The most important thing to do is just get started even if you have no broadcast experience. You'll get better as you go, but don't wait until you think your podcast is perfect before posting it on your blog. Just start talking...after you establish a purpose and gather the proper equipment.



First of all, you need a purpose for your podcast. Who are you speaking to? What message do you have to share? Why are you recording your information? If you start recording without a clear vision of your market and your message, your podcast is sure to be scattered, vague and worthless. And so you won't fulfill your purpose of driving traffic to your site and establishing yourself as an expert in your field.

And second, you need recording equipment. For an audio podcast, you need several pieces of equipment: a microphone and headphones (or a headset), and recording software. If your computer is already equipped with a microphone and sound card, you could begin recording a podcast. But your audio quality will be poor, distracting from your message and reducing the potential "buzz factor" your podcast could generate.

To increase sound quality, you need a quality microphone. The better the microphone, the better the sound. You don't have to spend an outrageous amount of money here, but a $20 microphone won't give you professional-grade sound. I recommend investing at $99 into a good microphone. Otherwise you'll end up with a lot of popping, hissing and voice distortion. If that is out of your price range, though, invest what you can afford now and plan to upgrade as soon as possible.

In addition to a microphone, you need a good set of headphones. Without the headphones, your microphone is likely to pick up sound coming from your desktop speakers. Earbuds are acceptable and less expensive, but headphones that cover your ears best isolate your recording sound from other audio distortions.

Instead of purchasing a microphone and headphones separately, you have the option of purchasing a headset that plugs right into your computer. Look for a headset that not only records clear sound but is also comfortable to wear. Once again, the better the equipment, the better the sound quality.

Recording software like Audacity is a necessity as well. When researching which program is best for you through a simple Google search, be aware that some programs only allow you to record while others allow you to both record and edit. And the ability to edit is essential. Little mistakes add character to your podcast, so you don't have to delete every tiny blunder to achieve perfection. Just take out any mistakes that make you appear unprofessional and damage your image as an expert.

The basic editing process includes highlighting and deleting all the places you used filler words like "um." Deleting these words makes you sound more professional.

A more complex editing method involves adding background music or other audio clips into your recorded file. Plenty of places online offer music available for use in podcasts. Just be sure you don't use something that requires a royalty payment.

For a video podcast, a low-end Sony camera is all you need. Even if you shoot a video using the most expensive camera, it will end up looking about the same as it would with the cheaper camera once it is uploaded to the Internet.

Another option for video podcasts is to use screen capture software like Camtasia. This is helpful if you want to walk your audience through step-by-step procedure on your computer.

Now that you know why you want to produce a podcast and have the proper equipment to make it happen, start talking!