How to Record a Podcast Remotely – The Easy And Ultimate Guide For Beginners

Given the current situation around the world, there are more reasons now than ever before to record podcasts remotely.

Remote recording is not something new, but it is something that more and more podcasters are looking to as the norm changes.

If you are a podcaster wondering how to record a podcast remotely, or if you are someone who wants to start a podcast in 2021, then this post is for you.

In today’s post, I will talk about how you can record a podcast remotely without compromising on audio quality. If you are on a budget, you can start with beginner podcast equipment to record your podcast episodes.

I will also share the best recording software I recommend and how you can do a video recording for your podcast even if your guest is on the other end of the world.

Let’s start.

Disclaimer: If you buy something using the links in this article, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Know that I only promote stuff that I use and trust for the sake of my readers and the reputation of this site.

Benefits of Recording a Podcast Remotely

So, why should your record a podcast remotely?

Before we begin this guide on how to record a podcast remotely, let’s first take a quick look at the advantages remote recording of podcasts offers both podcasters as well as their guests.

• Record podcasts with guests from anywhere in the world.
• Cut down on visa, travel, and lodging costs when you record a remote podcast with an international guest.
• Save time – both yours and your guests’.
• Have access to more potential guests as you are not bound by geographical location.
• Record a podcast remotely with multiple guests without having to coordinate travel schedules.

With all the remote recording podcast equipment and software available today, it is more than easy to record audio and combine audio files to get the highest quality remote recording no matter where you are.

Challenges of Recording a Podcast Remotely

But what about the challenges? Remote recording does not come without its own set of challenges, especially when it comes to recording studio-quality audio for remote podcast interviews.

Here are some of the challenges when you record a podcast remotely:

• Every participant needs to have access to a reliable internet connection to conduct the remote podcast smoothly.
• There may inconsistencies in sound quality when your guests record their audio locally. This is because they may not have a good enough remote recording platform and setup. You may have to spend time guiding them on how to set up their space before you record video podcasts remotely.
• You may have to spend additional time editing the audio recordings and filtering out the unwanted background noises.
• You will have to spend time gathering audio and video files from each of your guests, listening to them individually, and then combining them seamlessly to create a high-quality podcast recording.
• You may need to invest in additional equipment for remote audio or video recording. Audio quality is of most importance.

How to Record a Podcast Remotely

Now that we have seen the benefits and drawbacks of recording a podcast remotely, let’s move on to the meat of this post – how to record a podcast remotely.

The first step to record a podcast remotely is to set up the right environment for it. Once you have the setup, it’s time to invest in some remote podcasting tools. After that, you’ll need to go find yourself some good guests to interview.

Let’s go through these step-by-step:

1. Create the right recording environment

If you want to record studio-quality audio, you will need to first create the right environment to help you do that.

You will need a quiet space to record high-quality audio. Now that almost everyone around the world works from home these days, a little background noise is inevitable – and understandable.

But, it is a good idea to set up a professional remote recording “studio” that helps you keep out all distractions and background noise so that your listeners – as well as your guest – are not constantly irritated by them.

Doing so can help you improve the sound quality of your audio recording.

Turn off all appliances such as your refrigerator, air conditioning unit, or humidifier, if it is next to you.

Avoid recording in an empty room with hardwood floors as this will give rise to reverb. Try carpeting your floors or recording in a room with curtains and other fabrics such as blankets. This will help you record studio-quality audio.

If you are recording video for a video conference, you can set up a neat and professional background that will look nice during your video call. Take a quick look around and remove any unwanted items in the way of your recording before you hit record.

Although remote recording platforms give you the tools to edit out noise and distractions from separate tracks, try to minimize these when recording locally.

When you record a podcast, hang out a “Do Not Disturb” sign outside your room during recording time if you have family or kids around.

2. Invest in some remote podcasting tools

It is easy to record podcasts remotely if you have the right tools and technology to do it.

If you already are a podcaster and have recorded podcast episodes before, you may already have most of the following equipment.

