio editing feels intimidating or you just want to save time, be sure to check out Alitu. Our Podcast Maker tool makes it simple to record, edit, and publish your show, with features like auto-generated transcripts, text-based editing, automatic cleanup, volume levelling, filler word removal, and direct publishing to Apple, Spotify, and other major apps.

You can test it out for free and see for yourself how much it’ll streamline your workflow!

Add Some Atmosphere

While you’re weighing up the production side of things, why not add a little music? Some effects. Just a little atmosphere. It’s not a huge job to select a bit of royalty-free music, drop it into your session, and swell it up underneath a particularly dramatic or thought-provoking part of the interview.

Music adds drama, highlights a part of the story, and brings a whole bunch of polish to your show, as well as a uniqueness in your niche.

Raise the Quality Bar

A final place How I Built This stands out is in recording quality.

Whether they are or not, Guy and his guest sound like they’re in the same great-sounding room, on top-quality recording equipment. This means the audio is flawless in the first place.

It also means that the conversation just flows, like any natural chat. You’ve all heard the stuttering remote call exchange of doom, where a 1-second lag means the chat never quite gets into the groove. They’re talking over each other, stopping, starting; it’s just not great. It’s standard, but still not great.

So, if you can get in a room with someone and bring some decent mics, you’re unique in a significant way. And people will listen and return for that polish.

That said, you don’t need to be in the same room to record great-sounding podcasts these days. Check out our roundup of the best remote recording tools to make you and your guest sound like you’re in the studio together – even if you’re thousands of miles apart.

How to Make Your Podcast Unique #5 – YOU!

I just want to say something quickly about YOU.

Yes, YOU are unique, and your own personality is a big part of the show. But it’s dangerous to think of this as the only USP you have.

There are a lot of people in the world who are funny, quirky, entertaining, educational, inspiring, motivational, and more.

For sure, you are the only YOU out there, and you’ll win listeners because of that. But it’s hard to engineer it, and it’s also really hard to put that across in a description or the show concept.

A big part of your USP is convincing someone in just a few sentences why they should listen to your show amongst the thousands of others out there.

Your background and experience might be a factor in that – that’s what makes your angle, above. But it’s hard to do that initial convincing through personality alone. The listener has to… well…. listen, before they get it!

Cement the “YOU” through Psychographics

One way to put some meat on the bones of “personality”, though, is by thinking Psychographics rather than demographics.

This is delving into how your audience thinks, rather than what they are. That can tie back into your ‘angle’, above, or it can turn your own personality into a USP in certain cases.

For more info, take a look at that article and see if you can nail down your perfect listener’s thought process!

In many cases, though, it’s a good idea to save your personality for retention – bringing people back again and again. If you have an easy-to-describe USP made up from some of the other elements we’ve talked about here, then the personality is all about keeping them around.

But… Joe Rogan is Popular & He Talks About Anything

After all this, I know what you’re thinking – Joe Rogan does unedited interviews with ANYONE about ANYTHING! He basically breaks every rule here.

But, the thing is, there are always breakout shows that don’t fit the mould.

Often it’s just the personality, or the following they had before they started podcasting.

And the trouble is, that’s horribly hard to replicate. Try releasing your own show of the type Rogan does, and let me know how that goes for you.

Instead, if you put the work into figuring out a USP, combining a few of the elements above, then you’ll have such a strong pitch for your show.

Whenever someone asks, “What’s your podcast about?” you’ll know exactly what to say. And afterwards, they’ll know exactly why they should listen.

That then goes into your title, your description and your promotions all around the web.

With that behind you, you stand a much better chance of growing your audience. From there, you can move on to the next step in ‘selling’ your show: your podcast value proposition.

Ready to Test Your Podcast USP?

Now that you’ve got a decent idea of how to make your podcast unique, let’s put it to the test.

The Alitu Showplanner is a free tool that’ll generate your podcast launch kit in minutes. Just answer some questions on what you’d like to podcast about, and it’ll fire out suggestions for descriptions, episode titles, formats, and audience profiles. It’ll even generate a draft podcast trailer script for you, too.

And one great way to make your uniqueness shine is to avoid the trap of spending most of your time wrangling with tech. That’s where an all-in-one tool like Alitu can help.

Alitu brings everything you need to record, edit, and publish your podcast into one place.

It automatically cleans up your audio and balances levels, offers instant filler-word removal, and allows you to edit audio or video simply by editing the transcript text.

Sound like a fit? Try it free for seven days and see how it works for you.

It’s a good idea to create a short promo trailer for your podcast for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, you can embed it on the front page of your website. That way, everyone who lands on your site can get an immediate taster of your content without the need to jump through any hoops.

Secondly, your trailer can be featured and played on other shows. There are entire podcasts dedicated to playing trailers. But a more effective and targeted approach would be a ‘trailer swap’ agreement between you and another podcast to promote each other to your respective audiences.

Podcast trailer example: Hostile Worlds

Having your trailer easily accessible means you might get promoted without even being aware of it, too. If another podcaster likes your work, they can download the audio and play it on their show.

The only potential downside of having a promo trailer is having a bad one. But of course, after reading this guide, that isn’t going to happen.

Let’s kick things off with a few frequently asked questions about podcast trailers.

How Long Should a Promo Trailer Be?

So the infamous podcasting “it depends” answer isn’t just as wide open here.

I’d say that having two versions of your trailer, one at 30 seconds and one at 60 seconds, will cover most bases.

If you submit a trailer to a particular podcast, they will likely have their own criteria. For example, Libsyn’s The Feed always asked for no longer than 30 seconds.

The bottom line is that trailers are pretty short, and the seconds tick by quickly. So, how do you make the most of the time you have to grab the attention of potential listeners?

What Goes in My Podcast Trailer?

You’ve always got creative license in podcasting, but there are some bare essentials here. These may sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how many trailers leave some of this stuff out.

The Name of Your Podcast

Yeah, you’ll want to include that…

If you don’t have one yet, check out our ultimate guide to podcast names.

What’s It About, & Who’s It For?

Don’t rely on the name of your show to tell people this valuable info. Tell them yourself. You can nail this down to a sentence or two.

A popular approach is to open with a question, like, “Are you a ___ who struggles with ___? Then join us on the ___ podcast where we help you ___.”

Or “Have you ever wondered about ___?, or what about ___? Well, these are just two of the topics you’ll find us discussing each week on the ___ podcast.”

Make sure your target audience knows this is the show for them, and that people who aren’t your target audience know that it isn’t for them.

For a deeper dive, check out Who is your podcast for?

Where to Send Them

Don’t say things like “Look us up on Facebook”, “Find us in Apple Podcasts”, or “Search YouTube for…” This is totally redundant and a waste of valuable space.

“Find us wherever you get your podcasts” is a succinct and elegant way to let the listener know you’ll meet them where they already are.

If you’re sending them to your website, it’s good practice to have a “Subscribe and Follow” page with links to all the places your show can be found.

If you don’t have a podcast website yet, check out Podpage, which can get you up and running with a great site in a few minutes (no technical knowledge needed).

