Hi! I'm Jamie, the Executive Podcast Producer at Brave Moon Podcasts. I help health and fitness professionals launch and build successful podcasts. These are the hacks that made the biggest difference in my podcasting - and I hope they'll work wonders for you, too!
Podcasting is a great way to share your thoughts and ideas with the world, and it's easier than ever to get started. However, if you're not familiar with the basics of podcasting, it can be a bit daunting. That's where this podcast episode (and article!) comes in.
In this episode (and article!), of How to Podcast from Home, I share the 5 remote podcasting hacks that changed my life. These hacks will help you get started with podcasting, even if you don't have any experience. And I’m also going to share the cliff’s notes in this article here!
In this episode, we talk about…
How to streamline your podcast workflow using different editing platforms.
The power of AI tools for automating show notes and content creation, saving you hours of work.
Effective podcast promotion strategies, including choosing the right social media platforms and repurposing content to maximize reach.
Transcribed Podcast Episode
Did you know that every single suggestion I'm giving you to podcast from home is something that I myself am doing to make my podcast happen? That's right, I'm not suggesting a less quality or a simplified version of my podcast workflow. Every single program, solution and hack I'm teaching you in this podcast is exactly what I'm doing in order to make this podcast you're listening to right now happen.
The reason I'm such a stickler about this is that I want to make sure that the results you hear are exactly what you can expect when you commit to launching your own podcast from home. I want to stand behind my suggested programs, software and equipment so that there are no surprises when you launch your own podcast. I'm literally here doing the work so that you can take this information and run with it. So in the spirit of this newly revealed information, I'm about to give my very tippy of the best five hacks I've found to record your podcast from home and feel confident in doing so.
But you should know a little bit about what I do at Brave Moon Podcasts. I am a podcast expert and producer, and I help busy professionals launch and build successful podcasts from home.
And home is exactly where I am right now, in my cute little bedroom turned office in the back corner of the apartment I share with my husband and my dog Riggs. The equipment I'm using today cost me $400 and the programs I use cost me less than $30 a month. To learn more about what I do, you can jump on my website and be sure to download my free startup podcast guide, which houses my comprehensive startup podcast checklist, plus my top recommendations for audio equipment, podcast host, and recording platforms. Check out the links in my show notes now.
If you're brand new to the podcast and stumbled on this episode, firstly, welcome. I am so excited you're here. And if you're a returning listener, thank you for being here. If you haven't already, be sure to leave me a five-star review so I know who you are and what you're up to in the world. In every episode, I provide a pretty impressive amount of information about products and software programs I recommend using. You will find all of the links to these helpful items in my show notes.
So even if I breeze by it in the episode and don't mention I'll include the link in my show notes, there is a 99% chance you'll find the link there. Also in every episode, I make sure to include five direct hacks you can run away with today that will help to elevate your podcasting game. But I thought it would be sort of fun to just devote an entire episode to hacks. Literally the five hacks that turned my dream of starting a podcast into a reality.
The hacks I'm about to dive into include, the equipment you really need to start a podcast, the recording and editing software that was literally a game changer for me, how you can use AI to make show notes and scripting a breeze, plus real no-nonsense ways to actually grow your audience even when you don't have a single follower. My intention is to actually lay everything out for you in a way that makes way more sense than you expect so that you can actually start and grow your podcast today.
I'm just going to tell you a quick two minute story before I launch into the hacks. So when I became a podcast producer, my audio editing skills were minimal. In high school, I created music remixes for my dance team and I loved doing it. So actually I almost went to university for audio engineering when I was 18, but I changed my mind last minute to study psychology instead. I guess I wanted to learn more about my own brain and everyone else's brain than music.
A part of me regrets that, but I'm not here to talk about my regrets. So fast forward to throwing myself into audio editing for podcast purposes. I really wanted to teach myself Adobe Audition. I had heard after all that it was the crème de la crème of audio editing. And I wanted to make sure that I could stand up against the best podcast producers and feel confident I was providing the best possible audio for my clients.
Of course, right? I spent hours and hours and hours studying and learning from Google and YouTube University. I trained with an audio engineer in person to make sure he saw my exact flow and helped perfect everything I was doing.
And it worked. Sure, there were hiccups, but I really ended up feeling very confident in the audio I was producing for my clients. Fast forward a few years, and I'm not kidding when I say AI technology has just blown everything out of the water. The audio editing tools that are now available have changed the playing field.
Do we still use Adobe Audition and Pro Tools to edit our clients podcast at Bravemoon Podcast? Yes. But I would argue we don't have to because the technology that exists today didn't exist three years ago. And I'm here for it. I'm ready to test these things out for you and experience it with my own podcast. So the moral of the story is this, it has never been easier to start a podcast on your own. These programs and tools that are on the market are so easy to learn and use.
