So, you want to Make a podcast…
But you’re not sure where to start. We’ve been there! It can be tricky to get into—while you can take skills you’ve gained in other artistic mediums (like books or stage theatre) and translate them well to podcasting, there’s a lot of aspects of making a podcast that are very unique to the field. Google can help, but there’s also so much information that it can be a bit overwhelming; not to mention, much of the information you’ll find is geared towards nonfiction podcasts, which isn’t always helpful if you’re looking to make a fiction podcast (also called an audio drama). While many people make snide jokes about how “everyone has a podcast now”, we think those people are pretty boring. In our opinion, more podcasts can only be a good thing—particularly more podcasts by marginalized people.
To that end, we’ve compiled some of the resources we’ve found helpful while learning about the field. Hopefully people will find it helpful!
Table of Contents
Common Questions
What kind of microphone should I use?
There are plenty of different microphones out there, so this choice can be overwhelming. First, a bit of terminology. There are two types of microphones commonly used in podcasting: XLR and USB.
XLR microphones connect to an audio interface with an XLR cable; the audio interface then connects to your computer with a USB cable.
USB microphones connect directly to your computer with a USB cable.
But how do they compare to each other?
| Differences Between XLR and USB Microphones | |
|---|---|
| XLR Microphone | USB Microphone |
| Cost varies depending on what kind of microphone and audio interface you get, but you can get started for around $100 (for all components, including cords and a pop filter) | Starts around $25, with most microphones falling in the $50-100 range. Most don't come with a pop filter, which will cost an extra $5-15 depending on the type you get |
| Clear, crisp audio quality even with microphones in the $20-25 range | For good, clear audio, you'll want to spend at least $50 |
| Generally good at filtering out background noise and only picking up on your voice | Can be oversensitive and pick up background noise, which can particularly prove problematic if you live somewhere with a high amount of background noise (e.g. next to a highway or in an apartment with a toddler above you) |
| You'll need multiple components: a microphone, mic stand, audio interface, XLR cable, and USB cable (which will likely come with your audio interface) | You just need the microphone and USB cord (which usually come together) |
| While the entire set-up may cost as much as or more than a good USB microphone, the set-up is composed of multiple components that often cost less individually than a good-quality USB mic. This means that if a single component breaks, you can just replace that individual component, which can be in the $25-40 range depending on what breaks and what you replace it with | Since there's only one component, you have to replace your entire set-up if that component breaks. If you purchased a good quality microphone, you'll be looking at another $50-100 to replace it |
| Takes slightly longer to set up, especially when you're still getting used to it. You have to put the mic in the mic stand, plug the mic into the audio interface, plug the audio interface into your computer, and adjust the dials on the audio interface | Quick set-up—you just plug the microphone into your computer, adjust the gain, and start recording |
| Easy to upgrade when you want to improve your set-up, as you'll already have the audio interface and cords and can just focus on replacing the microphone itself | Just a single component, so the only way to upgrade your set-up will be to replace the microphone entirely |
| Can be taken out of the house/recording studio if you purchase a portable XLR audio interface | You can generally only use it when you have a laptop/computer to plug it into, making it less portable |
There are pros and cons of each, so the choice is really up to you!
Pop Filters
No matter which kind of microphone you use, you’ll need to get a pop filter. There are two kinds: one looks like a piece of very thin fabric stretched over a plastic hoop that’s attached to a long, flexible neck; you attach the neck to either your microphone or the table you’re recording on, then move the screen so it’s between your mouth and the microphone. The other kind looks like a foam ball with a hole cut through one side; you just put it over your microphone. The first kind usually runs around $15, the second around $2-5. You can use either or both, but you definitely need to use at least one of them.
This is because of plosives. A plosive is a kind of sound you make by stopping your airflow, followed by a sudden release of air—like the p or b sounds in English. When you record yourself saying those sounds (and you’ll be saying them a lot), the microphone picks up the burst of air as a sudden spike in noise. It can be really unpleasant and jarring to listen to, particularly during quiet scenes. When you use a pop filter, it dampens the burst of air and stops the audio from spiking. If you don’t have the money to buy one, you can find tutorials for making your own online!
XLR Microphone Recommendations
Cassie uses a Behringer Ultravoice XM8500 microphone ($25) connected to a Behringer U-Phoria UM2 Audio Interface ($50). After buying cords, a pop filter, and a mic stand, their set-up came out to a bit over $100. It’s given them good results so far. If you deal with chronic illness/executive dysfunction, be warned that there are a few extra steps to setting up an XLR microphone. While the steps aren’t prohibitive to Cassie most of the time, there are days when their chronic illness flares up and they have to borrow Nick’s microphone because setting up their XLR would use extra spoons that they can’t spare. Overall, though, they do recommend this set-up.
USB Microphone Recommendations
Nick uses a Blue Yeti ($100). It’s a great mic overall with good quality that’s quick to set up. However, it’s so sensitive that it can sometimes be tricky to stop it from picking up background noise. When we used to record in the basement of Cassie’s dad’s house, we sometimes had issues with the microphone picking up the ambient buzz of the fridge and freezer down there in addition to footsteps on the floor above. Be careful if you have a computer with a loud fan, because there’s a good chance it will pick that up. But again, overall, he does recommend this microphone.
If you have a smaller budget, we’ve both heard good things about the Blue Snowball, which runs about $50.
Components You Need for a USB Microphone
If you’re using a USB microphone, you’ll need the following components:
Microphone
USB cord
Pop filter
Components You Need for an XLR Microphone
Microphone
Microphone stand
Audio interface
XLR cord
USB cord
Pop filter
A Final Tip
Whatever kind of mic you get, we highly recommend getting an extra of each kind of cord you need. There’s always a chance that one of your cords could break or die right before you’re supposed to record; if you don’t have any extra cords on hand, you can’t record again until you get a new one. Having extra pop filters on hand doesn’t hurt, either!