The Creative Bit: Tone & Personality

So, provided you’ve got the essential details, we don’t want this to be a rigid formula that leaves every promo trailer sounding the same.

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You want yours to sound unique, and that means getting creative. That’s a challenge with so little time available. But you wouldn’t be podcasting at all if you didn’t have a creative streak. You’ll manage!

Your promo trailer will be the first impression of your show for most of the folks who hear it, so you want to set the mood right up front. For example, if you cover your topic in a lighthearted or comedic way, how can you convey that succinctly?

Your audio quality (as well as any music or sound effects you use) will all filter into this just as much as what you actually say, too. If you run a highly-produced series, or pride yourself on your production values, be sure to demonstrate that in your trailer.

Publishing Your Podcast Trailer

When uploading your promo trailer to your podcast feed, it’s a good idea to backdate it to a date before your first episode. That way, it’ll keep your feed tidy and is easily found. 

With that said, many hosting providers now provide dedicated “trailer” tags to help identify them from standard episodes, and some directories and apps recognise these, too.

Once you’ve uploaded your trailer, embed it on your website’s home or “about” page. You can also embed it anywhere else on the site you think might be useful.

If you’re looking for podcasts to run a trailer swap with, check out Rephonic’s Podcast Audience Graph to find shows with an overlapping target audience.

How to Add Your Podcast Trailer to Spotify

A large chunk of podcast consumption (around 24%, in fact) takes place on Spotify. And, Spotify has a quick and easy way to set your podcast trailer on the platform.

Log in to your Spotify for Creators account, go to settings, and you’ll find a ‘select your trailer’ button. This means that any new listeners who find your show on Spotify will see your trailer right away. Hopefully, that will win them over to try a full episode afterwards!

How to Create a Podcast Trailer: Anything to Avoid?

I’ve already mentioned the “find us in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Overcast…” thing as a no-no. So, are there any other things you might want to leave out?

Explicit Language

Alright, I’m not saying don’t have explicit language if it’s integral to your show’s mood or tone. But do consider that it might limit where your trailer will get played.

If you absolutely do need an explicit trailer, you might consider making an alternative clean version, too.

Asking For Stuff

The only thing you want to ask people to do here is to listen to your podcast.

I’ve heard a couple of promo trailers over the years that have managed to squeeze in requests for Apple Podcasts reviews and Patreon support. That’s something you can talk to your actual listeners about, not your potential listeners.

Your trailer should be all about them, and what they’ll get from listening.

Podcast Trailer Resources & Next Steps

Still feel like you need a helping hand getting started? Our free Alitu Showplanner will generate a first draft of a podcast trailer script for you. You don’t even need to log in to use it.

Of course, making a trailer is just one tiny part of the podcast creation process. And if that process seems overwhelming or intimidating, then you might fancy trying an all-in-one podcast maker tool like Alitu.

Alitu brings everything you need to record, edit, and publish your podcast into one place.

It automatically cleans up your audio and balances levels, offers instant filler-word removal, and allows you to edit audio or video simply by editing the transcript text.

Sound like a fit? Try it free for seven days and see how it works for you.

And, that’s not to mention the fact that you don’t need to rely on internet connections, as well as your guest’s environment and equipment (and knowledge of how to best use it!).

Sure, recording in person comes with its own potential issues and obstacles. But these can be minimised by opting for the simplest kit possible.

In this post, I’m going to cover one of the easiest but best ways to record an interview in the field, really concentrating on a balance of cost, simplicity, and quality.

Recording On-Location vs Studio or Online

First off, a quick qualification of what we’re talking about here. There are three main places where you might record an interview:

1. Online, recording remotely
2. In your standard studio, recording in person
3. Out in the field, recording in person

If it’s the online recording you need help with most right now, then check out the best tools on the market for recording remote conversations.

If it’s a studio setup you’re after, take a look at our ultimate guide to podcast equipment and sound treatment.

If it’s the on-location setup you’re most interested in, though, then that’s what we’ll cover right here.

Recording on the move requires a few particular things.

1. Light and portable – you need to be able to carry this kit around, so no bulky mixers, heavy microphones and unwieldy stands.
2. Noise isolation – you might well be recording in a noisy environment, so you need to be able to get the mic up close to the speakers’ mouths.
3. Simplicity – this needs to be point-and-shoot. You won’t have the space or the time to spend 10 minutes setting everything up and testing it to see if it works.
4. Quality – just because we’re on the run doesn’t mean we’ll put up with bad-quality audio. It needs to work!

Luckily, there’s a great setup that meets all of these criteria, and it’s not even very expensive!

The Best Equipment Setup for Recording In-Person

Let’s get straight into it – here’s what you need to record a great in-person interview.

• A recorder – either your smartphone or a dedicated digital recorder
• Two Lavalier microphones

Let’s look at these in turn – the why and the what.

The Microphones – Lavalier or Lapel Mics

The most important part is the mic – this captures your voice and turns it digital, after all.

No doubt, if you’re already podcasting, you’ll have a decent microphone at home. The issue is that most mics are big, bulky, sometimes fragile and usually in need of a stand.

Lavalier (also known as lapel) microphones are the ones you see clipped to a speaker’s shirt buttons or collar. They’re tiny mics that sit about 6 inches below your mouth and do surprisingly well at isolating your voice.

Lapel microphones definitely fit our needs for being light and portable. They’re no bulkier than a little set of earbuds or AirPods.

They’re also good for our second requirement: noise isolation. Because they sit so close to your mouth, you’ll be much louder than the background noise. You’ll get a bit of the background for the atmosphere and ambience, but you’ll still be nice and clear for the listener. And so will your guest!

What Lavalier Microphone Should I Buy?

Time for some actual recommendations, then. Just a quick heads up that we use a few affiliate links here, which help support all our free content, though never at any extra cost to you.

Lavaliers have long been used by on-the-go podcasters. In the past few years, we’ve seen them evolve from cabled to wireless models, too.

Wireless options are handier overall – no annoying tangled cables or mic splitter requirements – though you do need to remember to keep them charged.

Simplest On-Location Smartphone Setup

If you’re recording with your phone, there are two great options at different price points: The Rode Wireless Micro and the BOYA Mini.

Both of these kits are very similar. They are made up of two mics (transmitters) that easily and discreetly attach to your clothing. Then, there’s a receiver which plugs into your smartphone. You can buy a version of each for either Android (USB-C) or iOS (Lightning).

The Rode Wireless Micro is the premium option here. Rode is one of the best in the business when it comes to recording pristine audio, and this is another great addition to their stable.

The Rode Wireless Micro costs about $88, which is brilliant value for what you get, what it does, and how it sounds.

The BOYA Mini is a worthy alternative if you’re on an even tighter budget. It might lack some of the bells and whistles of the Micro (like the magnetic clips on the mics) and have a couple of questionable settings (‘AI Voice Change’), but it will give you a really solid sound quality for the price point.

Both of these super-handy little kits can be set up and recording in less than a minute. If you want to record into your smartphone to do on-the-go recordings or video podcasts, just choose one of these, and you’ll be golden!