If you have the time, you can create a studio quality podcast from home very easily. And the best part is I think it's just going to keep on getting better. So the moral of the story, it's OK to let go of the expert tools that barricaded regular people from creating podcasts. Now, there probably is an audio engineer listening right now, screaming in frustration at my opinion about this.
And I'm sorry for frustrating you but I'm not going to hold back easier ways to produce similar audio results because holding back information hinders learning and growth. My intent with this podcast is to help you, professionals who don't necessarily want podcasting to be their main job, but instead want to build their personal and professional brand and gain valuable multi-stream income through podcasting.
I want you to learn how to podcast easily and effectively without all the red tape that holds you back from thinking it's possible. So, I'm shattering the barricades that told you that you couldn't do this because you absolutely can.
Without further a do, here are my top 5 hacks that will actually change everything and allow you to start and build that podcast of your dreams.
Hack number 1.
If you listen to me long enough, you'll hear me say there are three things that create a successful podcast and that is consistency, authenticity, and promotion. So, it is imperative that we talk about consistency in this hack. Let me tell you a little secret. Consistency isn't about beating the algorithm or moving to the top of the feed every week.
And although those elements are sweet, the real reason you need consistency is because podcasts, more so than perhaps any other social platform, are a promise to your listener that you will show up when you say you will. I'm not kidding. Your listener builds your podcast into their routine. Whether it's on their way to work on Monday morning or catching up with your episodes over their lunch break, your new episodes should greet them like the fine wine they were hoping for and expecting from you.
If you slip, that listener will treat it as a personal insult. I know it might sound crazy to say this, but haven't you ever been thwarted by an online presence? Perhaps a TV show that always airs on Sunday night, but then they take a random Sunday night off because of God knows what holiday? It's the worst. I don't know about you, but it stirs up abandonment issues in me. Now, before you jump ship and say, no way, I cannot be consistent with anything, I'm out. Let me explain this. There is a loophole.
As long as you remain true to your word, your listener will be fine with your choices. So first step, choose a cadence and stick to it. So I just need to come out and say this right now. A lot has changed for me since episode one of my own podcast. And guess what? I, me, the one that's recommending all these tips to you, was afraid to commit to anything.
It was hard enough for me to start this podcast because of all of the other hats that I'm wearing in my business. And so the thought of committing to a certain amount or a certain live date, scared the crap out of me. So I'm pretty sure I don't say anything at all in the first two episodes about what my cadence is. So to be honest, it was because I was, I was afraid. I know it's such an important commitment to make and I didn't want to disappoint you. So in holding myself to the same values I'm expecting of you in your own podcast, I am going to commit to you right now.
I am delivering to you a 10 episode season released every other Thursday. I am holding that accountability for you that you can expect 10 episodes from me in this first season come hell or high water every other Thursday. So yes, it's a lot of commitment. Does it scare me? Like what if I fall off of a cliff or what if the internet freezes over? Or in actuality, I am headed back to the States for two weeks in July to spend time with my family. So when am I going to record? But...
I've made a commitment. So what that means is that I have to find a solution to make sure I'm always consistent with you. Here's how I'm doing it. First, I didn't just release this podcast the minute I was done with the first episode. I actually recorded the first episode and then I started working on the second episode following the same steps. I'm working on the third episode just two days after my first episode went live. So you're hearing this a few weeks after I actually recorded.
Batching your episodes like this is going to be key. Do it all in manageable chunks. Cut out times in your week that are devoted to your podcast and then batch. For instance, script three episodes in one go before hitting record on all three. This will help immensely and allow you to have downtime between each episode so that you're never panicked last minute on going live with a new episode when you're meant to do so. Secondly, you don't have to commit to a weekly episode forever unless you want to.
Now, I'm not saying don't do that because by all means, if you have the time to do so, do it. It's an amazing cadence to offer your listeners and they will love you for it. In fact, one of my most successful podcast clients has committed to a weekly podcast episode over 80 episodes now, and she's only taken a break once in which she told her listeners about it ahead of time. It's paying off tremendously with a fully booked year of speaking gigs and a listener count that keeps rising. So by all means, if you can do it, do it.
But when you're just starting out, it's totally okay to commit something less than that. Why not commit to bi-weekly or monthly podcasts? Or commit to a 10-part episode series like me or a certain number of episodes for a season? As long as you're upfront and communicative with your audience about your plan, your listeners should receive it well. Thirdly, I am staying way ahead of the game and organizing with Trello.
