Oct. 25, 2018
So, you want to start a podcast.
It makes sense, of course. Podcasting continues to boom, with no signs of slowing down, and when it comes to digital production, there’s a fairly low barrier to entry.
What’s driving the ongoing podcast mania? People want to learn. Educational podcasts tend to be some of the most popular. That means podcasts can be a great way to show off your expertise and learn some new skills in the process.
And you know what? We can help! You have all the tools you need to start your brand-new, bound-to-be-wildly-popular podcast right here at St. Edward’s.
Learn the Basics
We’ve all listened to good podcasts, and we’ve all listened to bad podcasts. The key difference between them? A grounded understanding of the format.
All St. Edward’s students, faculty and staff have access to the thousands of training videos and courses LinkedIn Learning has to offer. Fortunately, LinkedIn Learning has a number of resources that can show you the ins and outs of podcasting as a medium, as well as provide an introduction to some of the key tools.
Find the Right Recording Space
Producing Professional Podcasts
Our pick for a starting point with LinkedIn Learning is this course that takes you through ideation, creation and promotion of podcasts.
The Digital Media Center on the second floor of Munday Library should be your go-to place for recording your podcast. Our sound-isolating audio booth — by WhisperRoom — provides the quiet environment you need to get the highest-quality recording.
Quality matters! Any dedicated recording hardware in our DMC space will give you better results than using a phone or random microphone out in the open. People are much more sensitive to low-quality audio versus low-quality video.
Tip: If you don’t have time to come to the DMC, you can check out a Zoom (H4n or H2) audio recorder from the front desk of the Munday Library. You can record directly to the device or set it up as a USB microphone connected to your computer with your preferred audio-editing software. It's best if you can find a small quiet space to record your audio to help isolate the sound.
Edit with Care
The Ins and Outs of the Audio Booth
A quick tour is all you need to get started.
The computers in the Digital Media Center’s Edit Bay have multiple options for recording and editing audio, including Audacity, Adobe Audition and GarageBand.
They also have the advantage of being near the experts. Media production is a skill that takes time to master, and Digital Media Center staff are available right by our recording and editing spaces to offer assistance and guidance. Don’t hesitate to ask for help.
Reserve Your Room
You can book a DMC media space through the Library’s room reservation app, just as you would one of group study rooms.
Create a Top-Notch Website
You’ve probably already considered using Google Drive or Box to store your files when you’re finished. But what about sharing your podcast? With Google Sites, you can use drag-and-drop elements to create a promotional website in minutes.
You can learn more about using Google Sites in the G Suite Learning Center, but one of the key advantages of the platform is the ease with which you build a site and link Google Forms, embed Google Drive files and see how you’re doing with Google Analytics.