Podcasting on a Budget

In the last five years, it feels like there has been a shift in the way we look at the accessibility of podcasting. Public opinion seems to have gone from ‘anyone can make a podcast’ to ‘podcasting is expensive and labor intensive.’ The truth is of course in between, but the rise of podcast celebrity and flashy network deals has created the illusion that podcasting requires a fancy studio and expensive equipment. 

Podcasts that come from a place of authenticity and really deliver quality content can get away with a little background noise and lighter editing. Just be sure to avoid these five mistakes that make listeners turn off your podcast.

Once you get to the recording phase, the best thing you can do for yourself to keep costs down is practice. And practice and practice, and be prepared to fully scrap recordings and try again, especially at the beginning. It takes much longer and is far more costly to piece together a slow or error-filled episode in post production than it is to just try again for a cleaner take of the episode. Eventually you’ll get to the point where you don’t have to scrap recordings and hardly practice at all! 

Just like a stage actor, you can build your performance skills (even though there is no live audience) by trying to get the recording to be as close to a live performance as possible—meaning that you don’t lean on the idea of ‘fixing it in post.’ Of course a great deal of things can be fixed in post and a slow episode can be tightened and improved significantly, but know that this will take an editor (or you) a considerable amount of time. A few mistakes here and there are no big deal at all, but if you find that there is something every few minutes or more that you are unhappy with, it’s probably a good idea to re-record your episode.

I always advise the help of an audio engineer at the beginning of your podcast journey. You will need to pay them for their time, but an audio engineer will be able to guide you toward the right equipment for your needs and budget, and also help you set up your recording space and programs in a way that will make post production as simple as possible. 

A couple of hours with an audio engineer to plan your podcast and run sound checks for your space can save you a lot of time, money and headaches in post production. If you’re doing post production yourself, the engineer can help you get a great recording to make sure your final product sounds as good as possible, and your recordings are simple to work with.

For some podcasters, budgeting time is as important or more important than budgeting money. If time is your most precious resource, there are plenty of ways to outsource your podcasting work to the point where you are just hopping on to record the show, and maybe giving some notes to a producer before and after. There is a way to have a podcast with only a few hours of work per week, but it requires a team of people you trust with your brand and content.

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Most podcasters find themselves somewhere in the middle, needing to budget both their time and money wisely. Often, as a podcast grows and becomes more lucrative, the workload increases due to ad deals, additional pattern content, marketing, and brand management. It’s usually at this point that podcasters reach out to producers, editors, social media managers, etc.

Regardless of your budget, the equipment needed to record a podcast well is not all that expensive. There are a lot of pricey podcasting kits and bundles on the market, but I have found that most of these kits include elaborate audio interface consoles that are complicated in an unnecessary way and offer functions that most podcasters neither need nor know how to use. This can make the equipment difficult to operate without an engineer. 

For example, if you’re recording a two-person podcast, you don’t need an audio interface with 10 mic lines, Bluetooth, line in, voice eq, sound effects bank, and required software updates. That’s overwhelming for most podcasters, even when they have help. I’ve spent many hours on calls with podcasters who are lost in the settings of these complicated recording interfaces and unable to, ‘get the thing to record!’

So what do you actually need? Every show is different but generally podcasts will need quality microphones, cables, probably mic stands, and an audio interface or handheld recorder that is compatible with your mic cable (usb or xlr). You’ll also need software (or producer) to edit the episode. If you’re able to capture good recordings with minimal noise, Garage Band has enough tools to do simple podcast editing. It also comes preloaded on Apple computers so you can avoid additional software costs.

The recording device or interface (the thing that converts your mic signal to something usable for the computer) is usually where things get complicated. This is not a brand endorsement, but my favorite recording tools for podcasting are super simple and between $80-$300. 

The first are Zoom Hn4 recorders which are highly portable, handheld size, and can be used with or without a computer as they have a memory card. Additionally Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (and similar models) are a great interface for those recording into a computer program. I’ve worked with podcasters who had the expensive podcasting big rig and switched to a Zoom or Scarlett because they are simpler to use and maintain professional quality.

For those trying to bring costs down as much as possible, USB mics can be a good option because most allow you to skip the audio interface altogether. You can usually plug the mic into a computer without any additional equipment. The downside to USB mics is that they are usually lower quality and have a slightly different sound than traditional microphones. If you do opt for a USB mic, just be sure to read the instructions to make sure you have it positioned correctly.

No matter the budget, getting a good quality recording that needs minimal editing keeps time and money spent at a minimum. The key to easy post production (aside from the practicing I mentioned earlier) is a good sounding recording. Recording in a space that is quiet and echo-free (a room with rugs or carpet and a couch, bed or other soft materials to dampen sound) will improve your recording tremendously and bring down your post production efforts or costs.

When deciding how to make your podcast, consider how much time and money you’re willing to invest and create a plan that works for your unique situation. Spending a little money for a consultation with an audio engineer during the setup phase of your project can make things smoother, faster, and more affordable going forward. Regardless of budget, reducing potential problems is important for every podcaster’s pocket and sanity.