In case you don't know about Trello, Trello is a project management tool that can help you with your podcast workflow in a number of ways. So what I did is I set up a podcast workflow board in Trello. This board is set up visually so that I can see exactly how far along each episode is in its creation. Each card in the board represents a different episode. In each card, I have a checklist and due dates for each item on my to-do list.
I also always add direct links to my Google Drive for any assets I've created already. It's also a great tool to collaborate with others. Even though I don't have a co-host for this podcast, I do have Trello boards for each of my podcast clients. Because Trello boards can be shared with other people, you can collaborate on your podcast with co-hosts, guests, or producers. You can assign tasks to others, leave comments, and mention people to get their attention.
And it keeps all of your communication in one place, which is super helpful for project management. This is not meant to be salesy. You can absolutely build a perfectly fine podcast workflow by yourself. But if you are interested in removing the guesswork and time it takes to build your own, I do offer my exact podcast template in Trello on my website for free.
Hack number 2.
OK, you've got the name of your podcast sorted. You know what you want to talk about. But how do you start recording?
I actually spent hours and hours of research to try to find the best possible microphone and equipment setup to use at home specifically. I wasn't aiming for fancy equipment. I wasn't aiming for the biggest or most expensive option. No, I was looking for budget friendly, small investment, but big, high quality impact microphone and accessories. Right now in this episode, I'm actually using the exact setup I recommend in my start a podcast guide. It is setup number one to be exact.
So what do you really need to record studio quality audio from home? First, I should mention that I've done a deep dive into this on the previous episode, but I'm just gonna give it to you straight. You need an external USB microphone, wired headphones, and a recording device. That is it. I know you wanna do your own research a bit. I completely get it. But here's what I learned from the hours of research I put into learning this for myself. You have two types of microphones to start with, XLR or USB.
In your case, podcasting from home alone, you'll want a USB microphone. They are comprehensive in their audio quality, but aren't nearly as complicated as XLR microphones. They are also more affordable and easier to use. And with the USB microphones, you'll need to choose a dynamic or a condenser mic. You want a dynamic mic for at home recording to sound its best. Why? Because dynamic microphones are more resistant to background noise. which will help produce a cleaner audio recording for you.
They are also more durable and are less expensive. In regards to your microphone, there are a couple accessories I recommend that can be a game changer, the boom arm and the shock mount. Are these accessories a requirement? Not at all, but I do still recommend them to make your studio quality sound that much better and makes your post-production editing even easier, which we'll get into coming up next. So in addition to the microphone and accessories,
I highly recommend and actually require them for my podcast clients are wired headphones. Personally, I highly recommend over the ear headphones. First, they are way more comfortable, but perhaps most importantly, they help reduce sound leakage. The last thing you want when you're interviewing someone is having the sound travel from your headphones to your microphone. It's like this crazy loop of duplicate sound that just sucks for post editing purposes.
And last but not least, you need a recording device like a personal computer or smartphone. Simple way to look at this is which device do you own that will plug directly into your chosen USB microphone?
For me, it's currently my personal computer. However, you can definitely get a cord off Amazon that will connect your USB microphone to your smartphone. The key is that you will need a recording platform such as Riverside.
So what is my exact setup that you're hearing through your headphones? I'm sitting on a very comfy, light pink chair with a side table next to me. Attached to the side table is my Rode PSA 1+ Boom Arm. Attached to my boom arm is my beautiful Rode Podcaster Mic, which is connected to my personal computer. So this setup cost me $400, which I think was worth every penny in order to make this podcast happen.
Hack number 3.
You've got the name of your podcast sorted. You know what you want to talk about. You know your cadence. You've got your equipment set up.
But how do you start recording? The answer, my friend, is an online program called Riverside. Are there other ways to record your episode? You betcha. But let me explain the reason why Riverside is the best possible hack for recording and editing your program in all in one go. First off, let me explain what you should expect from a recording platform, so we're on the same page.
When I'm speaking about recording, am referring to one of two scenarios. Either one, you're recording solo or two, you're recording with a co-host or guest in a separate space. The third scenario that I don't speak to for all intents and purposes is if you plan to record in the same space as another person, co-host or guest. Why do I not speak of such things? I definitely know the scenario is happening with podcasts.
However, it requires a completely different setup involving two microphones or more and different connections and frankly, I don't wanna confuse you. And because you are a professional, potentially a solopreneur, I really think your sweet spot is going to be recording solo or recording with your guest or co-host in other spaces.
It's more budget friendly and lets your guests and co-hosts decide on their own recording setup. Plus it's extremely doable. In the first two scenarios where you're soloing or you're recording with your co-host or guest in another space, you're going to need a reliable recording platform that records audio remotely.
