How to start a podcast so that it can be viewed on iTunes, Acast, Spotify and Stitcher? You can find out here!
With this 7-step guide, you will know exactly what you need to start your own podcast.
1. Recording equipment
Even if you certainly have a hands-free, the sound quality will never be close to what you get with a real microphone that is intended for recording.
So I recommend that you put a few bucks on a good microphone and record the podcast in your computer. A USB microphone costs between $50-150 and will give you really good sound quality.
But, and this is a big BUT, keep in mind that your listeners will most likely listen with headphones and this places higher demands on the sound quality of the recording.
This does not mean that it needs to be a professional microphone, but with a budget of $90-150 for a microphone, you get really far. If you also plan to record, for example, video for a web course or want to hold a webinar, you can use the same microphone there.
2. Editor
For MAC, you can use Garageband , which comes with each new MAC computer. If you use a PC, there is a recording program called Audacity , which is free and works well on PCs. The audio editing program is used to cut together the podcast sections.
Each episode usually begins with a jingle or intro music. With the help of the editing program, you place intro music, your recorded podcast and add your out music. It does not require much time to implement this if you have a ready-made template that you reuse for each new podcast episode.
With a compressor, which is a plugin for audio recording, you can compress the audio image so that it becomes more comfortable to listen to. It pushes down the sound peaks, so that you get a more even sound image in the style of the one you can hear on the radio.
3. Audio file hotel
The audio file hotel really only has one function and that is to manage and deliver playbacks of all your podcast episodes, without interruption, to your listeners. Why is the audio file hotel… really needed?
This is how it works. Each time someone listens to "section A", the server that is to deliver the audio file to the listener is loaded. Now imagine that there are 10 people who want to listen to "episode A" at the same time. This means that the server receives 10 requests and must deliver the audio file 10 times at the same time.
Now imagine that you have several episodes, maybe 10, 20 or 50 pieces. In total, there may be 100+ plays that will take place at the same time periodically. It does not fix your regular web host because it is not built for that type of traffic.
If you use your web host, you should not be surprised if the account is suspended or you are contacted by the web host, as it affects all websites located on the same server.
The strength of the audio file hotel is that it "scales up and down" the capacity steplessly based on the need.
There are a number of audio file hosting providers on the market and I have tested most of them. I have been using "Podbean" for a couple of years now and can warmly recommend that solution to you as well.
The first reason is that Podbean offers an "unlimited" package, which means you can upload unlimited audio files every month at a fixed price.
The second reason is the price. Although, for example, Blubrry (which I used before) works very well, I halved my hosting costs when I switched to Podbean. These are similar savings when compared to other providers.
The third reason has to do with the ability to also store video podcasts on the platform at a fixed price. If you work with video, you know that the files can often be quite large. With a fixed price and "unlimited" package, it immediately becomes easier to keep track of expenses while no other supplier offers a similar solution at the time of writing.
4. WordPress plugin for podcast
One possible option when publishing your podcast is to use Blubrry Powerpress , a podcasting plugin for your wordpress website. It is not necessary, but if you choose to use Blubrry as a sound hotel provider , this can be a good complement.
(I want to clarify that you do not need a website to publish a podcast. With Podbean, you have a ready-made podcast platform with media players and a simple podcast website .)
To publish with Blubrry Powerpress, a number of settings are required for the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher and Acast. The advantage is that you only need to do this once. The downside is that it can be a bit cumbersome if you are not used to working with WordPress.
5. Artwork: Cover image for podcast
Each podcast has its own cover image that helps listeners visually see and distinguish it from other podcasts. The default size of the cover image is 1400 × 1400 pixels, but iTunes accepts images up to 3000 x 3000 pixels. It may seem large, but the image needs to be that size to work well on all types of devices available.
In addition to mobile phones and touchpads, you can also listen via, for example, Apple TV and then the picture needs to be bigger. If you are also aiming for a place in the spotlight on iTunes charts, the cover needs to look good to appear there.
6. Publish podcasts on iTunes, Spotify, Acast and more
To get the podcast approved for publication on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher and Acast, you need to submit your RSS feed. You must then of course have a pre-recorded podcast episode that iTunes and the other platforms can listen to. Of course, they want to make sure that your podcast meets their quality requirements, before approving it for publication. You only do this once. All of the following sections are published immediately when you decide to do so.
The process takes a little different time. In my case it took 12 hours, but I have heard that it can take up to 48 hours in some cases.
7. Intro & Outro music for the podcast
You can get a nice frame on the podcast with the help of music at the beginning and end. A signature tune that reappears each time also acts as an audio logo.
It is also common to combine music with a narrator's voice, a so-called Voiceover, which briefly presents what your podcast is about.
If you are looking for music for your podcast I can recommend AudioJungle, where you can buy a music clip including a license for 100,000 plays and upwards for about $300-400.
