{"id":12988,"date":"2010-05-27T21:13:20","date_gmt":"2010-05-27T15:43:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/?p=12988"},"modified":"2026-10-12T09:56:38","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T04:26:38","slug":"start-podcasting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/05\/start-podcasting\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Start Podcasting in 2026: A Beginner&#8217;s Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Want to start podcasting? Podcasts have grown from a niche hobby into one of the most popular ways to learn and be entertained, and anyone with a decent microphone and an idea can publish a show that reaches listeners worldwide. You don&#8217;t need a studio or a big budget. Here&#8217;s how to <strong>start podcasting<\/strong> in 2026, from planning your first episode to getting it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube, updated from Ted Heieck&#8217;s original guest post.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-13081\" src=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/microphone.jpg\" alt=\"Start podcasting microphone\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/microphone.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/microphone-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Quick answer:<\/strong> Pick a focused topic and format, get a USB microphone and headphones, record in a quiet soft-furnished room with free software such as Audacity or GarageBand (or Riverside for remote guests), edit out mistakes, upload to a podcast host such as Spotify for Creators or Buzzsprout, and submit your RSS feed to Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. Then publish on a regular schedule.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6aeeca791c088\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6aeeca791c088\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/05\/start-podcasting\/#1_Plan_your_podcast\" >1. Plan your podcast<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/05\/start-podcasting\/#2_Get_basic_equipment\" >2. Get basic equipment<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/05\/start-podcasting\/#3_Record_and_edit\" >3. Record and edit<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/05\/start-podcasting\/#Recording_calls_and_roundtables\" >Recording calls and roundtables<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/05\/start-podcasting\/#4_Host_and_distribute\" >4. Host and distribute<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/05\/start-podcasting\/#5_Promote_your_show\" >5. Promote your show<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/05\/start-podcasting\/#FAQ\" >FAQ<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/05\/start-podcasting\/#How_much_does_it_cost_to_start_a_podcast\" >How much does it cost to start a podcast?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/05\/start-podcasting\/#Do_I_need_a_website_for_my_podcast\" >Do I need a website for my podcast?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/05\/start-podcasting\/#How_do_podcasters_make_money\" >How do podcasters make money?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Plan_your_podcast\"><\/span>1. Plan your podcast<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Topic and audience:<\/strong> narrow beats broad. &#8220;Personal finance for new graduates in India&#8221; is easier to grow than &#8220;money&#8221;.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Format:<\/strong> solo, co-hosted, interviews or a narrative series.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Length and schedule:<\/strong> 20 to 45 minutes weekly or fortnightly works for many shows. Consistency matters more than length.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Name and artwork:<\/strong> a clear name plus square cover art (3000 x 3000 px) that reads well at thumbnail size.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Get_basic_equipment\"><\/span>2. Get basic equipment<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Microphone:<\/strong> a USB dynamic mic is the best start; it picks up less room noise than a condenser.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Headphones:<\/strong> closed-back headphones to monitor and edit.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Room:<\/strong> record in a small room with curtains, carpet or cushions to reduce echo.<\/li>\n<li>Your phone can work at first with a clip-on mic.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Record_and_edit\"><\/span>3. Record and edit<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.audacityteam.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Audacity<\/a><\/strong>: free recorder and editor for Windows, Mac and Linux.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.apple.com\/mac\/garageband\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">GarageBand<\/a><\/strong>: free on Mac, iPhone and iPad.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/riverside.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Riverside<\/a><\/strong>: records remote guests in high quality, each on their own track.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.descript.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Descript<\/a><\/strong>: edit audio by editing the transcript, and remove filler words.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Write an outline or script so you stay on track, then edit out long pauses and mistakes. Add a short intro and outro.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Recording_calls_and_roundtables\"><\/span>Recording calls and roundtables<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The original version of this post suggested recording a conference call as an easy way to make a podcast. The idea still works: gather a few experts for a &#8220;virtual roundtable&#8221; over Riverside, Zoom or Google Meet with recording turned on, then tidy the audio and publish it as an episode.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Host_and_distribute\"><\/span>4. Host and distribute<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A podcast host stores your audio files and creates the RSS feed that apps read.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/creators.spotify.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Spotify for Creators<\/a><\/strong>: free hosting with distribution to Spotify and other apps.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.buzzsprout.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Buzzsprout<\/a><\/strong>: paid, beginner-friendly host with good stats.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Then submit your feed once to <a href=\"https:\/\/podcasters.apple.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Apple Podcasts Connect<\/a>, Spotify and YouTube; new episodes appear automatically after that. Video podcasts on YouTube can bring many new listeners.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Promote_your_show\"><\/span>5. Promote your show<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Publish each episode on your website with show notes and a transcript, which also helps search. Here&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/03\/how-to-start-a-blog\/\">how to start a blog<\/a> for your show.<\/li>\n<li>Share short video clips on YouTube Shorts, Instagram and LinkedIn.<\/li>\n<li>Invite guests who will share the episode with their audience.<\/li>\n<li>Ask listeners to follow and leave ratings.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_much_does_it_cost_to_start_a_podcast\"><\/span>How much does it cost to start a podcast?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>You can start for free with your phone and free hosting. A good USB microphone and headphones add roughly $100 to $200.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_I_need_a_website_for_my_podcast\"><\/span>Do I need a website for my podcast?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Not strictly, but show notes on your own site help listeners and search engines find you.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_podcasters_make_money\"><\/span>How do podcasters make money?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Sponsorships, ads, listener support and memberships, affiliate links and promoting their own products or services.<\/p>\n<p><em>Originally written by guest author Ted Heieck of TollFreeConferencing.com, an audio conferencing provider. Updated for 2026 by QuickOnlineTips. Image by Duchamp on Flickr under Creative Commons.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Want to start podcasting? Podcasts have grown from a niche hobby into one of the most popular ways to learn&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":13081,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[44,49],"class_list":["post-12988","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blogging","tag-guest-posts","tag-tutorials"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12988","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12988"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12988\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":64184,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12988\/revisions\/64184"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13081"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12988"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12988"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12988"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}