BOYA Mini Vs Rode Wireless Micro: Smartphone Audio Made Easy

Read article called: BOYA Mini Vs Rode Wireless Micro: Smartphone Audio Made Easy

Simple Digital Recorder Setups

Not everyone wants to record with their phone. If that’s you, then a digital recorder is a great portable option instead.

Good digital recorders don’t cost the earth, and they make up a pretty useful part of a larger podcasting kit setup anyway, so it’s often worth having one for other reasons, too.

Digital recorders let you plug in external mics, but they also come with their own built-in mics. So you could get by with a digital recorder and nothing else.

On that question, why not use the internal microphone on your digital recorder? Well, because that defies the law of noise isolation. A digital recorder sitting on the table between you is miles away from you and your guest. Having a mic each is much better, and can drastically improve your audio quality.

A few digital recorders have multiple XLR inputs, but then we’re venturing into the more premium and complicated Gold Standard Interview kit, which I’ve covered in this separate guide.

So, if you wanted a simple digital recorder setup, I’d look at something like the Zoom H1n or Tascam DR-05X, two lavalier mics (like the Rode Lavalier Go), and a splitter to connect them both to your recorder via the recorder’s 3.5mm jack.

However, costs can quickly add up here (you could be talking about $200 to build this kit), and though this is a straightforward setup, it might not exactly seem “simple” to a complete beginner. So, are there any alternatives?

The Rode Interview PRO: Best Non-Smartphone In-Person Setup

Our pals at Rode come up trumps again here with the Rode Interview PRO. This is a handheld mic with onboard recording, so it’s basically a microphone-shaped digital recorder. And, being a handheld, it’s optimised to minimise handling noise being picked up in your recordings, too.

Of course, sharing a mic with your guest or co-host isn’t without its issues. You see handhelds being pointed back and forth in 1-2 minute interviews after a big football match, but could you record an hour-long episode this way?

With that said, this is really as simple an in-person setup as it gets. Just switch the mic on, point, and talk. If you have any other Rode wireless kit, you can also set it up to record wirelessly, too. But the onboard recordings should serve you just fine, in all honesty.

The Rode Interview PRO costs about $245. See our review of the Rode Interview PRO for the full lowdown.

Simple Setups for In-Person Recordings

In summary, if you’re recording with your phone, I’d recommend the BOYA Mini or Rode Wireless Micro. And, if you see yourself as the roving reporter type, you might consider the Rode Interview PRO, instead.

With on-location recordings, the background ambience can really enhance the sound and put the listener “there” with you. But you’ll find the odd occasion where environmental noise becomes distracting and starts to compete with your voice.

In situations like this, Alitu can work wonders with its production magic. Listen to the sound sample below of a conversation recorded in central London, where two fire engines roared past. At the touch of a button, Alitu cleans it up as if the toast had never burned!

There are also scenarios where you may accidentally record on the wrong setting or mic, meaning your voice sounds distant. Again, Alitu can fix that for you automatically, as you’ll hear below.

Alitu isn’t just a fantastic production tool. It also brings everything you need to record, edit, and publish your podcast into one place.

With video and audio recording, instant filler-word removal, and text-based editing, you can spend less time tinkering around with tech, and more time honing your message and marketing your content.

So if Alitu sounds like a good fit, you can try it free for seven days and see how it works for you!

Figuring out exactly WHO you’re speaking to is one of the most important tasks in podcasting. If you don’t know the listener on the other end of those earbuds, then it’s likely your content will languish in a land of ‘meh…’, forever. Simply put:

Un-targeted, un-personal content, made for everyone = un-ispiring, un-engaging content for anyone.

So, who is this real person lending you their eardrums for a short, but significant part of their life? Sometimes we call them your ideal listener, sometimes they’re an avatar, and sometimes they’re a listener persona. Whatever you call them, they’re a real person, and it comes down to knowing what type of real person you want to reach. This is a crucial part of your podcast growth strategy.

We’ve written more generally about finding your listener avatar before, so pop over there for the full picture. But here, I want to get into a really specific tool for doing that, called psychographics. And, that includes the confusion over psychographics vs. demographics.

If you’ve struggled with this in the past, thinking:

“But my audience is so varied! They’re all so different! How do I choose just one?!”

Then psychographics might be the perfect approach for your marketing strategy. Let’s take a look!

Demographics vs. Psychographics

When you start thinking about your ideal listener, in most cases, you’ll go straight to the demographics. That means grouping people by:

• Age
• Gender
• Job
• Location

It’s generally an objective, physical attribute – something the person is, or something they do.

It’s a normal thing to do – we’re used to grouping people by something obvious, something we can measure.

But, there’s another way to group people, which is far less obvious.

This time, it’s how they think. That’s where psychographic data comes in.

Psychographics are more about psychology than tangible attributes. So it’s down to a listener’s values, principles, and personality. Psychographics are harder to pin down, but if you get it right, they can create a really deep connection with your listener.

When to Use Demographics

In a lot of cases, demographics can work a treat. Such as:

1. a local news podcast for people who live in Edinburgh
2. an educational show for dentists
3. a comedy show targeted to Christians over the age of 50

In all cases, you know exactly what to cover, every single week.

Is this news interesting to a person living in Edinburgh? Yes? Stick it in. Is this something that would help a dentist do their job better? Yep? Script it! Is this a joke that would make an older person of a certain religion laugh, and not offend them? Yep! Make the funny!

But, in some cases, you might find that demographics just don’t create that connection or that personalisation that you’re looking for.

Just because someone lives in Edinburgh doesn’t mean they’re interested in every type of news. If you’re a dentist, it doesn’t mean you have the same aims as every other dentist. Being a 55-year-old Christian doesn’t mean you have the same sense of humour as every other 55-year-old Christian.

When to Use (or Add!) Psychographics

So, to really personalise, add a dash of psychographics. Let’s redo those topics above using psychographic data:

1. a local news podcast for people in Edinburgh who are interested in local politics and are left-leaning
2. an educational show for dentists who want to maximise the profit they make from their practice and grow their business
3. a comedy show targeted at Christians over age 50 who prefer puns

You might say that Psychographics add the why to the what. Instead of just giving them the thing, you ask them why they like the thing and give them that angle on it.

It adds the personality and the values to the content, and makes it connect much more deeply with your listener. They’ll be more likely to recommend your podcast to friends who share their values and interests. That’s a marketing strategy that makes your life easier.

Psychographics and Uniqueness

Don’t think about targeting your podcast as a question of “demographics versus psychographics,” a one-or-the-other proposition. Let them work together. This approach can really help you nail down why your podcast is unique. And that’s one of the most valuable things you can do.

In a sea of podcasts, if you show the listener that you know how they think and you share their values, then you’re the one who’ll stand out.

For even more on this, read a big piece I wrote on how to make your podcast more unique.

Can Psychographics Work on Their Own?

In many cases, it’s worthwhile to combine both demographics and psychographics in your marketing strategy. That’ll give you some tangible and intangible targeting. The former attracts people immediately, and the latter encourages them to stay.

