John Lincoln

12 Top Podcast Tools To Help You Become Famous Faster

Are you using a podcast to promote your brand? If so, then you need the right podcast tools.

Fortunately, there’s no shortage of great podcast tools to help you create a first-class audio. Here are some of the best.

Top Podcast Tools Online You can try to create a podcast with the tools you already have. Just use the embedded microphone to record your voice, save the production as a WAV file, and away you go. That’s a bit primitive, though. You can be much more successful with the right hardware and software.

  1. Acoustic Panels

Yes, you’re going to need to equip your space like a pro if you take podcasting seriously. That’s why you need acoustic panels. Mounted panels will reduce echos and remove reverb noises. That kind of attention to detail will improve the quality of your production. Keep in mind, though: acoustic panels are not soundproof panels. If you’re trying to cut down on noises from outside your studio, you’ll have to look at some other hardware. You can pick up some acoustic panels for $45 on Amazon.

  1. Ringr

You’ll probably interview people during some of your podcasts. Unfortunately, those people can’t always be at your location. You’ll have to interview them remotely. That’s why you need Ringr. It’s a tool that allows you to record a conversation with anybody who’s anywhere in the world and it will sound like you’re in the same room. Even better: Ringr will record your conversation. You can include that recording in your next podcast.
Best Podcast Tools: Ringr
Best Podcast Tools: Ringr
Also, you don’t need any additional hardware with Ringr. Just connect via phone or computer. The tool will sync your tracks to give you a quality output. Pricing for the service starts at $7.99 per month, but the company offers a 30-day free trial.

  1. Best Podcast Tools: SpeakPipe

It’s not just the Information Age, it’s the Interaction Age. Part of the reason that you share valuable info online is because you want to generate engagement. That should be the case with your podcast as well. Although people can comment on a podcast that’s embedded in a blog post, it would be nice if they could audibly comment since, after all, a podcast is an audio event. Enter SpeakPipe, a tool that allows you to receive voice messages from your podcast audience. All you have to do is add the SpeakPipe code to your site. Then, visitors can send you “voicemail” with the click of a button. If they want to, they can even leave their own contact info so you can get in touch with them. You could use SpeakPipe to land some leads. Pricing starts at $8 per month.

  1. Audacity

Some of the best tools are free. That’s the case with Google Analytics. It’s also the case with Audacity. What is Audacity? It’s a sound editor. You can think of it as Photoshop for audio. You can use Audacity to record your podcast, edit audio, import supplementary sound files, and improve audio quality.
Best Podcast Tools: Audacity
Best Podcast Tools: Audacity
The reality is that there isn’t much you can’t do with Audacity. It’s an indispensable tool if you’re not using more sophisticated (and expensive) software. There is a learning curve involved in using Audacity, though. You’ll spend some time trying to figure out all the bells and whistles. But once you understand how to use it, you’ll love it. You’ll definitely love the price: $0.

  1. Garage Band

If you’re on a Mac platform, you might prefer Garage Band over Audacity. That’s because it’s native to your operating system. Also, you might find that it’s already installed. Garage Band is especially useful if your podcast includes a lot of music. As the name implies, the tool is outstanding when it comes to manipulating musical audio. You can also create countless cool sound effects with Garage Band. It’s another free tool.

  1. Best Podcast Tools: Google Docs

Yes, Google Docs is a podcast tool. Why? Because you can use it to transcribe your podcasts. Seriously: Google lets you type with your voice. That’s important because some people might prefer to read your podcast. Folks who are hard of hearing or want to maintain a quiet office space might opt for the written word over audible output. When you conduct your podcast, just keep your laptop open and let Google be your secretary. It will produce a written record of everything you and your guests are saying. Unquestionably, though, you’ll have to go back and edit the transcription. Google is smart, but it doesn’t get everything right the first time. Once you’re done with the editing, you can post your podcast in text format just as you’d post any other blog entry. Oh, yeah: Google will transcribe your podcast for free.

  1. Podbase

Here’s another free tool: Podbase. Use Podbase to validate your podcast RSS feed. Sometimes, the tool will pick up problems that might prevent your podcast from gaining maximum exposure. Podbase will answer the following questions:
  • Is your SSL certificate compatible with iTunes?
  • Is your RSS feed in XML format?
  • Is your RSS feed well-formed?
  • Does your feed conform to RSS standards?
Best Podcast Tools: Podbase
Best Podcast Tools: Podbase
The tool will also check to make sure that your podcast meets Apple’s requirements for iTunes.