Here is a list of all the basic podcasting equipment you will need to record a podcast remotely:

• A desktop or laptop
• A podcast microphone
• An audio mixer
• Podcasting headphones
• Mic stand or arm
• Windscreen or pop filter
• Podcast hosting
• Recording software
• Editing software (for post-production)

Here is a blog post with more details of all the podcasting tools and equipment you will need for remote podcasting:

BEST PODCAST EQUIPMENT – HOW TO SET UP A PROFESSIONAL PODCAST RECORDING STUDIO

3. Reach out to potential podcast guests for remote interviews

Now that you’re ready to record a podcast remotely, you will need to find the right guests to interview on your show.

How to Find Remote Podcast Guests

Here are some ways you can reach out to potential podcast guests in your niche for a remote podcast recording session:

Use Your Social Network

Look through your social contacts and find potential guests in your niche who would be ready to record a podcast with you. These could be your friends, colleagues, neighbors, or even friends of friends.

Find Podcast Guests on Social Networks and RSS Feeds

Another great place to look for potential guests for remote podcasting is your social network.

Connect with people in your niche in Facebook groups and reach out to them personally. Talk to them about your audience and the potential benefits they will gain if they record a podcast with you.

You can also find guests on Reddit.

Another way of finding new guests is to join RSS feeds. You can look for your favorite podcasters and find ways to contact them.

For instance, if you find a podcast you like on Google Podcasts or Apple Podcasts, you can use a tool like plink.hq to find their RSS feed. Once you do that, you can use it to find their email address and reach out to them that way.

Use Podcast Guest-Matching Apps

You can use podcast guest marketplaces like Podmatch and Podchaser Connect to find podcast guests for remote recordings.

Podmatch uses artificial intelligence (AI) to match you with podcast guests that could be perfect for your show. You can sign up for a free account, fill in your details, and you will get matched with the best podcast guests for your show.

Podchaser Connect collects data to find the best podcast guests for your podcast show.

Here are some other people you can reach out to in your niche for remote interviews:

• Your social media contacts
• People who you have interacted with in the past online (through social media or blog comments or groups)
• Influencers in your niche

You can also check out these blog posts for inspiration for your podcast:

32 BEST EDUCATIONAL PODCASTS TO LISTEN TO RIGHT NOW!

HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST PODCAST TOPICS FOR YOUR BUSINESS PODCAST

How to Get The Best Recording From Your Guest

There are certain considerations you need to take to get the best quality recording when you record remotely.

Whether you are recording audio tracks by recording phone calls or by using other remote recording apps, here are some things you can do to ensure the best possible audio from your phone call recordings:

Ship your guest a mic

One of the best ways you can get the highest sound quality from your podcast guests is to ship them a podcasting mic to record their own audio.

It may not be nice to ask them to invest in a microphone themselves if they are not regular podcasters. The alternative would be to keep a mic for this sole purpose and ship it to your guest.

You can always ask them to return it after you use it to record phone calls.

Ask them to use headphones

Not all your podcast guests would have done this sort of remote interview in the past. If your guest is a first-timer, ask him or her to use podcast headphones to get the best remote audio for your podcast.

This ensures that you get a good quality audio file from your guest even if you both are not in the same room and are recording separate tracks.

Encourage your guest to record in an ideal location

Ask your podcast guest or co-host to record in a good location. That means they will need to record in a place that gives them a reliable internet connection and signal, has no reverb or echo, and is away from all possible distractions.

If you want to record a video, ask your guest to prepare a neat and professional place free from clutter and distractions. You can always use video editing to remove or change a background.

Eliminate background noises

Another important thing to note when you record calls for your remote podcast is to ask your guest to pick a spot that does not have any background noises.

Both audio tracks may sound slightly different since they were recorded at different locations, but you can use your audio editing skill to make sure that your computer audio, as well as the remote audio, does not sound like separate audio tracks.

Should I Record a Video Podcast?

Video podcasting is becoming quite popular.

No longer is it the standard to record your video podcasts in a studio-like setting. People are getting used to watching video podcasts recorded using Zoom or Zoom alternatives, as long as the content is amazing.

However, you must keep in mind that recording a remote video podcast is much more time-consuming than a remote audio podcast.

Almost all remote podcasting platforms offer tools for audio as well as video recording.

Here are some benefits of a video podcast:

• Video podcasts are more engaging if you want to publish them on YouTube
• You can build a new audience on YouTube with video podcasts
• You can use video clips from your podcast to share on social media

Choosing between audio and video all boils down to your goals as a podcaster and your capabilities.

