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When you scroll through TikTok, Instagram, or X, you’ll see short clips of people talking into microphones—these are podcasts. Once limited to apps like Spotify and Apple Music, podcasts are now booming on social media. Creators use them to grow their audience, and you can too—for free.
These platforms already have millions of listeners, making them perfect for new podcasters. If you're wondering how to make a podcast for free, you’re in the right place. Let’s break down the steps to get you started!
In this article
Part 1: Wondershare Filmora: A Recommended Tool To Start a Podcast
Before anything else, you should know which tool to edit and create your podcast. After all, having a well-detailed plan but no means to execute it can be a struggle for your podcasting journey. This tool should be able to improve your voice quality, especially as a beginner podcaster who probably doesn’t have top-of-the-line tools yet.
As such, using Wondershare Filmora is highly recommended. You might already know about it as this powerful and easy-to-use video editor that’s loved by many. However, aside from being a video editor, did you know it also has powerful audio editing tools? The best part of this is that it has a free version that can help you get started with your first podcast episode.
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Furthermore, since it’s a video editing tool, you can simultaneously work on the short-form promotional content and the whole podcast. Talk about handy! To help you understand how Filmora can work as your first companion while learning how to start a podcast for free, see its key features below:
- AI Voice Enhancer. The AI voice enhancer tool automatically improves your audio's crispness, clarity, and sharpness. Even if you have a lower-quality microphone, you can easily make it sound professional.
- AI Denoise. Instantly remove background sounds such as hums, static noises, and clicks in one click.
- Multicam Editing. For your podcast’s promotional content, you can edit you and your guest speaker side-by-side easily with the help of multicam editing.
- AI text-based editing. If you’re having difficulty finding elements or sounds you need, you can enjoy Filmora’s prompt-based AI tools like AI sticker, audio, sound effects, and more.
- Free AI tokens. After creating your account, you can enjoy free AI credits or tokens that you can use towards your first podcast episode.
- Cross-platform. A great Filmora feature is its cross-compatibility – meaning you can start your podcast project on your Windows or Mac and then continue editing it on your Android or iOS phone. Enjoy almost the same features and seamless cloud sync across the platforms.
How To Start Your Podcast for Free With Wondershare Filmora
Enough introduction of the tool. Here, let’s begin learning how to start a free podcast and potentially make money later on with the help of AI voice enhancers and other tools. Follow the steps below:
secure download Step 1: Install, download, and launch Wondershare Filmora. Log in or sign up with your Wondershare, Facebook, Google, X, or Apple account.
Step 2: Start by making a New Project from the homepage.
Step 3: Drag and drop your initial audio recording to the timeline.
Step 4: Go to Audio > Basic > AI Voice Enhancer to improve your podcast’s voice quality.
Step 5: Then adjust the following settings:
- Voice Clarity: Use this tool to reduce and lower ambient sounds while elevating the volume and crispness of your recorded voice.
- Voice Beautification: Enhances the thickness or loudness of your voice while improving its overall style and quality.
Step 6: Lastly, Export your content. For audio-only podcasts, use the MP3, M4A or WAV formats. If you want to export video content, use the MP4 or other appropriate formats.
Part 2: How To Start Planning a Podcast
Planning is the foundation of every successful podcast. Without proper preparation, even the most passionate creators can struggle to maintain consistency and grow their audience. Your planning phase sets the trajectory for everything that follows—from production quality to audience engagement. Let's consider the essential elements when mapping out your podcasting journey.
Choosing Your Niche and Purpose
Start by identifying a topic area you're passionate about and where you can provide unique value. Ask yourself:
- What knowledge or perspective can I share that others might find valuable?
- Is there a gap in the podcasting landscape I can fill?
- Who is my ideal listener, and what do they want to learn or experience?
Your podcast's purpose should answer the "why" behind your show. Are you educating, entertaining, inspiring, or some combination of these?
