1 – Do I Need Expensive Equipment to Start a Podcast?

Hello there and welcome to Podcaster Plus, the podcast offering tips and tricks to simplify and automate your podcast. Find all the episodes at podcasterplus.com/show.

So in this show, we’re going to be tackling the question, do I need expensive equipment to start a podcast? We’re going to explore how to get the most out of your tech without breaking the bank.

You see many aspiring podcasters believe that they need really state of the art, top of the line microphones, a fancy mixer, soundproof studio to get started. But is that really true? Well, let’s dive in and find out.

I’m going to break this podcast up into various sections and the first section I’m entitling the myth of expensive gear.

You see the Internet’s full of ads for expensive podcasting equipment. You can see all those gleaming mikes and those complex interfaces, and you might think to yourself, I need all of that to sound professional. But the truth is you can create a really good, respectable, even excellent sounding podcast with a surprisingly modest investment in the tech. Really it’s your content, your voice, your message that are far more important than the price tag of any microphone.

So let’s go to section two where we’ll deal with the essential equipment, which you can get on a budget. What do you actually need? Let’s break it down.

The first thing is, well, pretty obviously a microphone, and whilst high end microphones can really enhance your sound, it’s not necessary at the start. A decent mic can be hard for about a hundred dollars. You can go less. If you’ve got a good laptop, it’s quite likely that the built-in microphone will be sufficient if you’re beginning. Experimentation is the key here. Try things out. See what works.

Another thing that you’re going to need is some headphones. And those ones that go over the ears are pretty crucial for monitoring your audio whilst recording. The fact that it goes over your ears and blocks out all sounds and echoes and feedback is really useful. Again, you don’t need to splurge. A comfortable pair of headphones can be found often for $50 or less.

Okay, what about recording equipment? Well, loads of this is free, and a really credible piece of software is called Audacity. It’s free. It’s open source, and it’s perfect for beginners. It’s pretty user-friendly and it offers all of the basic editing tools that you’re going to need.

If you feel like going a little bit more advanced, you could splurge on some affordable options. If you’ve got a Mac, it has a Garage Band built in. If you go out and do an internet search for low cost audio software, you’re going to find absolutely loads for all platforms. You can probably even plug some of them into your mobile phone.

Another thing which is going to be entirely free really is a quiet space. You don’t need a professional studio. A quiet room in your house with minimal background noise will do just fine. Peculiarly, think about recording in a closet. If you felt like closet up with loads of clothes and carpet and curtains to dampen the sound, that’ll probably sound excellent.

Okay, what’s next free and low cost resources. So beyond the basic equipment, there’s tons of free resources available to help you produce a high quality podcast. We mentioned software, so Audacity for example. But what about getting things like music and sound effects so that you can put those into your podcast? Some intro music, some outro music, those kinds of things.

Well, there’s loads of free websites. For example, the Free Music Archive and Incompetech. They offer royalty fee music and sound effects. And then there’s other premium services as well. Again, an internet search for royalty free music will bring up loads. Some of them though are very inexpensive on a monthly fee, and sometimes I think you’ve got a wider choice of the audio that’s available.

One thing that you are probably going to have to pay for is a podcast host. That will usually have a fairly low fee. Several platforms offer pretty low cost podcast hosting, which allows you to distribute your podcast to directories like Apple and Spotify. That is something that you are going to have to invest in.

So the fourth section I’m going to mention is really focusing on content, not equipment. Remember, the most important aspect of your podcast is the content. Focus on creating, engaging, valuable content for your listeners. Invest your time and energy in developing your show’s concept, writing good scripts, practicing your delivery. And as your podcast grows and you start to generate revenue, well, then you can consider upgrading your equipment. But starting with expensive gear really isn’t a prerequisite for success.

So the last section, case studies. Many successful podcasts really started with minimal equipment. You can hear loads of podcasters talking about this subject online. Research and find examples of podcasts that began with simple setups and achieved significant popularity. Go out and find out what they did. This can be inspiring and it can demonstrate that high quality content really does trump expensive gear.

So there you go. That’s what I’ve got for you this time around. Do you need expensive gear to start your podcast? Absolutely not. Focus on great content, the rest will follow.

Thank you very much for tuning into the Podcaster Plus podcast. You can find it a podcasterplus.com/show. And we will see you next time for some more tips and tricks to simplify and automate your podcast.