How to Become a Podcast Producer

Is your goal is to earn a living as a podcast producer? The “simplest” way to get there is to seek the knowledge you need to start your own podcast. Once you gain some experience and credentials, you can look for jobs to produce podcasts for others.

 Note: You do not need to have a podcast in order to become a podcast producer. But it is a great way to learn and master the process.  

In this article, you’ll learn what you need to know to become a podcast producer.

What Goes Into Producing a Podcast

 The role of the podcast producer is to oversee the production of the podcast and  act as sound engineer. It also has elements of project manager, communications whiz, and master multitasker.

Podcasts are like snowflakes. They are all a little different. Different topic, host or hosts, show length, episode frequency, recording equipment, recording room and format.  

As a result, there are multiple steps for creating, managing, and producing a podcast. This will depend on whether or not there are guests, advertisers, and detailed show notes. Since you may not need to do all of the following, choose the steps you need.

1. Create the production schedule
2. Acquire, schedule, prepare questions, and manage guests for interviews
3. Write intros, outros, and advertisements
4. Record the podcasts
5. Produce the episodes
6. Create blog content and show notes
7. Distribute the episode to podcast host (if podcast is brand new this will also include submitting to iTunes)
8. Promote via social media
9. Share the finished episode with any quests and give them tools to promote it to their audience
10. Repeat steps 3 through 9 for as many podcasts as your scheduled (steps 1 and 2). 

Podcast Producer Qualifications

There is plenty you can learn on your own. However, to up-level your podcasting skillset and find paid work – you may want to invest in paid qualifications. These are credentials you can add to your resume, LinkedIn, and website bio when looking for podcasting gigs.

Music Radio Creative. We offer certified audio production training – including an audio production and podcast production course. Our aim is to give you technical tools needed to post produce a great sounding audio. We also have a YouTube channel with plenty of bonus information.

The Podcast Host. This is another resource for podcast classes. Their Academy offers a monthly or annual membership for access.

Smart Passive Income. Pat Flynn has a ton of content on his YouTube channel, including complete playlists for your podcast education. His most prominent course is the Power-Up Podcasting course which offers you the A-Z knowledge on how to start a launch a podcast. The AMP’D Up Podcasting Course offers complete education on marketing and monetization side of things. 

There are numerous other courses and YouTube channels available. If none of the above seem right, see what else is available to find the right fit for you. 

Getting a Podcast Producer Job

If you are just starting out, your best bet to get a work as a podcast producer is to join groups of likeminded individuals, and keep an eye out for small jobs, as you gain experience for the larger or full-time podcast producer gigs. You can find groups on Facebook (She Podcasts, Podcast Movement, Podcasters Support Group) or LinkedIn (Podcasting Enthusiasts). Plus, the Podcast Board on Reddit has job listings, as well as advice and conversations about podcasting.

If you do join one of these groups, don’t be salesy and spam the membership. Most organizers/admins will not tolerate it. But a huge part of getting work is being part of a trusted community. Learn and share resources. You never know where any group relationship may lead.

Those looking for short-term or project work should check out the podcast jobs on Upwork. These small gigs might just want a piece of the podcasting pie, such as audio production, show notes and descriptions, or managing and scheduling guests. 

There are also numerous job boards you can search, as well, for full-time work:

ZipRecruiter

Indeed

LinkedIn

According to these sites, the average annual salary for a podcast producer is around $50,000. Glassdoor says the national average is $65,000. However, that can go higher based on location and years of experience.

Final Thoughts

Here’s the deal. Sure, you can go back to school, get an engineering degree, and look for a gig producing podcast down the line. Or, you can see what information is out there to streamline your education process.  Learn podcasting production, master the skills, and then take small projects to build up your resume.

The knowledge you need is out there, as are the big breaks to become a podcast producer. You just need to dedicate yourself to the process, put in the time, and do the work. You could get the job of your dreams.

Are you a podcast producer? Do you want to be? What are your thoughts on how to become a podcast producer? Please share in the comments.