  1. Blue Yeti Mic

As we’ve seen, you can use the embedded microphone in your laptop to record your podcast. But you shouldn’t. Why? Because it will be painfully obvious that you’re running a low-class operation. Instead, invest in a quality microphone like the Blue Yeti. It’s expensive, but you will get your money’s worth. For starters, it plugs right into a USB port. So it’s compatible with almost any system. Beyond that, there’s the quality of the recording it produces. It’s outstanding. Combine the Blue Yeti mic with some of the other acoustic accompaniments mentioned here and you’ll produce professional grade audio. The cost of the mic is around $130. You might be able to find a used one at a cheaper price.

  1. Best Podcast Tools: Libsyn

Once you’ve decided to host a podcast, you need a syndication solution. One of the oldest and best is Libsyn. That stands for “Liberated Syndication.” As of this writing, Libsyn hosts more than 10,000 podcasts. So you know that there are quite a few fellow podcasters who trust the service. Beyond that, Libsyn provides you with essentially everything you need to syndicate your podcast: hosting, publishing tools, iTunes RSS, analytics, a website, advertising campaigns, and apps for mobile platforms. Prices start at just $5 per month. If you want the full complement of services, you’ll have to spend $75 per month.

  1. Auphonic

If you’re somebody who doesn’t want to fiddle with audio software and/or you’re a firm believer in delegating tasks to qualified professionals, you should check out Auphonic. That’s because Auphonic will handle all post-production tasks for you. All you need to do is upload the “raw” version of your podcast, and the company will take care of the rest. Here’s what the service offers:
  • Level balancing between speakers
  • Loudness normalization
  • Hum and noise reduction
  • Low frequency filtering
  • Crosstalk removal
  • Optimal encoding
Best Podcast Tools: Auphonic
Best Podcast Tools: Auphonic
Additionally, Auphonic will automatically deploy your podcast to any one of a number of platforms including Dropbox, YouTube, Facebook, SoundCloud, and Libsyn. The service also has an API for programmatic access. Auphonic offers varying levels of service, starting at a free option and going up to $89 per month.

  1. SoundCloud

SoundCloud is basically YouTube for audio. If you’re planning on running a podcast, you should have a SoundCloud account. You can use the platform to store your podcast recordings. Then, people can embed your podcasts on their blog posts just like they embed YouTube videos. People who like your podcast can also use SoundCloud to browse through your previous episodes and listen to them. SoundCloud users can also curate lists of audio uploads. That means people can add your podcast to their lists and give your brand even more exposure.

  1. Adobe Audio

If you’re looking for the “Rolls Royce” of audio tools, you should invest in Adobe Audition. Unlike Audacity, it’s not free. In fact, it’s not software you can buy and own. You have to pay for it on a monthly basis as part of the Adobe Creative Cloud program.
Best Podcast Tools: Adobe Audio
Best Podcast Tools: Adobe Audio
But it’s worth the investment. It’s a professional-grade tool. You can use Adobe Audition to:
  • Restore lost audio
  • Clean up tracks
  • Design sound effects
  • Integrate music clips
  • Splice together tracks from different sources
That’s just the tip of the iceberg, though. Adobe Audition offers maximum flexibility to people who are serious about editing audio. The price starts at around $30 per month, but that gets you only Adobe Audition. If you’d like to invest in the entire Adobe suite of products, it’s about $80 a month. For that, you’ll get other great tools like Photoshop, Premiere Pro, and After Effects.

Wrapping Up The Best Podcast Tools

Pick, choose, or combine any of the tools above, and you’ll have all the tools you need to deliver a winning podcast.

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Welcome to John Lincoln’s personal website. You can learn about John Lincoln’s books, films, book him to speak and contact him. John is directly associated with many of the businesses mentioned on this website and freely discloses this information. 

About the Author

John Lincoln is CEO of Ignite Visibility, one of the top digital marketing agencies in the nation. Ignite Visibility is a 6x  Inc. 5,000 company. Ignite Visibility offers a unique digital marketing program tied directly to ROI with a focus on using SEO, social media, paid media, CRO, email and PR to achieve results. Outside of Ignite Visibility, Lincoln is a frequent speaker and author of the books Advolution, Digital Influencer and The Forecaster Method. Lincoln is consistently named one of the top digital marketers in the industry and was the recipient of the coveted Search Engine Land “Search Marketer of The Year” award. Lincoln has taught digital marketing and Web Analytics at the University of California San Diego since 2010, has been named as one of San Diego’s most admired CEO’s and a top business leader under 40. Lincoln has also made “SEO: The Movie” and “Social Media Marketing: The Movie.” His business mission is to help others through digital marketing.

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