The Guide To Starting a Podcast in 2025

Written By Brandyn mitchell

Starting a podcast sounds simple—just grab a mic and start talking, right? But in reality, launching a successful podcast is filled with hidden challenges that can stall your momentum before you even hit "publish." This is the all inclusive guide to starting a podcast in 2025. We’ll cover everything to what what content to cover, what the best podcasting mics are, where to post your podcast, and everything in-between. So if you’re new to the podcasting word and are looking to get started, this is the place for you.

1. Define Your Podcast Topic

Before anything else, choose a clear focus for your podcast. Will you dive into history, politics, comedy, self-development, or true crime? Too many shows start without a direction, which makes it hard to attract and retain an audience. As your podcast grows, your listeners will fall into categories—Billy loves true crime, Kate enjoys politics and conspiracy theories.

Whatever your niche, stick to it. Consistency in content helps platforms recommend your show to more of the right listeners. You don’t have to be rigid, but stay recognizable.

2. Get the Right Equipment

The Basics:

To create quality content, you’ll need three main things:

  • A microphone

  • An XLR cable (for most professional mics)

  • An audio interface to convert the analog mic signal into digital audio your computer understands

Using the XLR cable, plug your mic into your interface, and then plug the interface into your computer—voilà, you have a basic podcast setup.

Recording Software:

  • Mac: Use GarageBand (free and pre-installed). There are tons of tutorials online for beginners.

  • PC: Download Audacity—a free, open-source program perfect for audio recording.

If software feels intimidating, consider an all-in-one recorder like the RodeCaster or TASCAM DR-40X, which lets you record directly to an SD card—no computer software needed.

3. Best Mics of 2025 (From Pro to Budget)

  • Shure SM7B – Industry favorite, incredible sound. Requires a preamp.

  • Rode PodMic – Budget-friendly and reliable. Needs a preamp.

  • Blue Yeti USB Mic – Plug-and-play. Great for solo creators, but not ideal for multi-mic setups.

  • Lavalier Lapel Mic – Compact and ultra-budget, but expect some quality trade-offs.

Pro Tip: For the price, the Rode PodMic offers amazing quality at just $100—perfect for beginners.

4. Audio Interfaces

If you're using XLR mics, you'll need an interface. Here are two solid options:

  • Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 – Highly rated, crystal-clear sound, great build quality.

  • M-Audio M-Track Duo – A solid budget option that gets the job done.

Want to skip the software? Use a standalone recorder like:

  • TASCAM DR-40X

  • RODECaster Duo

These recorders are perfect for creators who want pro-level sound without learning DAW software. Just record to the SD card and upload to your host.

5. Publishing Your Podcast

Once you've recorded your podcast, it's time to share it with the world. This step can feel intimidating at first—but it's actually straightforward.

Start by using a podcast hosting platform like Buzzsprout. Buzzsprout takes care of the heavy lifting by distributing your podcast to all major platforms—Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Music, and more. With just a few clicks, your show will be available everywhere listeners already are.

It’s one of the easiest and most reliable ways to get your content out there—so you can focus on creating, not tech setup.

6. Promoting Your Podcast

Even the best podcast won’t grow if no one knows it exists. Promoting your show is just as important as recording it. Use:

  • Short-form video clips (TikTok, Reels, Shorts)

  • Instagram stories and posts

  • Engaging episode titles and descriptions

This is where many creators struggle—content creation is one thing, marketing is another.

How 24collective Can Help

We get it, Podcasting isn’t easy. At 24collective, we help podcasters overcome the most common hurdles that stop new shows from succeeding.

Our team offers:

  • Professional audio & video editing for high-quality, polished episodes

  • Episode planning & structuring to keep your message on track

  • Short-form content creation for TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels

  • Reliable post-production support so you never miss a release

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to grow faster, 24collective can help you sound better, look better, and reach a wider audience.

Let’s build something great—together.

Brandyn mitchell
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