The Best Remote Recording Software For Podcasts

Riverside

Riverside is a relatively new podcast recording platform and helps users record high-quality audio and video tracks remotely with up to 8 guests.

Riverside offers advanced features such as 4k video recording, live streaming to Facebook and YouTube, and producer controls.

Riverside also has basic features such as progressive uploads and auto-save.

Riverside is compatible with macOS and Windows and starts at $7.50 per month billed annually. It also offers 60 minutes of free recording.

Squadcast

Squadcast is one of the most popular remote recording platforms that allows you to record audio and video with a maximum of 4 participants.

You can schedule a call, send your guests a link to join, and start recording as soon as the meeting starts.

The platform allows you to record with studio-quality audio and you can also monitor your guests’ audio settings so that the recording is uniform.

Squadcast is compatible with macOS, Windows, and Android and starts at $20 per month for audio recordings. Squadcast also offers a 7-day free trial.

Zencastr

Zencastr has features similar to Squadcast. The platform allows audio and remote video recording with up to 4 guests.

Zencastr offers studio-quality audio, 1080p video quality recording, and cloud backups. It also offers progressive uploads and built-in chat for participants.

Zencastr is compatible with macOS and Windows and starts at $20 per month. It also has a 7-day free trial.

Zoom

Zoom is probably the world’s most popular video conferencing platform and offers podcasting features and recording functionality as well.

With Zoom, you can record your video podcast, share your screens, collaborate with podcast guests, and have up to 100 people on a call for free. However, the upper limit for a free call is 40 minutes.

Zoom’s paid plan offers longer recording sessions of 30 hours and cloud recording.

Zoom is compatible with macOS, Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS, and the paid plan starts at $14.99 per month per license.

Ringr

Ringr offers the best audio quality for conference calling and over-the-internet recordings. Ringr is simple to use – schedule a call and send an email invitation to your guests.

When all the guests come together on the mobile or desktop app at the scheduled time, you can start recording. With the recording features, each device records high-quality audio over the built-in VoIP (Voice-over IP).

The audio is then uploaded to the cloud once the call is complete. Ringr then merges all the audio tracks and sends the user a download link to download the final recording.

Ringr is compatible with Android, iOS, Chrome, and Firefox and starts at $7.99 per month. Ringr has a 7-day free trial.

How to Edit Your Remote Podcast

Editing Audio Podcasts

Even if your audio podcast is recorded with studio-quality sound, you will need to edit the audio output with some kind of software.

You will need to make sure that all the speakers’ audio outputs are similar. You will also need to cut out any excess background noise or even necessary audio from the recording.

Once you have edited your recordings with your favorite editing software, it’s time to export the output to create your final podcast episode.

Editing Video Podcasts

Video podcasts also need to be edited before you can publish them online. You can cut out boring backgrounds and replace them with your brand background to make them look more professional.

You can also trim out excess conversation and focus on only the main parts. Sync the video with your audio so that they are seamless.

Video editing can be tedious. You will need heavy editing software and a fast computer. You can also outsource your video editing to someone else to save yourself time and get a professional video podcast at the end.

Best Practices for Remote Podcast Recording

Here are some of the remote podcast best practices I recommend before you start recording your remote podcast:

• Do a podcast rehearsal way ahead of your actual podcast so that both you and your guest are able to get a feel of the whole process.
• Make sure both you and your guests have a strong internet connection on the day of your podcast.
• Educate your guest on how to create an ideal podcast recording space if your guest is a first-timer.
• Ask your guest to invest in a good set of headphones and a microphone if they don’t have any. Alternatively, you can ship them the equipment beforehand and ask them to send it back to you once the podcast is over.
• Use a good audio editor to edit your audio files so that you are able to publish polished versions of your recordings instead of just the raw files.

Conclusion

Remote podcasting is becoming the norm with the world choosing to stay indoors for safety reasons.

Make sure both you and your guest have the right recording environment to get the best quality audio or video recording for your audio or video podcast.

Find interesting new guest speakers for your podcast interviews by looking at your social networks and other places such as Facebook groups and Reddit.

Invest in the right remote podcasting equipment and software so that you are able to produce high-quality podcasts that your listeners love.

What remote podcast software do you currently use for your podcasts? Did I leave out any important tips on remote podcasting? Drop a comment below and let me know! 🙂