School of Podcasting: Expert Tips for Launching and Growing Your Podcast

Episode: How to Start Podcasting in 2026

Host: Dave Jackson
Date: January 5, 2026

Brief Overview

In this episode, Dave Jackson delivers an up-to-date, step-by-step guide for absolute beginners on launching a podcast in 2026. Drawing from his extensive experience and industry changes since his last launch episode in 2018, Dave walks listeners through essentials like defining your purpose, choosing gear, navigating video and audio choices, picking software, and avoiding burnout. He stresses practical decision-making and shares hard-earned advice on mistakes to avoid, helping newcomers set a strong podcasting foundation.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Establishing Your Podcast Foundation

• Start with 'Why':
  Dave emphasizes a clear purpose:

  “If your answer is, ‘I don’t know, sounds fun,’ that’s probably not going to be enough because it’s not easy. It’s simple, but it’s not easy.” (02:38)

• Define Your Audience:

  “If you go, ‘everybody,’ yeah, that’s not a good answer.” (04:01)
  He encourages specificity for better content and easier marketing.

• Format and Structure:
  Decide solo, co-host, or interview style, and clarify responsibilities, especially with co-hosts.

  “If you have a co-host, you have to have the uncomfortable meeting where you say, ‘Who owns the show?’” (06:48)

• Location and Environment:
  Consider noise, family, and video lighting needs.

2. Naming, Branding, and Artwork

• Choosing a Podcast Name:

  • Google it and check Apple Podcasts for duplicates.
  • Test your name with people:

    “Go up to people and go, ‘Hey, I’m doing a show called Blank. What do you think it’s about?’” (09:56)

  • Use name generators from Podpage and Buzzsprout.

• Artwork Tips:

  • Make the show name big and communicate show content.
  • Skip putting microphones/cameras on your cover.
  • Dave recommends PodcastBranding.co for design or Canva for DIY.

3. Gear Selection: Microphones, Audio, and Video

Audio - Microphone Options

• Budget Mic:
  • Samson Q2U (~$80):

    “Find a microphone that you like your voice on.” (14:18)

  • Better: Rode Podmic USB or Shure MV7 Plus.
  • High-end: Shure SM7B, Electro Voice RE20.
  • Key tip:

    “Everybody gets a microphone. None of the sharing microphones. It’s going to sound horrible.” (15:06)

Audio Demo

Dave demonstrates various mics, including the Hollyland Lark M2 lavalier and Podmic, explaining pros, cons, and the need for post-production (17:00–23:00).

• Lavalier vs. Dynamic Mics:

  “Shotgun microphones and lavalier microphones will never sound as good out of the box as a dynamic microphone.” (18:44)

Video - Camera Options

• Entry Level: Use your phone (with Camo software for Mac, $49/year or $99 lifetime).
• Webcam: Elgato 4K (about $199).
• DSLR: Sony ZV E10 (~$800), with a warning about cost and complexity.
• User Experience:

  “If I want to use my Sony ZV E10... I have to get out of my chair. Oh, holy cow. Are you kidding me?” (30:40)

Lighting

• Three-light setup recommended.
• Brands: GVM (3-pack ~$349), Elgato Key Light ($140 per), Neewer (2-pack ~$179).
• Cautions about obsessing over background and lighting at the expense of content.

Background

• Don’t go overboard.

  “You will obsess. Everyone obsesses over their background, and that’s not helping your audience... get back to making content.” (38:40)

4. Software and Editing

Audio

• Free: Audacity (robust, industry staple).
• Paid: Hindenburg ($12–$15/month, made for audio storytelling).
• Others to consider for future: Adobe Podcasting, Alitu.

Video

• Mainstream: Descript and Riverside (both have pros/cons; evolving platforms).
• Dave’s choice for editing: Camtasia (legacy), moving to Tela.
• For free, advanced editing: DaVinci Resolve

  “... is the Audacity for video... an amazing video editor that, like, is better than some programs you pay for. And it's free. That's the good news. The bad news is it's got a monster of a learning curve.” (57:29)

Remote Recording

• Squadcast (preferable for audio-only remote).
• Zoom: Acceptable, compressed audio/video, reliable, low learning curve.

5. Music and Branding

• Use TuneReel or Sonos/Suno for intro/outro music.
• Buy a single-song license (around $10).
• AI music is now viable, even if ironically offensive to a musician like Dave.

