How to start a podcast in 2025 Part 4: Recording and editing your first podcast episode

This post is part of a series titled How to start a podcast in 2025. If you’ve missed any of the posts, check back here.

1. Prepare Before You Record

Good preparation saves time and helps your episode sound polished.

• Write a loose script or outline to keep you on track.
• Rehearse key points so you sound natural.
• Test your mic levels and adjust gain to avoid distortion.
• Eliminate background noise by choosing a quiet space.

2. Start Recording

Keep these tips in mind to get the best quality audio:

• Speak clearly and at a steady pace.
• Pause between thoughts to make editing easier.
• Record a short test clip and listen back before starting the full episode.
• If you make a mistake, pause and restart the sentence instead of stopping the recording.

3. Edit for Clarity and Flow

Editing refines your episode and removes distractions.

• Trim silences, mistakes, and filler words (like “um” and “uh”).
• Adjust volume levels to ensure consistency.
• Add intro and outro music if desired.
• Use noise reduction tools to clean up audio.

4. Choose the Right Editing Software

Depending on your skill level, different tools can help:

• Free: Audacity (PC/Mac), GarageBand (Mac)
• Paid: Adobe Audition, Reaper, Hindenburg Journalist

Learn basic editing techniques, but don’t overcomplicate it—clear, clean audio is the goal.

5. Export Your Episode

Save your file in the right format:

• MP3 format (128-192 kbps for spoken word podcasts)
• Normalize volume levels to avoid sudden jumps in loudness.
• Name files clearly (e.g., “Episode-01-Intro.mp3”) for easy organization.

This post is part of a series titled How to start a podcast in 2025. If you’ve missed any of the posts, check back here.