But, in other cases, psychographics alone are the best fit. What motivates people has much more to do with their desires and values than their hair colour or shoe size. Psychographic data has to do with what they want, and that motivates them to keep listening and recommend your show to others like them.

An Example of Unbalanced Demographics vs. Psychographics

This example came from a recent subscriber to our email newsletter. During one of the early emails, I ask everyone, “Who is your podcast for?” Here’s what he wrote back:

You’ve just asked me the HARDEST question! I’ve been a professional musician since 2011 and have been trying to answer this question since then, without success. Now here it is again!

Thing is, I have a superfan who is a Polish data-analyst living in London. I also have one who is a grandmother in her 70’s. I also have one who is a 16 year old girl in central USA.

They are all SO DIFFERENT. My audience spans all age-groups and all sexes, all career types and all income brackets.

So, how do I define my ideal listener!?

Guess how I responded?

“You’re thinking about demographics there. Have you ever considered psychographics?”

For his area in particular – entertainment – it’s much more often about the psychographic data.

A classic example would be the mindset that’s common to a musical genre.

Are you a punk kid or an old rocker? Do you get hyped up by R&B or techno? Are you moved by jazz, or inspired by classical music?

You might identify really strongly with a musical ‘tribe’: the attitude, the clothes, the ethos – how they really think.

But again, that’s tying yourself into a bucket, and a lot of entertainers can’t do that very easily.

So, I wonder… the granny he mentions above. That data analyst, that girl. What’s the psychographic data here? What attitude do they have in common? What values do they have in common? What’s their mindset that you can appeal to? Your audience could be made up of people from varied places who grew up in different decades. But their desires can be similar.

The aim here is to put together a short message or pitch for your show that instantly chimes with them. Something they identify with right away. It’s not their age or what they do. It’s how they think.

The balance between demographics and psychographics not only helps you create better content more easily, but it’s also a great way of adding real uniqueness to your show. To see a real example of this, continuing our musical friend’s question above, read more on how to nail down your podcast value proposition.

Can You Add some Psychographics to your Ideal Listener?

Here’s what to do now. Think about your current ideal listener in relation to psychographics and demographics. Apply some psychographic data, like:

• Are there any values that they really hold dear?
• What motivates them? What are their aims related to your topic?
• What’s their mindset? What makes the way they think different from most?

Next, put these details into the Alitu Showplanner. Even if you’ve already launched your podcast, this AI-driven tool will generate some fresh perspectives, angles, and ideas for you.

And if you’re looking beyond the planning stages towards the nuts and bolts stuff, be sure to check out Alitu.

Alitu brings everything you need to record, edit, and publish your podcast into one place.

It automatically cleans up your audio and balances levels, offers instant filler-word removal, and allows you to edit audio or video simply by editing the transcript text.

Sound like a fit? Try it free for seven days and see how it works for you.

On the surface, the most crucial part of your episode is the main content. After all, that’s where you discuss or address what was promised in the title. The podcast intro, though, gets your listener to that content. And the outro helps keep them listening to more episodes.

With your podcast intro, you have the crucial task of setting the scene for your listeners. Some may have heard every episode you’ve ever released before, but for a few, this will be their very first impression of your show.

These new listeners have no loyalty or obligation to you or your content in the opening minutes. They’ll likely have a playlist of other shows already downloaded and ready to listen to.

They’re giving you a chance – but you don’t have long. Our podcast discoverability survey found that 17% of listeners will only give a new podcast 5 minutes to “hook” them.

Just like if they’ve picked up a book or switched on a TV show, there are a few questions subconsciously running through their head:

• Does this seem interesting?
• Does it sound well-made?
• Do I know what’s going on?
• And, most importantly, what’s in this for me?

This is where your podcast intro needs to do its job.

What Makes a Good Podcast Intro Script?

Put yourself in the shoes (or earbuds) of a brand new listener – someone you’d consider to be in your target audience. They’ve downloaded your latest episode and hit play.

As I’ve said already, they’ve no loyalty to you. They’ve probably never heard of you and – at this moment – aren’t interested in you.

They’ve downloaded this episode for their OWN benefit. They want something from it. And whether that’s to learn something or to be entertained, they want to know as early as possible that you’ll deliver.

So, What Should I Include in My Podcast Intro Script?

I don’t want you to think that there are restrictive “rules” with your podcast introduction because there’s still an immense amount of creative freedom. Podcasting wouldn’t be very interesting if every single show sounded the same.

Nevertheless, there are some things I’d suggest you always include in your podcast intro script.

• Your name. It doesn’t need to be your full name; it could even be a nickname. Just let your listener put a name to the voice as early as possible.
• What is the podcast called? You might assume they already know, but they may be working through a vast playlist of new podcasts. Let them know that this is yours.
• Who is the podcast for? You can save people precious time by signposting early on whether or not they are your target audience. If your show is aimed at people who want to learn how to speak Spanish, make that clear ASAP. If someone who is listening doesn’t want to learn Spanish, there’s no benefit to anyone for them to keep listening. On the other hand, the person who does thinks, “This is exactly what I’ve been looking for”.
• What is the overall theme of the podcast?
  • What’s the show about?
  • What problem is the podcast series here to solve?
  • What problem does this particular episode solve?
  • What’s the podcast format? Do you talk directly to the listener, or chat with guests?

Presenting a Problem to Your Audience – & Solution!

Being clear when laying out your subject matter is great. But making your listener relate to it by mentioning something they’re struggling with will really pull them in.

For example, on Podcraft, our target audience is people who want to learn how to podcast. Some big struggles include learning about microphones and audio equipment, editing and mixing digital audio, growing their audience and monetising their show.

The overall struggle they have is that they want to learn how to podcast, and our primary solution is that we can help them do that.

Each episode deals with a specific subtopic, providing a solution that helps them achieve their overall goal. We want to mention this in our podcast intro script, so the listener knows they’ve come to the right place.

So, in an episode about media hosting, we could present the problem: “Have you ever wondered how you upload a podcast and make it available on Apple and Spotify?”

Then we offer the solution: “Well, in this episode, that’s exactly what you’ll find out. We’ll walk you step by step through the process, and by the end, you’ll be able to submit your show to Apple and Spotify quickly and easily.”

Podcast Intro Script Template

Set your episode up by mentioning the overall problem your podcast is here to help them with (e.g., learning how to podcast) and then the particular issue you’ll be dealing with in this episode (e.g., getting your podcast published and distributed).

“Hello and welcome to the ___ podcast; this is the show for ___, all about ___, and on this episode, have you ever struggled with ___? Well, that’s exactly what we’ll help you with on this week’s show, where you’ll learn how to ___.”

You don’t need to copy this verbatim, but make it the framework of your podcast intro script. This means that everyone you want to keep listening makes it through to the main body of the episode.

Then, you can win them over with your content.

Should I Use a “Cold Open”? As My Podcast Intro?

You know when you sit down to watch your favourite TV show, and the episode starts before you’ve even opened your bag of Doritos? Then, after about five minutes, the intro kicks in? That’s what’s known as a “cold open”.