Deciding on a Format
Consider which podcast format best serves your content:
- Solo shows: Just you and the microphone—ideal for sharing expertise or personal stories
- Interview-based: Conversations with guests that bring fresh perspectives
- Co-hosted: Dynamic discussions between two or more regular hosts
- Panel discussions: Multiple voices exploring topics from different angles
- Narrative/storytelling: Crafted stories with production elements
Creating Your Podcast Identity
Your podcast's name, cover art, and description are crucial marketing elements:
- Choose a memorable, searchable name that reflects your content
- Design eye-catching cover art that stands out in directories
- Write a compelling description that communicates what listeners will gain
Structuring Your Episodes
As part of learning how to make a podcast for free, learning how to structure or pattern your episodes for familiarity is key:
- Develop a recognizable intro and outro
- Plan segment transitions
- Decide on episode length (consistency helps build listener habits)
- Consider writing scripts or detailed talking points
Planning Your Social Media Strategy
Map out how you'll promote your podcast:
- Which platforms align with your target audience?
- What types of content will complement your episodes?
- How will you repurpose audio content for visual platforms?
Remember: Thorough planning saves countless hours of frustration later and sets your podcast up for sustainable growth.
Part 3: Tips When Recording or Editing Your Podcasts
Recording and editing your podcast can make the difference between amateur content and professional-grade audio that keeps listeners returning. It’s one of the best ways to learn while learning how to start a podcast for free on Spotify. Even with great content, poor audio quality can quickly drive listeners away. Here are some practical tips to elevate your podcast recording and editing process.
- Invest in a Dedicated Microphone: Your phone or laptop mic isn't good enough for podcasting. For professional sound quality, you'll need a proper microphone - and they're more affordable than you think!
- Master Your Speaking Pace: Speak at a natural pace—not too fast or slow—to keep listeners engaged. Use brief pauses between ideas to help them follow along. Recording yourself is the easiest way to check your rhythm.
- Incorporate Strategic Sound Effects: Sound effects and music can transform your podcast from a simple conversation into an immersive audio experience. Use intro and outro music to create a recognizable brand identity.
- Optimize Your Episode Length: There's no perfect podcast length—it depends on your topic and audience. Aim for 30-45 minutes for casual listening (like commuters) or 60-90 minutes for in-depth discussions. Most importantly: stay consistent. Your audience should know what to expect with each episode
Part 4: Publishing and Distributing Your Podcast
You've planned your content, recorded quality audio, and perfectly edited your episodes. The critical final step comes: getting your podcast out into the world. Effective distribution ensures your hard work reaches your target audience across all major listening platforms.
Using Anchor’s Spotify Hosting
Anchor is the best way to learn how to start a podcast on Spotify for free. To do this, you can generally follow the steps below:
- Create a free Anchor account at Anchor.fm
- Upload your edited audio files directly through their user-friendly interface
- Add episode titles, descriptions, and artwork for each episode
- Configure your podcast settings, including categories and explicit content flags
- Click "Publish" to automatically distribute to Spotify and other major platforms
The platform handles the technical aspects of RSS feed creation and hosting, allowing you to focus on content creation rather than technical configuration.
Optimizing Discoverability With SEO
Craft episode titles and descriptions with discoverability in mind:
- Include relevant keywords without keyword stuffing
- Create compelling titles that communicate a clear value
- Write detailed show notes with timestamps for key moments
- Incorporate searchable terms your audience might use to find content like yours
Creating Consistent Visual Branding
Design episode thumbnails that reinforce your podcast identity:
- Maintain consistent branding elements across all episodes
- Consider episode numbers or series identifiers for easy navigation
- Ensure text is legible even at small thumbnail sizes
- Use colors and imagery that stand out in podcast directories
Conclusion
Overall, learning how to start a podcast with no audience at first can be a challenging task. However, as you begin exerting effort in planning, editing, and executing your content, you’ll start to learn the hang of it. Learn what your audience likes, listen to their feedback, and be your best, creative self.
As you go through this journey, learn to rely on a video editing tool like Wondershare Filmora. This tool allows you to edit your podcast’s audio quality (arguably essential for a podcast, as people listen to you) while helping you create your promotional content.
