What software do you need to start a video podcast?
Tech is one of the main things that holds back many people from starting a podcast. I know dozens of people who have bought all the equipment needed to record. Yet they’ve sat on it for years because the software and editing force them to procrastinate.
I’m going to share a software stack with you that prioritizes:
ease of use
budget
remote recording scenario
Video podcasting
and podcast promotion
1) Podcast Hosting Software
This is the most important one if you want to be listed on audio platforms. Everything you upload here gets distributed to:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Audible
And all other audio platforms
The winner in this category is Buzzsprout. I like it because they base their pricing off TIME vs FILE SIZES.
A few years back I migrated all of my clients over to Buzzsprout from Libsyn.
Pricing
Most podcasters can get away with the $12 plan which includes 4 hours per month. It’s super easy to add more time at about $3 / hour.
2) Podcast Recording Software
The approach differs vastly if you are filming in person vs recording your podcast remotely.
Remote Podcasts
If you’re recording your show remotely, Zoom works perfectly fine. There does come a point where you might want to level up your production.
Riverside.fm is my pick for remote recording software. It gives you and your guests the feeling that you are in a recording studio online.
There’s many cool features, but the main one that applies to you is the individual files captured for each speaker.
If you or your guest face internet disruptions on Zoom, that lag is embedded in the video file because you don’t get a video track of the full meeting with all speakers.
The way Riverside.fm creates a safety net is by recording locally to your device and your guest’s device. Then after the session is over, that’s uploaded to the ‘Riverside cloud’.
If you’re working with an editor, they’ll appreciate you having this. You can copy and paste a link to the recording with all your files there. Which is basically like a super organized Google Drive folder for the recording.
Pricing
The Riverside.fm plan starts at $19 / month for 5 hours per month. The next tier is $29 / month for 15 hours.
In Person Podcasts
There’s no doubt that in person shows have a higher quality feel in many ways. They are harder to pull of in terms of the equipment needed. As far as software goes, you don’t actually need something to record into.
That’s why I recommend the Zoom H6 for a recording interface. Cuts out any software you need for recording.
Keep in mind that I’m speaking to 80% of in-person setups. If you are a more professional studio with a bigger budget, there may be someone monitoring all the camera angles. Which would require software.
But you likely don’t have to worry about that.
3) Podcast Editing Software
I’m going to assume you’re doing a video podcast. Whether it’s in person or remote. The easiest software to learn if you are going to be editing yourself is Descript.
I teach this to a lot of my consulting clients because of the learning curve.
For my client projects I use Premiere Pro and supplement with Descript.
But I recommend Descript for most workflows because it relies on text based editing.
And you may be able to go a long way before you start to face limitations.
It’s very similar to editing a Google Doc.
Now if you have a desire to use Davinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro, or Capcut — go for it.
There are certain advanced tools that Descript may not cut it for. When you run into that, you’ll typically pick from the big 3:
Adobe Premiere Pro
Final cut Pro
or Davinci Resolve
But again, for most people starting, Descript works because of it’s ease of use.
Pricing
There’s a plan that’s free to try of course. But $15-30 / month is what you can expect to spend. The price goes up based on the hours you are transcribing.
4) Email Marketing Software
Without an email list, you don’t have the actual names and contact info of your viewers, listeners, and subscribers. That’s why it’s important from Day 1 to begin building a funnel that allows you to deplatform your truest fans.
It’s not even about just sending out a newsletter every week. Although that can be a very helpful way to give your new episode momentum.
It’s about OWNING the contact info. And removing the gatekeepers.
I personally have used:
Active Campaign
Aweber
Mailchimp
ConvertKit
Go High Level
Clickfunnels
I ended up coming back to ConvertKit for my personal stuff. I still have clients that love Mailchimp because of it’s free tier.
But I found ConvertKit’s community and content was the most relatable to what I was doing. It feels like ‘They get it!"‘
They have a great selection of landing pages that you can use to create multiple freebies and easter eggs in your show.
Pricing
ConvertKit is certainly not the cheapest, but they do offer a free tier now so you can test it out. On average, most creators can expect to pay $29 / month for up to 1,000 subscribers. As you grow, it gets more expensive, but that’s the case with most email marketing softwares.
5) Graphic Design Software
If you aren’t a Photoshop enthusiast and don’t plan on becoming one, I would recommend Canva for your graphic design needs. You’ll be designing:
podcast cover art
YouTube thumbnails
YouTube channel banner
and more
Pricing
There’s a free version of course, but Canva Pro is $12 / month. It opens up a lot of variety in what you can do yourself. Adobe Express is another option to consider if you already have the Adobe Suite.
Have any q’s?
The above stack is what I would consider close to essential for most people starting a podcast.
If you’re still shopping for gear, check out my podcast equipment recommendations here. I keep it up to date as I’m testing new equipment that’s worth it for the average creator.
And of course, if you need a hand with your podcast workflow, check out my Long Form Leverage bundle.
Disclosure: I may get a few pennies if you use my affiliate links for some of the software / equipment above. It’s a great way to help support— at no extra cost to you. If you’ll be buying the software or equipment anyways, I appreciate you taking the time to use my link. I never promote products I don’t actually believe in, use myself, or test out in some way.