Many podcasters use cold opens at the beginning of their episodes. You’ve probably heard them before. You hit play and immediately seem to have landed bang in the middle of a guest explaining, “…so, it was at that point I decided to wear a diving suit made of sirloin steaks and go swimming with sharks.”

Obviously, the idea is that you think, “Wait, how is this idiot still alive to tell the tale? I need to get the full story.”

And you keep on listening.

How to End My Podcast Episodes: What Makes a Good Podcast Outro?

The main purpose of this post is to help get your podcast intro script on point. But we ignore podcast outros or endings at our peril.

In fact, there’s even a theory known as Peak-End, which says you remember events, occasions, or experiences based on two things:

1. The Peak: the most exciting or impactful part (in podcasting, the main content of an episode)
2. The End: how it all wraps up (your outro and Call to Action)

So, the final minute or two of your episode goes towards creating a lasting impression of the podcast in your listener’s mind.

You might have done a great job with the podcast intro and the main body, but if the show ends poorly, that could be the difference between a new listener hitting the Follow button or not.

The outro’s job is to thank the listener for listening and point them toward any vital details covered during the episode.

It’s also the part where you can ask for something in return. If someone has stayed to the end, they’ve probably enjoyed the episode you’ve put together for them, so they might be willing to respond to your request for a rating, review, or any other relevant Call to Action.

What Should I Include in My Outro? How to End a Podcast

Like the podcast intro, there are no “rules” as such, but if you want to close your episode effectively, you should consider the following.

• Thank them for listening. There are millions of podcasts out there, and they’ve chosen to listen to yours.
• Point them to the shownotes on your website for links to everything mentioned in this episode.
• If possible, offer them a teaser of what’s in store for the next episode.
• Send them to ONE place – your website. There’s no point in reading out your email address, Twitter handle, Patreon page, or Facebook URL, when you can have clear links to all this on your site.
• Include a ‘Call to Action’ (CTA). This is your opportunity to ask for something in return. Remember, though, if you give someone too much to do, the chances are they won’t do any of it, so just pick one and be clear about it. You might want to ask your listener to…
  • Follow or Subscribe to the show on their podcast app of choice
  • Share the podcast, or tell a friend about it
  • Rate/review the podcast
  • Sign up to your email list, or download your ebook
  • Buy tickets for your event or conference
  • Support you on Patreon, or pledge to your crowdfunding project

A wee bit of thought and planning goes a long way with your outros. This is how you turn podcast listeners into followers and maximise the effectiveness of your CTAs.

What About Pre-Recorded Podcast Intros & Outros?

Some podcasts use pre-recorded segments as their standard intro and outro. These can be created by the host or recorded and produced to enlist the talents of a professional voiceover artist.

Pre-recorded elements can offer that extra layer of polish, but they should always be as succinct as possible. If you play the same three-minute clip at the start of every episode, listeners will tire of it quickly. You’ll train them to hit the skip forward button. Some apps even enable them to do that automatically.

Likewise, if you close with the same lengthy pre-recorded outro, your listeners will switch off before the end.

If you’re creating premade podcast intros and outros that utilise many of the tips given in this article, try to keep them to a length of 30 seconds or less.

What Do the Top 20 Podcasts Tell Us About the Perfect Intro Formula?

Read article called: What Do the Top 20 Podcasts Tell Us About the Perfect Intro Formula?

Conclusion: Podcast Intro Script Tips

This shouldn’t seem like a lot of red tape to restrict your creative license. On the contrary, the job of your podcast intros and outros is to support and enhance the actual content of your episodes.

You don’t need to overthink them or spend much time on them. It’s just about putting good practices in place to make sure you’re not needlessly losing listeners, and that you’re always steadily growing your audience.

Over time, the things you want to include at the beginning and end of your episode will become second nature to you. Your main focus should always be on your topic, and a great podcast intro simply ensures your audience is still around to hear it.

Now that you know what you’ll say in your intro, how about somewhere to record it and build it into your episode? Alitu is the easiest and best podcast editor on the planet, with a whole load of clever tools like text-based editing, automatic filler word removal, and video editing features have just been added, too.

Alitu also has recording and publishing tools built in, which can save you a small fortune on paying monthly subscriptions for each part of your workflow. Why not try it out free for seven days and see for yourself?

What Are the Best Podcast Formats?

1. Solo: flying on your own
2. Co-hosting: working with a partner
3. Interview Podcast: new guest every week
4. Roundtable: wider panel of guests
5. Documentary: highly produced content mix
6. Fiction: telling a story

How Do I Choose a Podcast Format?

Like many other decisions you make when starting a podcast, this can cause some decision paralysis. After all, what if you mess up and choose the wrong podcast format!?

But any podcast format is like a good coat. Over your podcasting life, you’ll try on every type. You’ll find one that fits like a glove, that just seems right, and you’ll wear it for a while. But then, as the seasons turn, you’ll find yourself hankering for another.

Your podcast format changes over time, and it should, depending on your listener feedback.

So, the secret is to experiment in the early days. Try a few different methods over your first 20 episodes. See which ones resonate, and which ones best fit your personality and schedule.

Even later in your show, feel free to mix it up a little from time to time. Experiment and ask your podcast listeners what they think. That’s the driver for change and innovation in your show, and that’s what keeps people interested. Alongside amazing content, of course!

Types of Podcasts by Format

So, what are your options? Let’s take a look at the most common podcast formats, along with some real-world examples and a few recording considerations.

1. The Solo Podcast Format

Just a podcaster and a microphone. With the solo format, you talk directly to your audience. This format means you only ever need to rely on yourself. But it can also be quite intimidating for the podcasting beginner.

That said, it’s the most popular podcast format amongst aspiring creators. According to data from the Independent Podcaster Report, 53% of aspiring creators said they plan to do it alone and take a single-host approach.

Recording Solo Podcasts

Solo podcasts are by far the easiest to record. A typical setup will be a podcaster recording with a USB mic into Audacity, which is free.

Some solo podcasters prefer to use their smartphones and will even record episodes while out walking. If you do this, it’s a good idea to add a wireless lavalier mic to improve your audio quality.

If you choose to do video, then OBS Studio is a popular free software option. You could also opt for a tool like Alitu, which is more podcast-specific and includes a suite of editing and publishing tools.

Solo Podcast Example: Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History

Dan’s Hardcore History podcast is loooooooong (3hrs+ per episode), in-depth and just him. No FX, no fanciness, just one bit of intro music and his voice. But somehow, he makes it really, really engaging. It’s the perfect example of amazing scripting.

2. The Co-Hosted Podcast Format

Enlisting a pal to be your ongoing co-host can really breathe life into your episodes. There are potential downsides, though, as always. You’ll now be reliant on someone else, which means scheduling recording times that suit both. With a co-hosted format, there also needs to be a conversation about the ownership of the podcast. How will any income be split if you’re fortunate enough to start making money, for example?

Co-Hosted Podcast Example: Boagworld

Boagworld is a web design show hosted by the two co-founders of an agency, Paul Boag and Marcus Lillington.