Did Zoom jump into your mind? Don't do it. I'll explain. Ultimately, you want a web-based recording platform that records sound locally, meaning that the audio is recorded directly to your computer or smartphone. This is super important because it prevents the audio from being affected by internet lag or other issues. And you also want each person's track to be recorded separately from each other.
Zoom doesn't offer this, so that's why Zoom isn't a great option. The top three recording platforms for audio and video that are paving the way in the podcasting space are Riverside, Squadcast, and Podcastle.
I have spent time in all three and my number one choice is Riverside. So I'll start by saying that all three platforms produce similar audio results. All audio tracks are recorded locally. But here's something about Riverside that sets itself apart from the other two.
When it comes to recording, there are two scenarios to consider: recording solo or recording with a co-host or guest in a separate location. For the purpose of this explanation, recording with multiple people in the same space is not covered.
The top three recording platforms in the podcasting space are Riverside, Squadcast, and Podcastle. While all produce similar audio results, Riverside has a standout feature. It allows you to schedule recordings in advance and sends your guests helpful tips and tricks, setting it apart from the others.
After recording, Riverside truly shines in the editing process. Unlike Squadcast, Riverside enables separate multi-track editing, giving you more control over each audio and video track. You can remove unwanted noises, add music, sound effects, and use AI-powered tools to enhance and master the sound quality. The platform also provides a text-based editor for easier editing, allowing you to tweak your podcast simply by adjusting the transcript. Riverside’s user-friendly interface makes it a top choice for creators looking for a seamless editing experience.
Once editing is complete, you can export the episode as a cohesive audio or video file to be uploaded to your podcast host. While Riverside doesn’t have a free plan, its Standard plan at $15 per month offers high-quality recording, AI-powered editing, and more recording hours, making it a worthwhile investment.
So there you have it. That is why Riverside is a hack that changed my podcasting life.
Hack number 4.
AI for show notes and scripting. If you had told me in November, 2022 that AI would change the way I wrote copy for my podcast, I wouldn't have believed you. The first time I heard about ChatGPT was when my husband Jason tried to explain it to me in December, 2022. We were driving along the coast and I wasn't really sure what he was telling me. This isn't actually because I don't listen to him.
Although, let's be honest, sometimes I can tune out when he gets long winded. Babe, sorry if you're listening. Anyway, no, the reason I wasn't comprehending what he was sharing with me was that it just didn't seem possible. How could a machine spit out replies in a matter of seconds that were comprehensive and accurate? How could a machine compose an email for me with the smallest of prompts? How could a machine write a book chapter by chapter if I wanted it to?
I honestly blew it off, rolling my eyes and exclaiming that it wasn't that exciting. Ha, boy was I wrong. By January, 2023, I was learning ChatGPT. I think I was literally shell shocked by the life changing phenomenon that was ChatGPT. I couldn't get enough of it. I asked it questions about my business, marketing opportunities. I asked it for Instagram caption ideas.
I remember I even asked it to compare the Wednesday Adams dance to podcast jargon and it came back with something that I used for a post that got me more views than any other post I had posted at that time. I think the exact words it came up with were quote, a seamless blend of precise cuts, smooth transitions, and just the right amount of creepy flair.
Anyways, I digress. Flash forward to a couple of weeks later and one of my podcast clients reached out and asked if I had heard of cap show.
So what CapShow was doing that blew my mind is that it transcribed any podcast episode, providing a word for word transcription of the show, and then summarizing it into show notes, which you could then distribute to the listening platforms, encouraging potential listeners to tune in. Before this point, I was listening to every single episode, 45 minutes or longer, to deliver back a summary that expressed the essence of the episode to my client, plus quotes that were Insta-worthy and beyond.
And with something like CapShow, I would no longer have to listen to the episode. So after working with CapShow for a couple months, I did find some major flaws in the program. I've heard they fixed a few of these, but ultimately I found the process incredibly cumbersome and slow. And so I set out on a mission to find the right AI copywriter for my own podcast. And what I ran into was the answer to all of my prayers. Podcastmarketing.ai.
If you're looking for an AI copywriting solution for your podcast show notes and social media marketing materials, stop what you're researching and sign up for podcastmarketing.ai. has a similar offering to cap show, but with so much more. Plus it's much faster. The thing I love about podcastmarketing.ai is that it will split out your transcription and then your show notes. But let's say you're not happy with what it spits out, you can actually fix it by speaking directly to their AI immediately right away.
