On Tom Rowland Podcast Episode 57 (How 2 Tuesday #18), I walk you through how to start your own podcast, from the gear I use to the hosting account that gets your show out to the world. A listener wrote in asking how I started the podcast and what equipment I needed, so I laid out my whole setup. I learned it the hard way, lost an entire episode once, and then went completely idiot-proof. The short version: a Zoom H6 recorder, Audio Technica headset mics, a splitter, SD cards, a hosting account, and the will to start talking.
Listen now: Spotify · Apple Podcasts · or press play in the player above.
Start your own podcast the way I started mine: listen to other podcasts you admire, check the gear they use in their show notes, then build a simple recording setup you can use anywhere. My current rig is a Zoom H6 recorder paired with Audio Technica BPHS1 headset microphones, a cheap splitter, and SD cards. Sign up for a hosting account, put up a website, and start recording. That is all there is to it.
I keep my equipment list short on purpose. I use a Zoom H6 recorder, which has four inputs and is expandable to six, and Audio Technica BPHS1 headset microphones. If you are recording a solo podcast you need one headset, and if you have one guest you need two. You will also want an inexpensive splitter and some SD cards. That small amount of gear is all it takes.
I switched to the Audio Technica BPHS1 headset microphone and have not looked back. The headset lets me hear my guest and myself clearly, and nobody has to fumble with a mic or stay glued to a fixed studio microphone. With a standard studio mic I constantly had to remind guests to lean in, which defeats the purpose of an expensive mic that is not getting used.
You need a hosting account to publish a podcast, and I chose Libsyn for mine. You upload your episode to Libsyn and it distributes the show out to all of the different destinations for you. I also recommend setting up a website where you can host the podcast, send listeners, and grow your mailing list, along with social media accounts to spread the word.
My first setup used a laptop, software, separate microphones, and headsets, and it proved really difficult. I often record by myself or with one other person in a remote location, and having to look down at the computer was too much. I once wasted an hour and a half of a guest's time and ended up losing the whole podcast. After that I went completely idiot-proof and got rid of the computer entirely.
If you have a desire to put your message out there and talk to people who want to hear your point of view, just do it. It amazes me that with a small amount of equipment, someone at their kitchen table or in their car can reach almost every country in the world. My podcast did that within about thirty-six weeks of starting. If you want to say something to the world, a podcast is a great way to do it.
Here is the simple, idiot-proof setup I use to record the podcast anywhere.
I walk through each of these in the episode, with the stories behind why I settled on this gear. Press play in the player above.
My first setup leaned on a laptop, software, separate microphones, and headsets, and it fought me at every turn. I often record by myself or with one other person, frequently in a remote location, and having to look down at a computer was just too much. One day I sat down with a gentleman, recorded for an hour and a half, and lost the entire podcast. That was the moment I decided to go completely idiot-proof so I would never lose another episode. I explain exactly how I rebuilt the setup in the episode, so press play in the player above.
When I switched to the Audio Technica BPHS1 headset microphone, recording got dramatically easier. I can hear what my guest is saying and what I am saying, and nobody has to fumble around with a mic or stay frozen in front of a fixed studio microphone. With a standard studio mic I found myself constantly telling guests to stay close, which meant I was paying for a microphone that was not getting used. I get into the why behind that choice in the episode, so press play in the player above.
What still amazes me is how little equipment it takes to have a worldwide impact. Someone sitting at a kitchen table or in their car can reach almost every country on earth. When I looked at my hosting account, this podcast had been listened to in nearly every country in the world after only about thirty-six weeks. If you have something you want to say to the world, a podcast is a remarkable way to do it. I share more of that story in the episode, so press play in the player above.
If you have a desire to have a podcast, to put your message out there and talk to the people who want to hear your point of view, do it. The setup I use is simple, portable, and hard to mess up, and it has worked well for me for getting out of the gate.
I am sure there are lots of ways to start a podcast, and probably better ones, but this is how I started mine. Get the gear, sign up for hosting, set aside the time, and start talking. Send me a note at podcast@saltwaterexperience.com when your show is live, and press play in the player above.
Zoom H6 recorder · Zoom H4 recorder · Audio Technica BPHS1 headset microphone · audio splitter · SD cards · Libsyn · podcast hosting · show notes · How 2 Tuesday · Saltwater Experience · podcast@saltwaterexperience.com
How 2 Tuesday is my weekly series where I break down one fishing skill at a time, from knots and casting to gear, tactics, and the habits that make you a better angler. Watch and listen to every How 2 Tuesday episode from Tom Rowland.
I'm Tom Rowland, a professional fishing guide based in the Florida Keys, host of the Tom Rowland Podcast, and the longtime host of the Saltwater Experience television show. On the podcast's How 2 Tuesday series I break down one practical skill or lesson at a time, from fishing technique and gear to travel, mindset, and the behind-the-scenes work of building a show like this one, in short, focused episodes you can put to use right away.
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