It shows how co-hosting can work really well to showcase personality and produce an engaging experience. The banter and back-and-forth between Paul and Marcus is hilarious to listen to, and the question-and-answer format adds to the show’s depth.

In terms of recording with a co-host, the same rules apply when working with interview guests, so we’ll get to that in the next section.

3. The Interview Podcast Format

If you’re passionate about a topic and have a thirst and curiosity for going deeper, why not interview folks in that space?

Interview podcasts are ultra-popular. When done well, they can create consistently fresh content and offer a diverse range of perspectives.

Again, though, this podcast format isn’t without its challenges. The interviewer might not be seen as “the expert” (if that’s your goal), and constant scheduling and finding guests become the order of the day. Interviewing is also a skill you’ll need to hone and prep. And, no matter how good you get, you’re still heavily reliant on your interviewee’s performance on the day.

Interview Podcast Example: Board Game Design Lab

The Board Game Design Lab does exactly what it says on the tin. Host Gabe Barrett speaks with game designers and industry folks of all backgrounds and levels, and expertly draws out the value from these conversations in a natural, chatty way. We were so impressed by Gabe’s podcast that we invited him to be part of our IndiePod Legends season on Podcraft.

Recording Podcasts With Guests or Co-Hosts

As mentioned, the setups are the same in principle whether the person recording with you is an ongoing co-host or a one-off guest.

There are two ways these podcast formats are recorded – in-person, or remotely online.

In-Person

This is where you’re in the same room together. Maybe you’re even on the same sofa. It isn’t always practical or possible, but if you can manage it, it can 10x the conversational dynamics and chemistry.

In this situation, participants should always have their own mics. A good-sounding, affordable setup would be something like two Samson Q2U mics running into a Focusrite Vocaster 2 USB audio interface.

On the software front, you could use Audacity if you’re purely focused on audio, or OBS if you want to record the video, too. Again, Alitu will give you much more podcast-specific tools and options on both fronts.

In-person chats can also work well with a smartphone lavalier setup, like the Rode Wireless Micro or BOYA Mini. This also frees you up to ditch the couch and head out on a walk together!

Remotely

Getting together in-person can simply be impossible in many cases. Your guest or co-host might be thousands of miles away. Fortunately, sophisticated remote recording tools can make it sound like you’re in the same room together.

In this situation, your equipment is pretty much the same as if you were recording solo. A USB mic or a microphone plugged in via a USB audio interface will do the trick at your end. Your guest or co-host will need a similar setup.

There are loads of brilliant remote recording software options out there these days. A tool like Alitu, for example, will record in video or audio in a ‘double-ender’ method that protects the quality from unstable WiFi connections, and it has everything you need to edit and produce the episode, too!

4. The Roundtable Podcast Format

A roundtable refers to the idea of getting a handful of folks together to discuss a set topic. Usually, there would be at least one regular host, if not two or three. Then the rest of the ‘table’ is made up of guests who are experts in the topic at hand.

The host or hosts will direct the roundtable, asking questions and steering the discussion so that everyone gets a turn and contributes to a great conversation.

Roundtables can be a great way to build authority in your niche, allowing you to invite prominent guests to the show and produce great content from their experience. Most of the logistics are very simple – editing, content planning, etc – but organising guests in the early days can be hard.

Roundtable Podcast Example: The Podcasters’ Roundtable

The Podcasters’ Roundtable has been inactive for a few years now, but the show, chaired by the legendary podcaster Ray Ortega, was a real masterclass in this podcast format. In a typical episode, Ray would be joined by 3-5 ongoing co-hosts and first-time guests, and they would dive deep into the chosen topic of the day.

Recording Roundtable Podcasts

It’s logistically unlikely you’d be recording a roundtable in-person, with participants gathered around a real table (even a round one!). But… if you’re lucky enough to pull it off, everyone will need their own mic, and I’d hook them up to a digital recorder like the Zoom H6, Zoom PodTrak P4, or Rode Rodecaster II.

If you’re running your roundtable remotely, then it’s just like speaking to a guest or co-host online, except there are more of them. A tool like Alitu, Riverside, or Zencastr will handle this seamlessly.

5. The Documentary Podcast Format

Often referred to as “BBC-style” or “NPR-style”, the documentary brings in multiple voices, musical elements, and actuality to add an extra layer of production and storytelling. The end product can sound great, but the time and work needed to put them together will increase drastically.

Documentary Podcast Example: The Startup Podcast

One of my favourite shows, the Startup Podcast, is a really transparent look behind the scenes of starting up a business. Season 1 followed the founding of Gimlet Media, the show’s producers, and they’ve moved on to other companies since.

This podcast format takes a lot more time to create and edit, but produces a much more engaging, high-quality product. Again, not for everyone, though. Especially if you’re brand new to podcasting.

Recording a Documentary Podcast

There are a lot of moving parts here, and documentary podcasts are recorded in increments, rather than in one single session. This will typically involve a blend of the formats we’ve covered so far.

Before you start recording, you should have a plan in place to determine the purpose, narrative, and hook. Making a documentary is a huge subject in its own right. Check out our guide for a range of tips, tactics, and tools. I would also thoroughly recommend a book called Out on the Wire by Jessica Abel. An audio storytelling masterclass by one of the best in the business!

6. The Fiction Podcast Format

They say everyone has at least one good book in them, but fiction podcasting is the new novel writing. Fiction podcasts come in many forms, from “audiobook style” to fully soundscaped audio drama where every footstep is accounted for. Here’s our best fiction podcasts roundup if this is a world you’d like to dive into.

Fiction Podcast Example: Campfire Radio Theater

Campfire Radio Theater is an immersive audio drama horror podcast. It’s an anthology series mixing dark myths and legends with original stories. The recurring theme is the outstanding production level, with music and sound effects that build an entire movie in your ears!

Recording a Fiction Podcast

If you’re writing and reading your fiction, then we can roll out that easy USB mic-Audacity combo. But if you want to bring in multiple voices, then you can use the tips from the roundtable section to help record your cast. Just like docupods, producing an audio drama is a huge subject in its own right, so check out the linked guide if you’d like a deeper dive.

Podcast Formats: FAQ

Okay, now that we’ve covered the six common podcast format options, you’ll hopefully have a clearer picture of which direction you’d like to take. But, there’s every chance you still have a few burning questions before you head off to plan that first episode. Here are a few of the most frequent podcast format questions we get asked.

Which Podcast Format Will Get Me the Biggest Audience?

There is no silver bullet podcast format for growth. If you took a bunch of successful podcasts, you’d find that they came in various formats, shapes, and sizes. Just like podcast topics and subject matter (where we’re often told that true crime podcasts have the best chance of success), this misses the point of what makes a show prosperous. A big part of that is your passion, enthusiasm, and reason for showing up consistently behind the mic.

And, speaking of consistency, we need to keep things as sustainable as possible, so…

Which Podcast Format Has the Least Editing & Production Time?

The more time you can spend on your content, the better. But that doesn’t necessarily mean hours in front of your podcast editing software. Bite off more than you can chew, and you’ll soon burn out and give up.

