How much does it cost to produce a podcast?

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If you're thinking of starting a B2B podcast, one of the first things you'll need to consider is the cost. In this blog, we'll break down the costs involved in producing a podcast, including equipment, hosting, and distribution. We’ll also do some cost comparisons for creating a podcast in-house, versus working with a podcast production company.

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How much does podcast equipment cost?

The cost of podcast equipment can vary widely, depending on your budget and the type of setup you're looking for. For a basic setup, you'll need a microphone, headphones, and a recording device. The kind of equipment you invest in is important, because the quality of your podcast will determine how many listeners you bring in. 

If you're on a tight budget, you can start with a simple USB microphone, such as the Blue Yeti, which costs around $100. For headphones, you can consider the Sony MDR-7506, which cost around $100. Finally, you'll need a computer or laptop to record and edit your podcast, which you probably already have.

If you want to upgrade your setup, you can invest in a dedicated digital audio recorder, such as the Zoom H5, which costs around $200. This type of recorder allows you to record high-quality audio directly to an SD card, which makes it easier to edit and distribute your podcast.

When you work with a podcast production company like Caspian Studios, our production team works with you to make sure you have state of the art equipment.

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Is it more cost-effective to produce a podcast in-house or work with a podcast production agency?

Some B2B companies choose to product their podcast in-house, leveraging the teams and tools they already have. However, many B2B companies opt to work with professionals at podcast production companies. You might be wondering what the cost differences look like for producing a podcast in-house vs. with a podcast production agency. In house, the costs can look like the following: 

• Executive Producer / Editor: Oversees all content and production. 5-10 years relevant experience creating and publishing podcasts or audio content. Salary: $75,000-100,000

• Growth Marketing Manager: Oversees all growth marketing of the show. 5-10 years relevant experience distributing podcasts, content, and managing multiple paid advertising and SEO campaigns. Salary: $75,000-$125,000

• Booking / PR Manager: Oversees all prospecting, correspondence and booking with guests.  Leverages network of comms professionals to book guests. Salary: $60,000-$75,000.

• Lead Producer / Writer: Manages daily production of the show. Strong project manager skills. Able to book and juggle multiple guests, hosts, and audio production. Fills in gaps where needed. Often tied to email to coordinate, especially for in-studio guests. Edits email newsletter. Salary: $65,000-$75,000

• Audio / Video Engineer: Converts raw audio to production ready audio and video. Needs at least 2-3 hours of labor for every 1 hour of recording for mixing and production. Can publish the audio to hosting platform of choice. Salary: $50,000-$60,000

• Associate Producer / Researcher / Copywriter: Creates research and prep docs. Creates searchable copy for each episode. Skilled in email marketing to help support podcast releases so audiences can find the shows. Writes email newsletter. Creates digital assets for publication in email, podcasts, landing pages, advertisements, and social media publishing. Salary: $50,000 - $55,000

• Host: The star of your podcast, or co-stars. Pricing TBD

There are many roles that need to come together to create a successful B2B podcast, and these costs can add up to over $400,000 to produce a podcast in-house. When you choose to work with a podcast production company, those costs are cut significantly. In fact, producing a podcast with a podcast production company can cost around $172,000. Here's a sample comparison of in-house vs. podcast production company costs: 

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Does it cost money to upload a podcast to Spotify?

Spotify is one of the largest podcast platforms in the world, with over 250 million monthly active users. If you want to distribute your podcast on Spotify, you'll need to sign up for an account, which is free.

Once you have an account, you can submit your podcast for review. There are no upfront costs involved in publishing your podcast on Spotify, but you may need to pay for hosting and distribution if you're not already doing so.

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Is it free to publish on Apple Podcasts?

Apple Podcasts, formerly known as iTunes, is one of the largest podcast directories in the world, with over 1 million active podcasts. If you want to distribute your podcast on Apple Podcasts, you'll need to sign up for an account, which is free.

Once you have an account, you can submit your podcast for review. There are no upfront costs involved in publishing your podcast on Apple Podcasts, but you may need to pay for hosting and distribution if you're not already doing so. A podcast production company can help with that. Contact us today!