Professional podcast studios or do-it-yourself budget set ups? The two are quite different and will either enhance or limit your opportunities, so it’s important to consider the investment your business is making.
With 38% of listeners stating that they purchased services or goods after listening to company podcasts in 2022, it’s never been a better time to invest in this growing platform.
Your business aims will usually determine which type of podcast studio set up you need. However, for brands and companies looking to leverage podcasts as part of their marketing efforts, with a heavy focus on raising brand awareness, reaching new audiences and attracting investors/advertisers; a professional podcast studio set up is almost always needed.
But what does a professional podcast studio set up offer you, which you can’t achieve through a budget DIY-style studio?
The Benefits Of Having A Professional Podcast Studio Set Up
Professional (or commercial) podcast studios, such as Facebook’s new studio, offer companies and brands an unparalleled level of quality, efficiency and design. The potential of a professional set up is near limitless, allowing for bespoke design that serves your needs and promotes your brand.
Most importantly, a properly isolated broadcast-ready podcast studio will have been designed with acoustic isolation in mind, removing background noise from the equation and making the captured audio easier to edit together.
Whilst there some great packages out there or DIY acoustic treatment, they are unable to compete with a properly designed room that has been fine tuned for the size and capacity of the soundstage. Unwanted frequency inconsistencies in recordings, such as boominess to a vocal or muffled/muted nasally sounding voices, are removed by proper acoustic treatment.
Some of the main benefits of a professional podcast studio are:
- Premium sound quality
- High-quality acoustics and soundproofing
- High-end equipment and technology
- A recording space custom-built for your needs
- Bespoke design to promote your brand
- Brand credibility for potential advertisers
- Complete flexibility
To create the perfect professional podcast studio, consider partnering with a design and build consultant that specialises in these projects. By using their expertise you can achieve all your aims whilst keeping expenses low and avoiding unforeseen costs later down the line.
The Benefits Of DIY Podcast Studio Set Up
In contrast to a professional podcast studio set up, DIY-budget studios are usually best for amateur podcasters or those trialling the format and are more akin to a functional room than a studio.
These sort of budget recording spaces usually work best for single-parties and not suitable for businesses or brands looking to leverage podcasting as part of their marketing strategies.
A budget podcast set-up can be housed in a range of spaces, from closets to spare rooms, however usually don’t involve any form of construction or serious soundproofing.
For amateur podcasters a DIY podcast space can offer:
- A low-cost podcast room
- Opportunity to trial podcasting
- Minimal effort or time required to set up
- Little or no new equipment required
A podcast studio set up can be a great way to get started in podcasting, for those that want to trial the format at home. However, they aren’t recommended for companies or brands looking for a serious podcasting space.
Factors To Consider When Choosing A Professional Podcast Studio Setup
When considering a podcast studio setup, there are a few factors to take into account. First, consider your budget and what you’re willing to spend on podcasting equipment. A professional podcast studio set up will come with a minimum barrier-to-entry cost, due to the elements of the base build and its soundproofing.
Second, think about the level of quality you want for your podcasts. For businesses and professionals who are serious about podcasting, its important your space and your recordings properly reflect the values and image of your brand. This will not only improve the experience for your listeners, but also help to secure potential advertising opportunities.
For example, a professional studio will have properly installed connections between the capture device and the microphones, meaning the signal is reliable and of a high quality. These integral elements of quality sound design are hard to achieve in a budget set up, reducing the quality of the final recording.
Finally, consider your workflow and how many people will be podcasting in your studio at once. If you’re working solo, you can get away with a smaller setup – but if you plan on recording with multiple people, or need to record multiple tracks simultaneously, you’ll need a carefully planned space.
Partnering with a professional design and build consultant can help make this process easier, as they will work with you from the early stages and carefully consider your suggested space for the best design.
Conclusion
Whilst there are obvious benefits to both professional and budget podcast studios, they are not equally suited to an individual’s needs. For businesses and brands looking to invest in podcasting, a professional podcast studio set up will always be required.
To determine exactly what your business needs, consider speaking to a design and build consultant who can work with your plans and design a space that is functional, high-quality and acoustically treated to deliver the best end-product.
Have any questions? Sound Zero offers a complete design and build consultancy process for podcast studios and professional music production studios.
From beginning to end, you are supported by your Sound Zero technical consultant to bring your creative vision to life through a 5-step process including consultation, site visit, 3D modelling, manufacture and installation.
If you’re looking to design and build an in-house professional podcast studio for your business, do not hesitate to get in touch!
