Every podcast lover has thought to themselves, “how to start a podcast for free” at least once. Thanks to all the technological tools and platforms we have at our disposal, audio content creation has become a lucrative and relatively easy side-profession for many. With podcasts gaining immense popularity among Indian users, now’s the perfect time to enter the podcasting game. Don’t worry – starting a podcast is very easy, plus it’s free!
What will you need?
Before you start creating your podcast show, make sure that you have these things handy:
- A smartphone: Almost everyone already owns a smartphone, and thankfully for them, it’s the only tool they’ll need to record their podcasts. Just download the Hubhopper studio mobile app on the Google Play Store to record your podcast, straight from your mobile device. Start by recording your thoughts, create a topic or theme you want to talk about, and then sit in isolation or with friends to record your first podcast.
- Earphones with mic: These days all earphones come along with an in-built microphone. Simply plug in your earphone mic onto your desktop or mobile phone to capture good audio quality for your podcast.
- Microphone: If your phone’s mic doesn’t cut it in terms of quality then you can get a full-fledged mic. Microphones are expensive but will surely boost the quality of your audio recordings.
Got all that? Now, set up the internet and start recording your podcast, on Hubhopper Studio. Don’t underestimate the amount of noise that your neighbors or passing traffic outside your window can create. All the unnecessary noise will only increase the amount of editing you will have to do later. To avoid that, you can place acoustic sheets on the windows to create an isolated space.
Once you have recorded your audio, you can edit it with Hubhopper studio’s easy in-built tools. You can add some sound effects, white noise, intro/outro music, and music clips for transitions to your verbal content to make it sound fun and interesting. Make sure that you use royalty-free music only.
Podcast Distribution
You’ve recorded the audio, added music, and created a final episode edit in your noise-proof room. Now’s the time to make your podcast available to the audience. By hosting your podcast on Hubhopper, you get to distribute your podcast to major global and local listening platforms, all for free.
You need to focus on podcast platforms that are present in the most number of devices, especially in the devices of your target audiences. Select any one or more platforms according to your niche. Platforms like Spotify, Google Podcast, Apple Podcast, etc., may seem extremely lucrative but bear in mind – the competition for listeners on these large-scale platforms is fierce. So, be prepared to compete with the likes of Joe Rogan or Bill Burr!
Podcast hosting platforms offer users plenty of options to customize their content. Creators can add catchy titles, descriptions full of keywords, and other attractive text-based content. Hubhopper studio even provides podcasters with a free website and an Audiogram tool that automatically converts podcast episodes into engaging videos for social media. After customizing your episode and adding your podcast’s final title and details, it’s time to hit the “Publish” button. There you have it – you’ve uploaded your first podcast for free.
Revenue Generation
From social media sharing to sending mass emails – there are various ways to promote your podcasts for free. The revenue streams for your podcasts will come from these sources – subscribers, product placements by giving ‘shout-outs’ to podcast sponsors, advertisements of local businesses, and internet sponsors.
Just like any content creator in the content creation space, whether that is social content on Instagram or video content on YouTube, podcasting is no different. It is content creation in audio form and leveraging your content and audience is key in pushing towards monetization. Building these funnels to your brand adds immense value.
From creating a Patreon account for your followers to support your content creation journey to collaborating with sponsors and brands directly, content creators today are leveraging to monetize.
Don’t worry too much about revenue generation when you’re just starting. Follow these tips to start podcasting as a zero-cost investment. Any small amount you earn in the future will be counted as a profit if you follow these key tips!
Happy Podcasting!