So let's say they got your guest's profession wrong or the title isn't quite right. Simply type out what you need AI to fix and it will do it for you in the program. You could probably in theory change the tone of voice. You could probably say things like quote unquote, please use an informal tone of voice and speak to an audience of health and fitness professionals. Personally, I haven't tried that as I prefer to take it out of AI and perfect my show notes on my own.
However, I don't see why you can't try that and see what happens. So in addition to the show notes, it will also give you episode description, episode title ideas, quotes, email, newsletter, copy, and social media captions, all of which you can ask AI to perfect for you within the program.
So what I'm saying is this, yes, you need show notes. They help your discoverability in the listening platforms, but do you have to spend hours and hours creating them? No, you don't, not anymore. For only $30 a month, you can have four episodes show notes, 75% ready to go using podcastmarketing.ai. So take advantage of this new technology. It really is so impressive.
Hack number 5.
For my fifth and final hack, really want to dive into promotional activity for your podcast. Like I mentioned earlier, my formula for a successful podcast is to be authentic, be consistent, and promote your podcast. Listen, podcasting is a lot of work. Whether you outsource the many tasks required to make it happen or do it yourself, you're going to spend a lot of time making each episode happen. So sometimes the last thing you want to do is to spend time promoting it.
Like you've just spent how many hours creating, editing, and scheduling the content and now you have to promote it? Not cute. But if you're ready for a successful podcast, it's a given. After all, you may have spent all this time creating amazing content, but not a single other person knows about it until you take the necessary steps to tell them about it. Family and friends? Sure, they probably know, but nobody else knows until you give them a reason to care about you and your podcast.
And you can absolutely get there. But it will take some time and promotional elements to make it happen. Now, if you don't know this about me, I come from the marketing world. I was a social media manager before stepping out of my role to take over podcast production for Virgin Active's podcast. And as luck would have it, finding a few more to launch and produce as well. So let's just say I know a bit about marketing and a lot about social media marketing. So let's chat about it.
First and foremost, my recommendation is to be on one or two platforms max. Unless you're a Superman or Superwoman with like 40 hours a week on your hands, your max should be one or two platforms. Believe me, I know that feeling that's telling you right now the last thing you want is to have FOMO and miss out on an opportunity because you didn't post to the right platform.
But I will tell you right now, algorithms love value driven content and if you're on five platforms, there's just not enough time in the day to create the content that particular social media channel is looking for. So just let it go right now and let's decide on which one you'll get after. My best advice, choose the one or two platforms you know your target audience is on. A quick way, by the way, to qualify your audience and social media channel is to jump on ChatGPT or Google Bard and ask it this. Literally quantify it.
I did this just now to confirm. So I prompted Google Bard with what social media channel is best for women in their 40s passionate about strength training? And can you quantify it? Google's response was, according to a study by Statista, I hope I said that right, Instagram is the most popular social media platform among women in the United States, aged 45 to 54, with 39% of women in that age group using the platform.
Additionally, study by the American College of Sports Medicine found that 60% of women who strength train use Instagram to find inspiration and connect with other strength trainers. Once you nail down your social media channels, it's time to create content. You can actually let your podcast episode be the driving force of your content. What's beautiful about your podcast is that it's a wealth of information you're providing. Whether you're speaking solo or you're talking with a guest, there is so much valuable information being shared.
With that, go through your episode and make sure you're grabbing all of those golden nuggets that are waiting for you to use throughout your content plan. For example, with this episode, I might create an Instagram Reels that summarizes my five hacks. I won't go into details, but I will give my followers some value-driven content that shares exactly what I recommend they do. And the key here is to always drive them back to your podcast.
Think of your podcast as the pinnacle of your marketing funnel because it turns out podcast listeners are extremely loyal. And actually 65% of podcast listeners have shared that they have purchased something directly from listening to their podcasts. So don't underestimate the value of promoting your podcast via your social media channels. Also, don't underestimate the power of posting a blog article about your episode either. There is incredibly valuable content in each episode, which can create a very impressive blog post that could grab people's attention.
just make sure to link back to your episodes that people can listen into. Another great opportunity with blog articles is that you can tell your listeners that there is a blog article waiting for them once they're done listening to the episode so that they can absorb your podcast visually in another matter and be able to take notes afterwards. That's what I do here with this podcast.
So keep in mind this hierarchy of your content plan, but also remember to post about each episode at least three times. I mean it, no matter how bored you are with the content or feel that you're done with the episode, it's not done until you post about it at least three times. I would argue it's never done.
The content that you're providing is super valuable and always has a place to be promoted on other social media channels. So there we go, five hacks that changed the way I podcast. I am so excited that you've just listened to this episode. It means you are really taking steps towards starting your podcast and that is amazing. Stay real, stay open-minded and happy podcasting.
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Happy podcasting.
