Zoom is a strong platform for video conferencing that has recently become a popular way to make podcasts. Zoom’s advanced features and the fact that it can record meetings have made it easier for podcasters to connect with guests in faraway places and record episodes with them. Zoom’s easy-to-use interface and high-quality audio and video make it a great choice for podcasters who want a simple, low-cost way to podcast remotely. In this guide, we’ll talk about why using Zoom for podcasting is a good idea and how to use it to make high-quality podcasts.
How to Podcast with Zoom: A Step-by-Step Guide
Pick a Zoom plan.
Zoom has different plans that let you record meetings, and the one you choose will depend on the features you need. The Basic plan is free, and you can have a meeting with up to 100 people for up to 40 minutes. But the Basic plan doesn’t include the ability to record.
The Pro plan lets you host up to 100 people for an unlimited amount of time and includes the ability to record the meeting. The Business plan can have up to 300 users, and it has extra features like admin controls and dedicated phone support.
The Enterprise plan is good for large businesses that need more advanced features, like unlimited cloud storage and custom branding. It can also hold up to 500 people.
Plan the episode of your podcast.
When using Zoom to make a podcast, it’s important to have a structured plan or script to make sure your podcast is well-organized and on-point. You should choose the topics you want to talk about, how you want to talk about them, and how long you want to spend on each one. It’s also important to give each host or guest roles and responsibilities so that everyone knows what to do and is ready to add to the conversation. This will help you make a podcast that is interesting, helpful, and fun to listen to.
Set up your place to record
When using Zoom to record a podcast episode, you should find a quiet, comfortable place to record. You can do this at home or at the office, but you need to make sure the space you choose is quiet and free of other distractions.
You should also get ready to record by setting up your microphone or headset. If your computer or device has a built-in microphone, make sure it’s in the right place and you’re not too far away from it. If you’re using a microphone or headset that’s not built into your computer, make sure it’s connected and working. You may need to change the settings for your microphone or headset in Zoom to get the best sound quality.
Schedule and Start Your Zoom Meeting
To schedule a Zoom meeting for your podcast, follow these steps:
Log in to your Zoom account and click on the “Schedule a Meeting” button.
Enter the details for your meeting, including the date, time, and duration.
Choose your audio and video settings, including your microphone and camera.
Add any necessary participants or co-hosts to the meeting.
Click the “Schedule” button to create the meeting.
Once you have scheduled the meeting, you can share the meeting link and any necessary details with your co-hosts or guests.
To start your Zoom meeting and test your audio and video, follow these steps:
Click on the meeting link to join the meeting.
Once you are in the meeting, click on the “Join Audio” button to connect your microphone and speakers.
Use the “Test Speaker and Microphone” button to ensure that your audio is working correctly.
Adjust your audio and video settings as necessary.
When you are ready to start recording your podcast, click on the “Record” button in the Zoom meeting. This will capture both the audio and video of your meeting.
Record an episode of your podcast.
During the Zoom meeting recording, make sure to keep an eye on how loud everyone is speaking. Also, it’s a good idea to tell your guests that a headset or earphones will make the sound better. Also, it’s important to remember that Zoom records different audio files for each participant, which will need to be synced up later.
Change and finish your audio and video
After you have finished recording your podcast episode on Zoom, you will need to get the audio and video files from Zoom. Once you have your audio and video files, you can move on to the next step, which is called “post-processing.” This could mean:
Editing the audio and video files: This could mean taking out parts of the audio or video that you don’t want, changing the volume, or adding an intro or outro.
Improving the quality of the audio and video: You can clean up the audio and video files with different software tools, such as by reducing background noise or adjusting the color balance.
Adding music and sound effects: Adding background music or sound effects can improve how the whole thing sounds.
Making a transcript: Making a transcript of your podcast can help make it easier for people to find and improve its SEO (SEO).
There are many software tools you can use to edit and improve your podcast episode after it has been recorded. Audacity, Adobe Audition, and GarageBand are all well-known choices.
Put out your podcast and advertise it.
After you’ve edited and improved your podcast episode, the next step is to publish it and get the word out about it. Here are the most important steps to take:
You can choose from Buzzsprout, Libsyn, and Podbean, among other podcast hosting platforms, to upload your podcast episode to. These platforms give you a place to store and share your podcast episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and other directories.
Submit your podcast to directories: You will need to send your podcast to directories like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts if you want it to be available there. Each directory has its own way to add a podcast, but most of them need an RSS feed, which you can get from the platform where you host your podcast.
Promote your podcast on social media: Use Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to spread the word about your podcast. Give your listeners links to your podcast episode and ask them to share it with their friends.
Engage with your audience. Ask your listeners to review your podcast and give you feedback. Respond to what they say and talk to them on social media.
Put out new episodes regularly. Put out new episodes regularly, like once a week or twice a month, to keep your audience interested and coming back for more.
Conclusion
Using Zoom for podcasting is a great way to record podcast episodes from a distance. It makes recording high-quality audio and video easy and cheap. In this guide, we’ve laid out the steps for podcasting with Zoom, such as choosing a plan, planning your podcast episode, setting up your recording space, scheduling and starting your Zoom meeting, recording your podcast episode, editing and post-processing your audio and video, publishing and promoting your podcast. With these steps, you can start a podcast with Zoom and connect with co-hosts or guests from anywhere in the world.