Unsurprisingly, solo podcasts are the most efficient when it comes to editing and production. On the flip side, fictional podcasts, documentaries, and roundtable or panel podcast formats can really start to eat up the hours.

With the right tools and planning, though, you can make any podcast format sustainable. Pair up the Podcast Planner Journal with podcast-maker tool Alitu to give you productivity superpowers.

Alitu has everything you need to record, edit, and publish your podcast, from call and solo recording and automatic production to slick, intuitive editing tools, and built-in hosting. That’s all under one login and subscription, too, so you save money as well as time!

Should Every Podcast Episode Follow the Same Format?

It’s your podcast, and you’re the boss. If you’ve been doing interviews but fancy testing out the solo podcast format, go for it. Whilst it’s arguably better that your listeners know what to expect, the most important thing is that you have the time and enthusiasm to keep publishing new episodes. So, if you take one thing away from this post, it’s don’t be afraid to mix things up!  

Summary: Choosing a Podcast Format

Aspiring podcasters can suffer from decision paralysis when choosing their podcast format. But this isn’t something you need to nail perfectly the first time.

Perhaps you’ll launch with a solo show, test out some interviews, and find that you really enjoy them. Maybe you’ll start with the interviews, but relish the freedom of flying solo.

Your podcast can change and adapt over time. Or, you might learn the ropes with your first show, then launch an entire podcast series on a new topic with the format you know works best for you.

Choosing a format is just one aspect of starting a podcast, so be sure to check out our pillar guide for deeper tips on nailing your topic and target listener, right through to growing your audience and monetising your show!

It might surprise you, but I also recommend Audition to almost no one. If you’re new to podcasting and looking for editing software, there are many better fits out there.

In this roundup, I’ll show you my three top picks, which cater to every need, use case, and budget.

• Audacity: popular and free software that looks good for its age
• Hindenburg Pro: elegant interface designed for spoken-word audio
• Alitu: podcast-specific tool with call recording, video editing, and publishing built in

Then I’ll run through a few other options you might want to check out, too.

Most Popular Podcast Editing Software

In the 2024 Podcast Gear, Software, & Setups Report, more than 500 podcasters told us which editing software they used.

• Audacity – 24%
• Adobe Audition – 16%
• Other – 14%
• Garageband – 9%
• Descript – 7.5%
• Alitu – 7%
• Hindenburg – 5%
• Reaper – 4%
• Logic – 3%
• Riverside – 2%
• Podcastle – 1%
• Pro Tools – 1%

Let’s take a closer look at Audacity, Hindenburg, and Alitu, because you’ll probably find what you need in one of those.

Audacity

Let’s start with the great-grandfather of podcast editing software: Audacity.

Almost a quarter of creators use it to produce their shows.

A huge pro of Audacity is that it’s free. It’s also a powerful, feature-rich platform once you learn your way around it.

Audacity for Podcast Production (& Why 1 in 4 Use It!)

Read article called: Audacity for Podcast Production (& Why 1 in 4 Use It!)

But that learning curve can be steep if you’ve no prior experience with DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations). Audacity doesn’t have any video editing capabilities, either. So if you opt to run a video show, you’ll need to use dedicated video editing software.

• Cost: Free
• Recording Capabilities: Audio
• Video Editing: No
• Publishing Tools: No

If you’re brand new to podcasting, though, then it makes sense to focus purely on audio, at least until you find your feet. If you have no budget, then free is an excellent price point, too!

Hindenburg Pro

Hindenburg Pro is a pretty unique DAW because it’s designed specifically for spoken-word audio.

Other DAWs can seem cluttered when compared to Hindenburg’s elegant, minimalist interface. But that doesn’t mean it’s basic or limited podcast editing software. On the contrary, I know a few vastly experienced audio pros who swear by it.

• Cost: $12/month
• Recording Capabilities: Audio
• Video Editing: No
• Publishing Tools: No

Hindenburg’s notable features include automatic volume levelling, a drag-and-drop interview workflow, and voice profiling, which matches tone across clips.

Like Audacity, it doesn’t offer video editing tools. It also doesn’t have a default remote call recorder, but it can record audio from apps like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams.

Hindenburg Pro is a perfect option for someone who wants to really master the art of audio storytelling. It offers a brilliant balance of nuanced control without overwhelming options and clutter.

Alitu

Alitu was originally built to reinvent podcast editing from the ground up and make it accessible to complete beginners.

Today, it’s still best known as a brilliant podcast editing software platform. But Alitu has a suite of extra features that make it an all-in-one podcast maker tool.

Most notably, you can record remote audio or video calls in the Alitu dashboard. You can also use its hosting tools to publish and distribute your finished episodes to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and the many other places podcasts are consumed.

• Cost: $38/month
• Recording Capabilities: Audio & Video, Solo or Remote Calls
• Video Editing: Yes
• Publishing Tools: Yes

These features mean you don’t need to pay for additional recording and hosting subscriptions elsewhere. But even if Alitu were only a podcast editor, it would still be a brilliant option for non-techy and time-strapped creators.

Video editing is the newest addition to Alitu’s stable of features. It follows the same intuitive workflow as its audio editor. You can even remove filler words at the touch of a button, and edit by deleting text in the automatically generated transcripts.

Noise reduction, volume levelling, and audio optimisation are strong features in Alitu, too. In the above sample, you’ll hear it remove a fire engine siren from an on-location outdoor recording.

And it can work wonders to bring you ‘on mic’ and kill reverb and room sounds, too. In the second sample, I recorded into my phone from the other side of the kitchen. Listen to Alitu’s repair job.

I wouldn’t recommend Alitu to someone who wanted intricate control over their productions. In-particular, this might be documentary or audio drama podcasts with layers of music and sound effects. In these situations, I’d opt for Audacity, Hindenburg, or Adobe Audition instead.

But if you’re brand new to podcasting, want all your tools in one place, and don’t want to spend ages learning how they all work, then Alitu is ideal.

More Podcast Editing Software Options

My top three recommendations cover every need, use case, and budget, but they’re by far the only podcast software options out there. Here are six other popular platforms and my thoughts on them.

Adobe Audition

I’ve used Adobe Audition for years, but I rarely recommend it now. Adobe doesn’t seem to focus on it much anymore, and Audacity gives it a real run for its money for free.

Adobe Podcast

Adobe Podcast is one of the apps eating Audition’s lunch. It has a lot of useful tools, like transcription editing, audio enhancement, and you can record audio or video on the platform, too. At the time of writing, you’d still need an additional podcast hosting account to publish your show.

GarageBand

GarageBand is Apple’s classic DAW. You’ll find it on most iOS devices, so a lot of podcasters use it by default. If it’s working for you, then there’s no need to switch. But if you find it a wee bit limited, it could be worth trying Audacity.

Descript

Descript was the first platform I used for text-based editing, and they’ve always seemed ahead of the curve with their tools and tech. For example, their Overdub feature lets you type in new dialogue or fix mistakes using an AI clone of your voice. The only thing Descript lacks right now is publishing and distribution tools.

