Have you been thinking about setting up a podcast studio?
If you’re curious about what might be involved in setting up a podcast studio, we’re going to break down everything you need to know.
There has never been a better time to explore setting up a podcast studio. As podcasting libraries become increasingly more crowded, it’s more important than ever to focus on delivering audio content with high production value.
The global podcasting market size was valued at $11.46 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 31.1% from 2021 to 2028. The competition is heating up!
If you’re serious about building an engaged audience, you need to focus on delivering insightful audio content that has high production value. The best way to achieve this is by investing in podcasting equipment to elevate the production value.
Without wasting any time, let’s dive straight in.
Setting Up A Podcast Studio (Estimating Costs)
The cost to build a podcast studio will largely depend on your ambitions as a podcaster. If you’re looking to create a studio that can also be used to record video content, it may cost more to design an aesthetically pleasing layout.
After hiding away those cables and picking wallpaper designs, you can begin to create a studio environment that will look good on camera. There’s a big difference between building a podcast studio around the practicalities of audio recording and the aesthetic demands of video capture.
Are you going to be inviting podcast guests into the studio? This could potentially influence the design of the studio environment.
If you place an emphasis on designing a podcast studio environment that is aesthetically pleasing on camera, the costs can quickly escalate. You should focus on the practicalities of the studio environment before looking at the aesthetics.
How do I set up a podcast studio at home?
If you don’t have the money or expertise to start from scratch with your own recording studio, almost any room in your home will suffice. Choose rooms with a lot of soft surfaces, such as carpeting, rugs, and fabric furniture. Avoid rooms with hard floors and blank walls.
If you’re not a DIY kind of person, you might hire a podcast studio through a company like Podcast Rentals. These rental studios can be found in most major cities. They cost between $60 and $100 per hour, and they usually include video cameras as well.
After you’ve chosen a decent room for podcasting, the next step is to apply some sound treatment. Every time you make an effort to improve the sound quality of your recordings, you save time later removing flaws and imperfections.
Attach soundproof foam panels to the walls of your recording room. Their goal is to absorb sound so it doesn’t ricochet all over the room and strike your microphone. They’re available on Amazon. Place them on hard surfaces, such as blank walls, cabinet faces, or even the ceiling.
If you don’t want to use foam panels, blankets are an excellent alternative. Hang your blankets on the walls and over hard surfaces to drape them. Drop some pillows around the space, such as on top of empty desks or in areas of the floor that aren’t covered by rugs.
What do I need for a podcast studio?
A podcast studio configuration wouldn’t be complete without a few pieces of podcast equipment. Recording episodes with your laptop microphone is certainly possible, but the sound quality would be rather poor. We recommend buying a few items to save you time and trouble editing your episodes.
Here’s a list of equipment you should consider for your podcast studio:
- Computer
- USB or XLR microphone
- Audio interface
- Mixer
- Windscreen or pop filter
- Microphone stand
- Headphones
- Acoustic treatments
(For specific recommendations, check out “The Perfect Podcast Equipment For Any Situation”.)
Can I start a podcast with my phone?
You could start a podcast with your phone’s built-in microphone, but the sound quality wouldn’t be great. You may prefer to buy an external microphone that plugs into your phone to improve the sound quality, but it wouldn’t be comparable to professional equipment.
If you’d like to record high-quality audio, consider buying a dedicated recording device. This will help to elevate the production value of your audio content as you compete in increasingly crowded podcast libraries.
Is starting a podcast worth it?
There’s never been a better time to explore starting a podcast. As people consume more long-form and short-form audio content, you should be thinking about how you can provide value to listeners.
Every business owner should be publishing weekly podcast content across all streaming platforms. The upside potential is too great to ignore.
Why do people need your services? How can consumers unlock value from your product?
There are limitless topics that you could explore. Ideally, these should all be geared around providing the listeners with as much value as possible.
Value comes from unique insights. What value can you bring to the table?
Every podcast episode you record should focus on a specific question that is commonly asked by your target market. This is the easiest way to ensure your audio content is both relevant and insightful to the target audience.
Do I need headphones for podcasting?
Every podcaster should wear headphones while recording. As the mic is picking up your voice, it will also pick up all of the ambient noise in the room. You don’t want to find yourself listening back to a poorly-recorded episode because of too much background noise.
Is it free to start a podcast on Spotify?
It’s completely free to start a podcast on Spotify. You can upload your episodes directly onto the platform through their “Submit A Podcast” page.
When you partner with Cashflow Podcasting, our team will be able to do all the heavy lifting for you. This includes distributing podcast episodes across all major streaming platforms.
If you’re interested in leveraging a podcast production service to hit the ground running with your audio content, we encourage you to consider Cashflow Podcasting.
Founder and Chief Podcast Educator at Cashflow Podcasting. Ben specializes in helping thought leaders and entrepreneurs amplify their impact through podcasting. He’s a world traveller, outdoor sports junkie and future enthusiast!