So you want to be a podcaster…
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Editor’s note: Want to take your turn at the podcast mic? Abbas Momin has a very useful, no-nonsense guide for you—equipment reccos included!
Written by: Abbas Momin is a writer, podcaster and stand-up comedian who lives in Mumbai with a cat and shelves overflowing with books he plans to read someday. You can follow him on Instagram and X.
You saw a video of 2-3 dudes yapping in front of microphones about how aliens might be real, how the funniest thing happened on that one trip to Goa, how they spotted an easter egg on the latest episode of ‘House of the Dragon’, and you thought “wait a minute, I can do this too”. Before you go for it, I am here to break down the do’s and don'ts of podcasting for you.
But, wait… what is a podcast?
Back in the early 2000s when Apple used to make iPods, people would download their favourite music, transfer it to the device and listen, but soon enough some creators started recording conversations and putting them up online, and consumers started giving these ‘conversation shows’ a shot along with the music. These would eventually become the first podcasts.
The term ‘podcast’ was coined in 2004 by journalist Ben Hammersley in an article for The Guardian. He combined ‘iPod’ with ‘broadcast’ to describe the process of creating audio content for download.
Simply put, a podcast is a digital audio program consisting of a series of episodes that you can download or stream from the internet.
In India some of the first podcasts were based around comedy, tech and sports. Comedian Cyrus Broacha pivoted to podcasting with his show ‘Cyrus Says’, AIB started off as a podcast and prominent journalists such as Amit Varma and news platforms like NewsLaundry were the first to venture into the podcasting space.
How is it different from radio or TV?
Unlike radio where the on-air time is dictated by commercial breaks and music (which is the primary draw for the program), a podcast can move at a more leisurely pace. Instead of having an opulent studio set, a podcast set (if you choose to be on video) can be more bare bones and casual. You need not be dressed in formals. A t-shirt, jeans, comfortable skirt or heck even pyjamas can suffice in some cases.
A radio jockey traditionally only talks at regular intervals between songs and is personified by their hyper energy and ability to disseminate a lot of info in a short span of time. OTOH, a podcast gives you the privilege of diving deep into a topic and not being bound by a specific time limit. Unlike radio/TV, your interviews need not be heavily edited to get attention grabbing bytes but be more thorough and in-depth.
Yes, commercial breaks are a part of the podcast show flow but the host is more in charge of when and how to take a break. Podcasts have mastered the art of the ‘host read’ where the ad is ingrained within the content of the show.
What are the types of podcasts?
Broadly we can classify podcasts into two categories: Talk-shows and narrative shows
Talk show: As the name suggests this is where the host talks to a guest either one-on-one or there’s a panel which discusses the topic at hand. These shows are easier to produce and generally the USP of these podcasts are the hosts. The listener comes back because they like the opinions, demeanour, presentation skills of the host and they’d like to ‘hang out’ with this person or group of people on a regular basis.
Typically the genres that are feasible for this kind of podcasts are comedy, entertainment, current events (politics, sports etc.). For example, ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’, ‘Conan O’ Brien Needs a Friend’, ‘The Seen and the Unseen’, ‘Anurag Minus Verma Podcast’ etc. (Shameless plug: The podcast I host called ‘Has It Aged Well?’ is also an example of a talk show)
Narrative: In a narrative podcast various modes of storytelling come into play. One or two hosts form the backbone by doing the narration but it also consists of clips, scripted segments, and music to tell the story where necessary. The primary draw for the listener here is the level of research, way of presentation and sound design. Narrative shows require professional sound engineers and writers to produce and resemble something close to a ‘documentary’ in its approach and execution.
Fictional storytelling podcasts would also come under narrative podcasts. The story can be told from a character's POV and music and SFX can be used to heighten the effects and emotions of the story.
One of the most popular podcasts which kicked off the wave of true crime shows ‘Serial’ is a good example of a well done narrative podcast. Some other examples include ‘Invisibilia’, ‘Land of the Giants’, ‘Indian Noir’ etc.
Do I need expensive equipment?
A simple Amazon search for ‘podcast mics’ will bring you a plethora of options. The pricing for an affordable, mid-budget podcast mic starts from Rs 2,500 and goes up to Rs 10,000. Some brands you can look at exploring in this range are Maono, Blue yeti, and AKG Lyra. These are usually USB mics which you can simply plug into your laptop and start recording.