How much does making a podcast cost?
This can vary a lot depending on your budget and what’s important to you. However, the idea that podcasting can be done absolutely for free is a misconception—at least if you want to have decent audio quality and get your podcast into podcatchers (like Spotify and Apple Podcasts). The basic costs you need to consider:
Microphone (if you’re recording yourself). See above for details, but a good microphone will cost at least $50. This is a very, very important thing to spend money on. If you have bad audio quality, it will make your podcast hard to listen to; if your podcast is hard to listen to, it’s less likely that people will want to listen to it beyond the first episode. However, if you can only afford a lower-quality microphone, you could consider building that into the format of your podcast by framing it as a “found footage” or “broadcast” type podcast where the characters are using low-quality recording equipment in-universe. If you’re just planning on writing/directing your show and won’t be acting in it yourself, you don’t need to worry about this!
Audio Hosting. To submit your podcast to a podcatcher, you need to have an RSS feed. To get an RSS feed, you need to use a hosting service, like Libsyn or Buzzsprout. These generally cost money, but they can be pretty cheap—we use Libsyn, which starts at $5/mo per podcast. As a heads up, at least with the services we’re familiar with, you don’t just pay for the service while you’re actively uploading your podcast—you’ll have to keep paying for as long as you want your feed to remain active (meaning that people can still listen to your show). There are free ways to upload your podcast online, such as Soundcloud, Youtube, and Tumblr; but since those don’t have the ability to upload your show to podcatchers, it’ll be harder for people to discover your podcast.
Additionally, there are some other costs that you’ll want to consider:
Website Hosting. You absolutely need to have a website (for more information on why, see “Do I really need a website?” below). There are free options out there, like Tumblr, Carrd, or a free Wix site (which comes with a banner at the top of the page advertising Wix). If you want to have more customization options and look a bit more polished, you have paid options like Squarespace, Wordpress, and paid Wix sites. Paid options will usually run in the $15-30/mo range.
In addition, it’s a very nice touch to get a custom domain name—this means that your website URL can be whatever you want (e.g. the name of your show/company) without needing to have the name of the website host attached to it. For example, we’re able to have the URL for this website be starlightaudio.com instead of starlightaudio.squarespace.com because we pay Google $12/yr for a custom domain. Be warned that you can’t always use a custom domain on free websites (for example, you can use it on a Tumblr blog, but you can’t use it on a free Wix site).
Sound Effects. If you’re the sound designer for the show, you’ll need access to sound effects. There’s tons of free ones on the Internet, but if you’re struggling to find the ones you need, there are websites where you can pay for high-quality, royalty-free sound effects.
Music. Having theme music for your show gives your show something distinctive and is a great way to set the tone for your show. Think of how the light, bouncy, cheerful theme song for Parks & Recreation tells us that the show is going to be lighthearted comedy, while the eerie, dark theme song for Hannibal tells us that the show is going to be an intense horror. You can find free music online—but make sure that the music is free to use, not just free to download; and if you’re planning on having ads in your show at any point in the future, make sure that it’s free to use for commercial rather than just personal use.
If you want to have something custom-made that’s perfectly tailored to your show, you can hire a composer to write theme music for your show. Depending on the composer, this usually (in our experience) runs around $40-100. Just make sure that you have a written agreement with your composer agreeing upon what will happen if you monetize the show (e.g. if you’re paying upfront to be able to use the music commercially or if you’ll give them a percentage of any ad money you make with the show).
Cover Art. If you’re not a visual artist/graphic designer, it’s worth considering asking somebody else to put together cover art for you. It’s important to have distinctive, eye-catching cover art to grab people’s attention while they’re scrolling through their podcatcher or through a list of recommendations. If you have a close (very close) friend or family member, you can consider asking them to design it for you for free—but they’re well within their right to say no, and if they do, you should accept that gracefully. Depending on the kind of cover art you want (e.g. a digital painting vs. a minimalist design) and who you contact, art can run you anywhere from $100-500, though you may be able to find some artists who charge less—particularly if you can offer them something in return (e.g. proofreading a script for them).
If you plan on selling merch with your cover art on it at any point, you need to have a written agreement with the artist detailing what their payment for that will look like. Generally, you’ll either 1) not pay anything additional upfront and instead pay them a portion of all merch sales, 2) pay them a large fee upfront and then not pay them for merch sales after that, or 3) do a combination of the above, paying the artist a smaller initial feel with the understanding that they’ll be paid a portion of merch sales. If your cover art was designed by somebody who wasn’t you—even if that person is a close friend or family member—absolutely do not try to sell merch with the cover art on it unless you have a written agreement with the artist!
Cast & Crew. Many successful podcasts have started with one person writing, directing, and acting in their show themselves, either entirely on their own or only with help from close friends and family. However, if you’re going to be putting on a larger production (particularly with people you don’t know), you’ll need to consider if you can pay people or not. If you have the financial ability to pay people, we very much encourage you to do so—both for moral reasons (it’s kinder to pay people to do work for you than to expect them to do it for free) and for practical ones (it will be much easier to find people willing to do paid work rather than volunteer work). Rates will vary a lot, but we’ve found that $20-40 per episode is generally typical for actors (though some have a higher minimum required payment) while sound design runs more in the $100-300 per episode range (see more on that below).
Do I really need a website?
Yes. Websites are a hugely important part of marketing your show! Websites