Reaper

Reaper is a DAW with a hardcore following. I don’t think it’s a great option for total beginners, though the ability to buy your licence outright rather than pay a subscription will appeal to some. Many of my podcast pals who swear by it moved over from Pro Tools and enjoy its customisation capabilities.

Riverside

When Riverside added hosting, they joined Alitu in the “all-in-one podcast maker” camp. Unlike Alitu, Riverside was a recorder first and editor second. But they’ve improved their editing tools a lot recently, and it’s a great platform to make your show with.

Podcast Editing Software FAQ

We’ve covered the main recommendations. But you might still have questions about podcast editing software before making a final decision. Let’s take a look at some frequently asked questions.

What Your Podcast Editing Software Can (And Can’t) Do

First up, why might you want to use podcast editing software in the first place? In what ways can it help you? And, depending on the platform, what sort of things are beyond its power?

Edits & Editing (Cutting Stuff Out)

People use podcast editing software for two main reasons. The obvious one is the editing out of mistakes and unwanted segments. This is literally where you cut out surplus content from the finished episode. For a deeper dive here, check out our ultimate guide to podcast editing.

Double up as Podcast Recording Software

Podcast editing software typically doubles up as podcast recording software. This is handy because it means you only need one single platform to record and edit your podcast. A select few, such as Alitu and Riverside, even have remote call recording capabilities and publishing built in.

Cleaning Up & Fixing Volume Levels

Another critical use of podcast editing software is a process known as “post-processing”. This is where you clean up any background noise, ensure that volume levels are consistent throughout, and that the overall volume of the episode is within generally accepted podcasting standards.

Audio Quality: Repair or Enhance

Your podcast editing software can be a powerful tool. But it isn’t magic. Nor is it a substitute for good practices in the recording process. If you hear a podcast with great audio quality, the main factors at play are that the podcaster has a decent level of gear, is using it in the right way, and has taken the recording environment into consideration. Be sure to get your house in order on these fronts, and everything else will fall into place.

Add in Music

Any podcast editing software you choose will enable you to add music to your content. The challenge here is sourcing which music you’ll use and steering clear of copyright infringement. For what it’s worth, if you decide to opt for Alitu, then you’ll have full access to its podcast music library.

Edit by Text

Text-based editing is where you select segments of a transcription and delete them, which deletes the corresponding section in your audio. A very small number of editing programs offer text-based editing at this stage, though it’s likely to become much more common in the next year or two. At the time of writing, you can edit by text with Alitu, Descript, and Riverside.

Background Noise

The cleaning up of “background noise” is a bit of an ambiguous term. Editing software can easily clean up consistent sounds like the hiss or hum underneath the vocals caused by things like equipment, fans, or AC units. However, background noise like people shouting, doors slamming, and phones ringing has traditionally been harder to remove. With that said, AI audio cleanup is repairing sound in a way that would’ve seemed impossible only a couple of years ago.

Podcast Production Software vs. Audio Editing Software

You can use any audio editing tools or software for your podcast, but dedicated podcast production software also exists nowadays.

For years, podcasters used equipment and software built, first and foremost, for music production.

As podcasting continues to grow, though, we’ve seen technology created specifically for the medium. Hardware-based examples of this are audio interface devices like the Zoom PodTrak P4 and Rode Rodecaster II.

Using pro-level software like Audition will give you tonnes of flexibility, including the ability to add and mix in all sorts of audio effects. But for most podcasters, this is overkill, and can add unnecessary complications.

Dedicated podcast editing software like Alitu, on the other hand, was tailor-made for podcasters. That means it has a suite of features for podcasters that stretch beyond the editing and production realm – from call recording to hosting and transcriptions built-in!

What About Video Podcast Editing Software?

Adding a video component to your show is undoubtedly easier than it used to be. Just like in the audio space, many makers of video production software are now focused on simplicity and accessibility rather than massive complexity.

Our dedicated roundup of the best video editing software for podcasters gives you the full lowdown. But here are the key takeaways.

Adobe Premiere and Final Cut Pro have the most power, flexibility, and options, which means they also have the steepest learning curve.

Filmora is a great option for those on a tight budget who want more simplicity and automation.

Veed excels if you’re doing shorter video content, whilst Camtasia is a top choice for those creating video podcasts out of screencasts.

There are also some fantastic video recording tools out there now who’s editing capabilities are improving all the time. Check out Streamyard, Riverside, and Zencastr for some options on that front!

Podcast Editing Software vs. Hiring a Podcast Editor?

You’ve really two options when it comes to editing podcasts – you can learn to do it yourself, or you can hire someone else to do it.

If you work with a dedicated podcast editor, you can pay them to turn your source files and audio tracks into fully mixed and mastered episodes.

An additional benefit, alongside not having to do this work yourself, is that you can get feedback from an actual qualified human. Your podcast editor might send you a note along the lines of “Please turn off those noise gates”, “Buy yourself a pop filter”, or “Stop recording in that cave”.

It’s in their interest that your source material sounds as good as possible because they can polish it up even better. If you record low-quality audio, on the other hand, no producer or production software will be able to make it sound decent.

Whilst getting that human feedback from a podcast editor is a big plus, there are downsides to outsourcing, too. It’s a lot more expensive, for starters. And you’re also now relying on someone else to get your show ready and out on time.

There’s no right or wrong approach here – only what works best for you and your budget. If you’re interested in hiring a podcast producer, then check out your range of options, linked there. Or, if you’re set on finding the best podcast editing software to do it yourself, hopefully, this guide has helped you choose one!

Publishing Content: Uploading Your Files

Regardless of which editing process or software you use, you’ll eventually need to upload your finished episode files and make them ready for the world to hear.

In order to turn audio files into a podcast that can be found and subscribed to on platforms like Apple and Spotify, you will need a podcast hosting account.

There are loads of great podcast hosting providers out there. Once you sign up for one, you fill out your show’s description, add your cover art, and upload your very first episode. Then, you can start submitting your podcast to all the major listening apps and platforms.

Recording and editing podcasts, as well as uploading and publishing them, can all happen in one single place now, too, with Alitu. It has hosting included, so you only need to work in one single place if you’re keen to save time, money, and, streamline your workflow.

But, as I’ve said, there are a lot of great podcast hosting options out there too, so check up our roundup if you’d like to do some shopping around.

Best Podcast Editing Software – Which Version?

As mentioned at the start, everyone is different, and it’s impossible to pick one single best podcast editing software option. It all depends on where you are at this moment in time in your podcasting journey.

There will always be exceptions, but on a general level, here’s a summary of my recommendations.

Looking to save time, avoid learning anything about audio editing, AND have access to a remote call recording, video and text-based editing, and hosting built into your editing software?

Looking for a free option, but are prepared to invest some time in learning audio editing?

Ultimately, your editing software is just a means to an end. The quality of your podcast will ultimately be decided by its content, and no editing software or DAW can guarantee you growing an audience.

That said, none should hold you back from growing one, either!

So choose something, learn it, and use it to the best of your ability. But don’t let it distract you too much from the work that matters most – creating engaging episodes that people want to listen to.