How Much Does Podcast Production Cost?
Like any marketing channel, podcasting requires time, money, and podcast production expertise to be successful. We’ve covered how much time it takes to produce a podcast, plus what a podcast producer actually does (hint: more than you think!).
So let’s talk about how much podcast production costs when you do it yourself, hire a budget production outfit, or go with a full-service podcast production agency.
How much does DIY podcast production cost?
When you’re producing a podcast yourself, you need to buy proper recording equipment. Yes, you could use your laptop mic and record over Zoom. However, laptop mics are notorious for terrible audio, and Zoom is not reliable for recording audio without internet glitches.
An online recording platform costs around $25/month. (If you think that sounds like a great deal, it’s because it is.) Transcription services are another $15/month. (Why transcribe the recording? So the host, marketing, legal, and/or communications person can edit out what they don’t want to be - or can’t be - included in the final recording.)
Then there’s music licensing for your intro and outro. This can get expensive. Even if you use royalty-free music, read the terms of use carefully. You might find that you exceed them very quickly. Music that appears to be free or inexpensive may turn into a big expense.
Finally, it’s time to edit the recording. The good news: There are many audio recording and editing software options out there, from free to very expensive. The bad news: No matter which software platform you choose, you must learn how to use it. This is where it gets complicated and time-consuming.
If you choose free audio editing software, it only has so much functionality. Cleaning up noise and room ambience can cost extra. Want to use AI to make it go faster? You still need to review everything and fix problems that AI created (and sometimes it’s too late after AI is done with it).
So to answer the question of how much DIY podcast production costs: It depends on how much you are paying someone in-house to handle it and the lost productivity that occurs because they are working on the podcast rather than focusing on their other tasks and projects.
A cautionary tale: What happens when you attempt audio editing yourself
A nonprofit decided to produce their podcast in-house. They had a person on staff with some technical ability, so they purchased some audio software and recorded an episode using the same online recording platform and headsets that we use.
However, not knowing what they were listening for or how to correct it, the recording was riddled with heavy breathing and sound distortion.
The employee then spent a few weeks trying to edit the audio - without a transcript. Then that person left the company, leaving the episode partially completed. Someone else tried to finish the episode. Three months later, after an incredible amount of effort and stress, the episode was still unfinished.
At this point, they called us. This is one of many stories we have that illustrate why so many organizations give up on DIY podcasting.
How much does budget podcast production cost?
The old adage, “You get what you pay for,” is especially true when it comes to podcast production.
Very inexpensive podcast production prices means one of three things:
They are inexperienced and just getting started.
They are hiring cheap third party labor and providing zero quality control.
They are cutting corners.
You might also have to record the episode yourself, so if things go wrong, you won’t have anyone to help you troubleshoot. When it comes to audio editing, they may only do a quick leveling (so the volume remains steady) rather than fixing other obvious audio issues. And even then, I’ve heard some “professionally produced” podcasts with volume levels all over the place.
And if you work with a freelancer, what happens when they are out because of a family emergency, sick kid, or vacation? If you have to get a timely podcast episode distributed asap (like for crisis communications), you may have no option but to wait.
At the end of the day, you are likely to end up with podcast episodes of questionable quality. If the listener's experience is not good, well, you just wasted time and money.
How much does full-service podcast production cost?
Before we dive in, it’s important to understand the difference between full-service technical podcast production and full-service technical and creative podcast production.
The latter - technical and creative - is typically done by large agencies that provide you with creative, marketing, and production teams. They create the topics and interview questions, book the guests, and provide podcast branding and marketing services.
As you may imagine, they are very expensive and can cost multiples of what we charge per episode.
Because our team is made up of professional audio engineers, we provide full-service technical production only. One 30-minute interview podcast episode currently costs $2,000.
Here’s what our services include:
Podcast pre-production
Ahead of each recording, we meet with you to find out who is recording, where they are recording, and when the recording needs to take place. We make sure everyone receives a headset that is compatible with their computer, well in advance of the scheduled recording and test it with them.
For your very first episode, we provide music options for your intro and outro that fit your criteria, align with your podcast’s brand, and pace well with your show hosts’ natural cadence.
Podcast recording
We are present during the recording to handle issues as they come up. If a guest cannot connect, we will troubleshoot. If a loud train whistle drowns out the audio, we will ask the speaker to start over their sentence.
Podcast post-production
Our goal is to send clients ready-to-publish podcast episodes the first time. That starts with sending clients a transcript they can edit.
Even if we have to remove half of your guest’s answer to a question, we will make sure the audio flows and the conversation sounds natural. Your podcast will not sound like it’s been cut and edited.
Once the podcast is approved, we can help you upload it to an RSS feed that distributes to all the podcasting platforms. And we can make sure all those moving parts on the internet work together.
Full-service podcast production will save you time, stress, and money
DIY podcasting is time-consuming and stressful - and it may not result in a finished product. Budget production may save you money, but will you receive podcast episodes that match the quality of your brand?
Professional audio engineers will save you time and stress. And in the long run, they will save you hours of lost productivity.
Our full-service technical podcast production company combines the responsibilities of a producer, audio editor, and IT support. When you work with us, you will have a partner on your side who cares just as much about your podcast as you do. Contact us today to start the conversation at info@volubilitypodcasting.com.