“Don’t go that way... I’ve seen people that didn’t launch their podcast because they couldn't find the absolute perfect song.” (01:10:30)

6. Distribution: Hosts, Websites, and Launch

• Podcast Hosting:

  • Top picks: Captivate (multiple shows, fees scale with downloads), Buzzsprout (per show), honorable mentions: Blueberry, RSS.com, Libsyn.
  • For video: Use YouTube.
  • Submit shows to all major directories; pay special attention to keeping Apple/Spotify stats under your own account.

• Website:

  • Use PodPage, highly recommended for ease and automation.
  • Get your own custom domain (Namecheap preferred).

    “This is not a want, this is a need. You need a website. You need a domain.” (01:15:05)

• Show Notes & Links:

  • Detailed episode descriptions for discoverability and listener value.
  • Always include links for resources discussed.

• Artwork: Use PodcastBranding.co or Canva.

  • Make show title prominent; don’t clutter or add unnecessary images.

7. Submitting to Directories

• Validate your feed with Cast Feed Validator.
• Submission Process:
  • Submit to Apple & Spotify yourself for full analytics control.
  • Don’t double-submit your show; avoid having duplicate listings.

    “Don’t submit your show more than once. Pick one way.” (01:22:36)

8. Measuring Success

• Define success by your stated 'why' (downloads, community engagement, email list growth, sales, influence, etc.).

  “I measure the success of this show by how many people sign up at the School of Podcasting.” (01:25:05)

9. Outdated Practices & Last Tips

• ID3/Meta tags in your MP3: Now almost obsolete except for Overcast (and only for artwork).
• Don't buy a Blue Yeti mic, or if you have, learn to use it properly.
• Avoid getting frozen by gear or music perfectionism; focus on content value and listener experience.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Defining Your Why:

  “If you don’t get your why, you quit. Unless you said, ‘Well, I want to sign up for something that’s kind of frustrating and a little bit hard and takes up a lot of time because I’ve got a lot of free time on my hands and I’m trying to kill it.’” (03:02)

• On Co-hosts:

  “Have the uncomfortable meeting... get it as clear as possible who does what—so that later when you go, ‘Wait, I thought you were going to do the social media...’” (07:35)

• On Microphone Sharing:

  “If you’re going bowling, you got to wear shoes. If you’re going to do a podcast, you got to have a microphone.” (15:20)

• On Video Setup:

  “You are going to spend... an amazing amount of time obsessing over your background. You just can’t get away from it.” (38:10)

• On Analytics & Submission:

  “To get that information [in-depth stats] your show has to be under your account.” (01:20:41)

• On Burnout:

  “Because when you don’t achieve your why, you burn out.” (01:26:40)

• On What’s Most Important in Video:

  “It’s not the lighting, it’s not the camera, it’s the audio. If they have to strain to hear you, they will not watch your video.” (End—found in the last minute as an afterthought)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Why & Audience Definition: 2:30–5:00
• Co-hosting and Format: 6:40–8:00
• Naming and Branding: 9:45–12:00
• Microphone/Audio Gear: 13:00–17:30
• Lavalier/Video Mic Demos: 17:30–23:00
• Camera & Lighting Gear: 27:00–41:00
• Software for Editing: 44:00–58:00
• Hosting & Launch: 1:11:00–1:17:00
• Stats and Distribution: 1:19:30–1:25:00
• Measuring Success: 1:25:00–1:27:00
• Meta Tags & Outdated Practices: 1:27:10–1:28:20
• Final Thoughts & Key Takeaways: Last 5 minutes

Final Takeaways

• Start with a purpose and specific audience in mind.
• Invest in a good dynamic microphone and don’t worry about perfection or video aesthetics initially.
• Don’t obsess over gear, background, or music at the expense of starting and delivering value.
• Prioritize audio quality for all podcasts—including video.
• Be cautious with hosting and submission to keep analytics.
• Measure success by your own metrics, not just downloads.
• Every podcast is different; copy principles, not just tactics.
• Most importantly:

  “Podcasting is simple, but it’s not easy. It’s finding out what does your audience really want and then giving it to them... in an educational or entertaining fashion, or better—both.” (01:30:00)

For further coaching and resources, check out School of Podcasting
Coupon code: listnr for discounts and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Class dismissed!