Below is a list of mics that have not failed me:
One: Maono’s AU-PM420 USB podcast condenser microphone (Price: Rs 4,223)
Two: Blue Yeti’s USB microphone (Rs 10,545)
Three: AKG Lyra’s USB-C condenser microphone (Rs 9,999)
If you’re looking at something more high end the pricing for mics can range from Rs 35,000 to Rs 60,000. Shure and Rode are 2 brands which are the industry standard that you can look at. These mics need amplifiers and mixers in order to record.
One: Shure’s podcast microphone (Rs 28,506)
Two: Rode’s condenser microphone (Rs 25,395)
Important to note: an expensive mic does not necessarily make your podcast amazing. If scripted and presented well and recorded in quiet surroundings even a cheaper microphone can give good results.
If you’re hesitant to spend on equipment early on, the great news is that nowadays most smartphones have built in mics that give very decent output. Just take your iPhone or Pixel, find a quiet room or cram into your cupboard and hit the record button, it's a great way to make a start.
Softwares for editing: When it comes to editing your podcast some of the most accessible and easy-to-use softwares are Audacity, Garage Band, Adobe Audition and Pro-tools.
How do I script a podcast?
Well, you can’t script a conversation, so if your show is interview based, it's always handy to have some talking points jotted down but don’t religiously stick to them, let the conversation flow organically and react and ask questions based on the information that comes out. Only when you feel the conversation is dipping should you refer to your talking points.
Even though podcasting is associated with talking, one of the key elements of podcasting is to be a very good listener. Let people complete their sentences and points, get a feel of what aspects excite your guest and try to keep the conversation flowing.
If you’re recording a show intro or a monologue, keep in mind that things sound different when spoken than they do when written on paper. Keep your sentences short, your language simple and to the point.
How do I select a theme for my podcast?
At this point there is perhaps a podcast out there for the nichest of niches. But what isn’t out there is your voice. So don’t overthink it. If there are plenty of podcasts for something that interests you, then try and figure what unique take you can bring to it, what is it that makes it tick for you. A personal touch will always stand out. Don’t force yourself to do an ‘inspirational’ podcast just because your insta algorithm shows you reels from such shows.
Do I need to be an expert?
Not necessarily—unless you want to do fact-based deep dives on the news, science or religion. What you need most is curiosity and passion for the subject at hand. Start small—try monologuing or grabbing a friend you can have a healthy conversation with. Once you get a hold on what the show is, you can reach out to guests and experts who can shed more light about your preferred subject. Send cold emails, slide into DMs respectfully and invite guests. You’ll be surprised how many agree, if you just reach out.
How long should the episodes be?
I have a weird analogy for this which I follow. While recording, think as if you're sitting in your living room—but just on the other side of the wall is an auditorium full of people listening to you. Which is to say, be at ease and do not rush but at the same time always keep in the back of your mind that an audience is listening to this and you should not bore them by stretching something too long.
Trial and error is your friend. Try starting with shorter episodes, overtime based on your ease and feedback from listeners you can decide to increase/decrease the length.
How often should I upload?
Consistency is key. A weekly schedule is ideal but if you think that’s too small a window for you to research, record and edit then once a fortnight also works. Whatever the frequency, make sure you don’t miss or delay episodes. Podcasting is a habit forming exercise and your listeners will regard you very highly for consistency.
Where should I upload?
On a podcast hosting platform. All you need to do is upload your audio file here. Give it a title, description and upload your artwork and voila! The platform will distribute the show to all the major audio platforms like Apple Podcasts, Pocketcasts etc. If you decide to go for an audio only show then some podcasting platforms you can check out are Libsyn, Omny, PodBean and Anchor. There are free and paid plans depending upon how much data you want to upload.
An easier option you can also try is ‘Spotify for Podcasters’ which makes it very easy to upload podcasts.
Do people need to see my face?
Youtube is slowly becoming the go-to platform for podcasters. The detailed analytics, easy upload process, and general ubiquity are what work in its favour. If your show is a monologue or talk show you can consider doing a video podcast. Live streaming and an active comments section can also help you stay more engaged with your listeners. You do have to take into consideration the added costs of cameras, and video editing but as mentioned above today’s smartphones are more than adept if you do want to give this a shot.
That said, I have a soft spot for audio only shows and consider podcasting as first and foremost an audio medium and there is no obligation for you to be on video.
Why don’t I see or hear people like me on podcasts?
The Indian podcasting space at present is quite male dominated and also by a certain strata of society which is fairly privileged. The number of podcasts in English/Hinglish is also more than compared to other languages. But things are changing. If you’re a woman, or someone from the LGBTQ+ community or a marginalised group then your voice is very much the need of the hour for Indian podcasts.
So go forth and add your voice to the ever expanding sea of the internet, folks. I hope the next great podcast comes from you.
