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Not sure if you’ve noticed but I’ve gone a bit podcast crazy lately!
I just launched the second series of the Work-At-Home Heroes podcast a few weeks ago…
And I’ve started recording episodes for my new podcast, Crazy Brave Life, which will be released in September!
I can’t get enough of podcasts.
But do you know what… Podcasts are a lot of work.
So much goes into them from lining up guests, recording, editing, creating graphics, publishing, promoting — the list goes on!
It’s a lot of work for one person. So that’s why I am SUPER lucky to have a podcast producer on my team to help me bring you all this awesome audio content.
Without Jen, you’d be lucky to get one episode a quarter out of me instead of the weekly episodes you’re getting right now!
So when my close friend Gina Horkey (we started out as online buddies, but we’ve met in real life many times too!) reached out to me to tell me about her new course Podcast Production School, I jumped at the chance to tell you about it.
The podcast industry is exploding, and as someone who sees the value of having a podcast producer on my team every day, I just had to share this new business idea with you.
Podcast creators need someone to help them bring their podcasts to life and get them out there for the world to hear.
If you’re a podcast fanatic like I am and your interest is piqued, keep reading to hear more about how to become a podcast producer, what podcast producers do, and how they earn money from home!
Hi, Gina! Tell us a little about yourself and how you got started in podcasting.
Hiya! I’m Gina, a married, millennial mama to two precocious kiddos from Minnesota. I’ve specialized in helping everyday folks learn hard digital marketing skills to launch their own service-based businesses online, working from the comfort of their own home (or anywhere!) since 2014.
I “cut my teeth” as a professional writer early on in my online career, adding virtual assistant services like email management and customer service shortly after. In early 2019, I stopped offering services personally, but if I had to start all over, I’d totally add podcast production services to the mix!
I came across podcasts first as a listener. It was such a huge blessing to “be a fly on the wall” of some of the conversations between the world’s most influential online business owners. Isn’t it amazing that you can tune into the majority of shows for free?!
As my business grew, I started using podcasts to up my marketing game. I’ve done everything from appearing on shows as a guest to investing in podcast advertising via sponsorship and hosting my own shows, the newest of which is launching this fall!
I saw so much benefit in podcasting as a medium, that I connected with my two co-founders of Podcast Production School (whose specialties are more technical in nature) to create an online course that helps people quickly get their (or a client’s) show off the ground or take an existing show to the next level to reap the same benefits I have.
Podcasting has exploded recently! It’s definitely an area to get involved in if you want to make money from home. But some people might be wondering what does a podcast producer do?
Essentially, a podcast producer “makes a podcast happen.” They have a 10,000 foot overview of the entire podcasting process and are always working on making sure they are meeting the expectations of their clients.
The producer is aware of the client’s vision for the show and may even play a role in planning the content and marketing strategies for the show. When an episode is ready to publish, they’ll coordinate with the marketing team (if there is one!) to make sure everything is ready to push out. And once an episode has gone live, the producer is often the one to look at the analytics and make decisions (or suggestions) about areas for improvement.
With over a million shows (and this number is increasing daily!), you’ll find there is a lot of promise in offering podcasting services to clients. Folks that already have shows see the benefit in hiring someone else to manage all of the moving parts. There are also a ton of businesses and brands that aren’t using audio that really want to/should be.
In either scenario a podcast producer can help — they can step in and take over or even improve a client’s show or help them to start a new one from scratch.
Podcast producers wear many hats and can offer a mix and match of services to best suit their skills and abilities. Clients need everything from help with technical setup and support, audio editing, episode distribution and publication, guest management, and marketing and promoting their shows.
The great thing is that producers don’t have to do it all, they can pick and choose based on client needs, their skill set, and what they enjoy doing the most!
I’m all about finding work you enjoy! What kind of skills do you need to be a podcast producer?
Excellent podcast producers have strong communication, organization, and management skills. You’ll also need to be able to manage client expectations and coordinate a team, if you’re working with one.
