If you’ve seen our article on the top podcasts for nonprofits, then maybe you’re feeling a little inspired!
So, if creating a nonprofit podcast is on your professional bucket list, then you’re in the right place.
We’re here to help you learn how to start a nonprofit podcast by rounding up the tools you need to get going:
How to Start a Nonprofit Podcast: Planning
Before you start recording your nonprofit podcast, you need to take your time planning for it.
That includes discussing what you might talk about on your podcast episodes with your team.
It also means figuring out if you’re going to record solo or if you’re going to record with partners. That’s an important part of planning what kind of equipment to get. You can get away with other types of podcast recording equipment if it’s just you.
Create a full-blown nonprofit podcast plan by checking out this article at CharityHowTo!
How to Start a Nonprofit Podcast: The Equipment You Need
When you’ve got your plan laid out, it’s time for the fun part! Podcast recording. But, unless you have the right equipment, you’re just going to be having a conversation with the wall.
So, get your shopping list ready because we’re listing the things you may want to snag to start a nonprofit podcast!
And, by the way, you may not need all of these things right away. You can easily get started with a few simple tools and expand your equipment over time.
Here we go:
1. Computer
This is nonprofit podcast essential #1. Your computer will be your hub for your podcast recordings. Everything will be saved, edited, and uploaded onto your computer.
More than likely, any computer or laptop you currently have will do just fine!
2. Microphone
And this is nonprofit podcast essential #2! While your computer holds all of the recordings, your microphone is how your computer captures the audio.
You might be tempted to just use your computer’s built-in microphone. The problem with this is that the quality of the audio is never as good as using an external microphone.
To decide what kind of external microphone you need, go back to your nonprofit podcast plan. Who all is going to be on the podcast? Is it just you? Will you regularly be recording with a partner?
If it is just you, then you’ll do fine with a USB microphone.
But if you’re creating a nonprofit podcast with multiple people, it’d be best to get a microphone with an XLR output. And if you’re creating a podcast with people, then a dynamic microphone with an XLR output is going to be your best bet.
Based on our research, we’ve found these USB microphones to be some of the most popular options:
- Dynamic, USB Microphone: ATR 2100X-USB
- Condenser, USB Microphone: Blue Yeti
And we’ve found these XLR microphones to be some of the most popular:
- Dynamic, XLR Microphone: Heil PR-40
- Condenser, USB Microphone: Rode NT1 Kit
3. Audio Interface
Nonprofit podcast essential #3 is an audio interface. This little gadget feeds what your microphone picks up to your computer.
And you can find a nice USB audio interface for your podcast needs so it’ll plug straight into your computer.
4. Headphones and Headphone Amplifier
Wearing headphones for your nonprofit podcast might feel awkward at first, especially because you’ll be hearing yourself speaking live.
But, it’s essential item #4 on our list on how to start a nonprofit podcast because it reduces the need to re-record episodes.
For example, let’s say you didn’t wear headphones for an episode recording. Then, you get your recording into your editing software, and you notice that there was a loud sound that consistently overwhelmed your recording.
You’d have to re-record the whole episode! But it’s an easy fix when you wear headphones to begin with.
And if you’re planning on starting a nonprofit podcast with multiple partners, then you’ll need a headphone amplifier. That allows everyone to wear their own headphones!
5. Editing Software
Once you’ve recorded your nonprofit podcast episodes, it’s time to put them together. You don’t have to be a professional DJ to edit your podcasts. In fact, you can use Garageband or Audacity, which are two free and easy-to-use podcast editing software.
If your nonprofit team already has a subscription to Adobe’s Creative Cloud, you can try your hand at Adobe Audition. This is more of an advanced tool that you can work up to over time!
6. Podcast Hosting
The final product is finished! Now, it’s time to put it out into the world! There are plenty of dedicated podcast hosting sites to upload the episode files.
Believe it or not, that does not include iTunes. And you don’t want to upload your podcast episodes to your nonprofit CMS because they’ll cause your website to slow way down (and we know that’s bad for nonprofit SEO!)
Try using a hosting site like Buzzsprout or RSS.com!
7. Mixer
An audio mixer may not be essential as you learn how to start a nonprofit podcast. But you may find that you need it later on in your adventure!
A mixer is similar to the audio interface we mentioned above. But a mixer gives you more control over how the sound is processed. So, you can control how guests or partners sound by adjusting the volume on their voice levels if you need to.
This is a great tool if you have a lot of guests who record over their computer or who call in!
8. Windscreen
A windscreen is another tool that might not be essential right off the bat. But it can be useful later on!
A windscreen softens certain sounds as we speak into the microphone. For example, when you make a “P” sound, like in the word “impact,” your mouth creates a small puff of air.
Without a windscreen, those small puffs of air in the microphone can create a harsh sound for your listeners. But with a windscreen, you can minimize that effect!
When it comes to how to start a nonprofit podcast, you’ll want to make sure you build a plan of action.
And this list of essential podcast recording equipment will help you create your first episodes!