If you’re offering technical services (some producers don’t!), having audio editing skills is an absolute requirement. You need to know your way around a microphone, your editing software of choice, and the soundboard (even if it’s a digital one). You’ll also need to know how to get good audio out of both studio and live recording settings, and be able to guide your client to do so as well.
If you’re interested in more of the project management side of podcasting, communication and organization are the big ones to have. While you don’t need to be “super techy,” it is important that you’re detail oriented and at least familiar with working online.
We recommend that our students learn the entire process from start to finish, even if they don’t decide to offer “full service.” Understanding the process is imperative to answering client questions and guiding them when it comes to making decisions for their show.
Do you need a lot of expensive equipment?
Depending on what services you want to offer, you may not need any equipment outside of your computer and the internet. In Podcast Production School, we’ll walk you through all of the possible tools and platforms you can use in your business (including suggestions for things like headphones!).
But to be clear, most tools and programs are free (or at least have a free trial). All other purchases are 100% up to you and your client. Your clients will either have a lot of these tools already in place or look to you to set them up with their credit card (not yours!).
When it comes to equipment in particular (in addition to your computer and the internet), a decent pair of over-the-ear headphones and a quality mic will enable you to do just about everything you need to do as a producer.
Who hires podcast producers? Is there demand for this service?
Everyone from hobbyists to Fortune 500 companies have podcast producers. Because we’re seeing an insane uptick in podcasts (with new shows added literally every day!), demand continues to go up for help with production in all areas.
Apple Podcasts alone clocked in over 1 MILLION podcasts a few months ago. For reference, when we launched our course at the end of 2019, they were only reporting 800,000 podcasts… that’s a crazy jump in just a few months!
Wow! Sounds like there’s plenty of work to go around then. How much can a podcast producer earn?
Most podcast producers easily average $30 to $50 per hour (or more!) over time.
There are many factors that go into how much a podcast producer can earn, but we recommend any self-employed person charge a MINIMUM of $20/hr, even if they have zero experience. We’re big believers that you can make a good living as a podcast producer (i.e., six-figures is totally possible!) — the more experience you acquire and the better you get at what you do, the more in demand you are and the higher the rates are that you can charge.
Many people already have the skill sets necessary to add podcast production to their arsenal of services, which means even if they don’t have any experience podcasting, per se, they can still start out offering their services at well over $20/hr.
As a work-from-home blog, we have to ask: can you do this job from home or is it more of an in-person thing?
This job is 100% remote! All it really takes to do work as a podcast producer is to have access to a computer, over-the-ear headphones, and a reliable internet connection.
You can work with folks in your local community, home country, or worldwide. We’ve entered into a global economy, and the internet has made it possible for producers and clients to work together regardless of their location!
God bless the internet! How flexible is this type of work? Is it ideal for moms, as a side gig, digital nomads, etc.?
When you work for yourself, you set your own schedule, and since this job is remote, you can work when it’s convenient for you.
One of our co-creators, Melanie Scroggins, started podcasting as a hobby in her RV on the coast of Oregon and ended up making four figures per month working part-time as a producer. This is an awesome side gig for anyone looking for remote work. Added bonus if you love podcasts!
I love a business you can do from anywhere! What’s the best way to get started as a podcast producer?
Great question! If you’re ready to say “yes” to a stable, secure financial future, a business you’ll LOVE showing up for every day, and starting something that you can feel really amazing about…
Then GO HERE to learn more about Podcast Production School!
Our Take
Thank you, Gina, for taking the time to answer all my questions about becoming a podcast producer! It sounds like there are a lot of opportunities out there now for podcast lovers to make money from this booming industry.
If you’re interested in learning more about being a podcast producer, check out Gina’s FREE workbook!
Want to hear one student’s honest review of Podcast Production School? Check out my interview with Jen!
Gina Horkey is a married, millennial mama to two precocious kiddos from Minnesota. Additionally, she’s the founder of several websites, including GinaHorkey.com. Gina specializes in helping everyday folks learn hard digital marketing skills to launch their own service-based businesses online, working from the comfort of their own home (or anywhere!). Her background includes making a living as a professional writer, an online business marketing consultant, and a decade of experience in the financial services industry.
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